Piano Teachers Giving Piano Lessons in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales

Andy Fleet (piano player, songwriter & teacher) BA



PIANO PLAYER, SONGWRITER & TEACHER

I teach from my Berkhamsted home studio in a friendly, informal and relaxed environment using my lovely Yamaha acoustic piano and other technology where appropriate.

I teach both jazz/pop/rock and formal classical piano and depending on your targets my lessons will enable you to play freely and improvise on jazz standards and popular songs or play from sheet music in a more formal way. A combination of the two approaches is ideal.

ABOUT ME
I am a professional songwriter, piano player, vocalist, teacher and founder of KZR Music (www.kzrmusic.co.uk). I played the piano bars and hotels of central London for many years, worked as a session player including many television appearances, have toured with Universal Music and also lead my own quartet performing original jazz and blues flavored popular music. I have released two albums - 'The Night Falls Fast' in 2009 and 'Takin' Aim' in 2013.

I’ve played some of the finest venues including the Paradiso in Amsterdam, Borderline, Spice of Life & Troubadour in London, The Vredenburg Concert Hall in Utrecht and the prestigious Stables in Milton Keynes. My award winning songs have been recorded by both pop and jazz singers around the world.

MY LESSONS IN MORE DETAIL

JAZZ/ROCK/POP PIANO
To learn jazz and rock piano it is recommended that you have some ability at the keyboard (grade 3 or 4 standard minimum). If you are a total beginner wanting to learn this style of playing we will need to spend some time learning formal piano whilst still introducing jazz/rock concepts from the very start.
We’ll work towards playing the popular songs and standards you love whilst looking at the following concepts:

• intervals
• triads
• 7th chords
• the crucial ‘cycle of fourths/fifths’
• voicings spread over 2 hands
• II-V-I and extended turnarounds
• voice leading
• extending chord voicings
• modes
• interpreting a chord chart and finding your own style
• chord substitution
• improvisation & accompaniment

We will learn practical theory so you understand how music is built which will enable you to find your own playing style rather than just reading the dots on the page. You can only get so far playing alone with teach-yourself books, working alongside a teacher will give you that essential practical experience.

FORMAL CLASSICAL PIANO
My more formal classical lessons follow the Michael Aaron course text and there is no pressure to study towards formal exams, it’s entirely up to you. As I mentioned earlier the best balance when learning is a combination of both formal classical and informal jazz/rock styles from the beginning.

FAQ’S

Where are you? Just off the Kings Road in Berkhamsted HP4 3BW. Call 01442 863906 or 07970 172977 or email me at andy@andyfleet.com

How much is a lesson? A batch of 4 one hour long lessons is £120 (ie. £30 per hour). This is payable in advance after an initial introductory lesson (also £30). The dates and frequency are up to you but I suggest booking in 4 sessions in advance to avoid losing your preferred day and time slot. Individual stand alone lessons are £35 per hour. 45 & 30 minute lessons are also available.

Can I pay as I go? Yes, certainly though it works out cheaper if you pay in advance (£35 p/h compared to £30)

What are your teaching times? All day Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Do you teach total beginners? Yes

What age of students do you teach ? I teach students aged 11 years and up. My oldest pupil is 82!!

Are you CRB checked ? Yes, I am Enhanced CRB cleared.

So what’s KZR Music ? KZR Music is a cool rock band school for young musicians aged 11-17 years. I founded the school in 2009 and we now run sessions in Berkhamsted & Hemel Hempstead during the school holidays and half terms. Check out the website at www.kzrmusic.co.uk