Frances Wilson

About

Frances Wilson is a London-based pianist, piano teacher, concert reviewer, writer and blogger on music and pianism as The Cross-Eyed Pianist

“A confident and fluent pianist with an authoritative interpretative standpoint”

“An excellent teacher, with an undoubted gift for communicating the techniques and the joys of piano playing”

“an important voice in the piano world”

Piano Teaching

A classically-trained pianist with over 40 years of playing experience, I hold Licentiate and Associate Diplomas (both with Distinction) in Performance, and run a popular private piano teaching practice from my home in Teddington, south-west London, teaching early intermediate (cGrade 3) to advanced students (Grade 8), both children and adults.

“a teacher who has a firm knowledge of the matter in hand and who combines this with charisma and fun to ensure that students of all ages gain confidence and pleasure”

Through tuition tailored to the individual’s needs, my aim is to encourage students to develop at their own pace to play with confidence, musicality, and expression, and to become independent learners. I offer all students a solid grounding in the technical and stylistic aspects of piano playing, together with an understanding of cultural and historical contexts, and general musicianship. Lessons take place in my home where I have a beautiful 1913 Bechstein grand piano. My students have enjoyed a 100% pass rate in graded music exams, with most achieving a Merit or Distinction.

“a natural communicator with both children and adults”

My primary concern is to make lessons as enjoyable as possible, as I feel this stimulates learning, and my teaching style is relaxed and flexible. Students may opt to work towards graded exams, but this is not obligatory. However, I am a firm believer in the premise “practise makes perfect” – and permanent – and I encourage all my pupils to develop good habits and to practise regularly.

“An inspirational and enthusiastic teacher, who never fails to get the right balance of fun and learning”

Learning to play the piano has many benefits: it can improve concentration, develop and strengthen memory, and improve mental and physical co-ordination. It also offers a deep sense of personal achievement, enjoyment and self-fulfilment.

Full professional member of the Musicians Union and the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM), and an ISM registered private piano teacher. Fully CRB checked (DBS Enhanced Certificate issued July 2015). References available on request.

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From 2008 to 2014 I studied privately with Penelope Roskell, Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at Trinity-Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance, achieving Distinctions in Licentiate and Associate level performance diplomas. I now study with acclaimed teacher, pianist and writer Graham Fitch. In addition, I have had one-off consultation lessons with Alan Fraser and James Lisney, and have attended masterclasses with internationally-renowned concert pianists Murray McLachlan, Norma Fisher and Carlo Grante, and workshops with Paul Harris, Charlotte Tomlinson and Christine Croshaw. I attend courses and seminars for advanced pianists and regularly engage in continuing professional development to enhance my teaching skills.

In addition to my regular teaching, I also run workshops for adult students on performing with confidence and understanding performance anxiety, and am co-founder and an active member of the London Piano Meetup Group.

Contact me

Writing

Frances Wilson is the author of The Cross-Eyed Pianist, a blog on music and pianism with posts on repertoire, technique and composers, concert reviews, guest articles and the popular weekly interview series ‘Meet the Artist’ in which musicians, composers and conductors discuss aspects such as influences and inspirations, performing, recording, significant teachers and more.

“The Cross-Eyed Pianist – a must-read for the keyboard-inclined”

– Jessica Duchen, writer and journalist

Featured artists include pianists Ivo Pogorelich, Tamara Stefanovich, Joanna Macgregor, Peter Donohoe, Nicholas McCarthy, Stephen Hough, Leon McCawley, Janina Fialkowska, and Pascal Rogé, composer/conductor James MacMillan, violinist Rachel Podger, and many more, both well-established and young and emerging artists.

“Frances Wilson…………a highly informative presence on the Internet, with her constructive and enthusiastic reviews of countless pianists under the name of ‘The Cross-Eyed Pianist’”

– Peter Donohoe, international concert pianist

Frances reviews concerts for her blog and also for international concert and opera listings site Bachtrack.com (read her articles and reviews here). She has also reviewed for US-based arts and culture website CultureVulture.net. In addition to reviewing, Frances is a regular contributor to ‘Pianist’ magazine’s online content, and is a guest blogger for Hong Kong based classical music website InterludeHK.