Louise Athwal

I am an experienced piano teacher offering private lessons in the West End of Glasgow. Students of all ages are welcome! Very young beginners are invited to be introduced to the fun of music, whilst I have also often taught adult beginners who discover that it really is never too late to learn the piano. I am more than happy to teach students who would like to take lessons purely for fun. On the other hand, exam preparation (ABRSM, Trinity/Guildhall, Standard Grade, Higher, Advanced Higher) can also be catered for, as can training for performance in festivals, competitions, and further study. Several of my previous students have gone on to undertake degrees in music, including at the RSAMD.

Whatever a student’s reason for wanting to learn the piano, I think that the most important thing is for them to enjoy their lessons and to feel comfortable with their teacher. For this reason, I offer all potential students a free consultation lesson before they decide whether they would like to begin weekly lessons.

For those of you interested in learning a bit more about my musical background, the following lists my qualifications....

As a pianist, I have studied under Argentinian pianist Fabiana Galente, former Head of Keyboard Studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) Philip Jenkins, and at the RSAMD with Scottish pianist Jean Hutchison. In addition I have taken performance classes with Fali Pavri and John Thwaites, and masterclasses with Bernard Roberts and Malcolm Martinu. I have experience in performing in festival competitions (including experience of winning classes!), and of performing as a soloist, accompanist to singers and instrumentalists, member of a piano duet, and alongside electronics. I have a particular interest in the performance of contemporary classical music.

In addition to my studies and experience as a classical pianist, I have also worked for ballet and dance schools, including Dance UK. I have spent a great deal of time working with music and young people in various community settings such as schools, churches and Yorkhill Hospital.

As part of my BMus (Hons) degree at the RSAMD I undertook a course in Techniques of Teaching, leading to the Piano Teaching Endorsement. This included study under Jack Keaney, observation of lessons throughout the RSAMD's Keyboard Department and the Music Department of St Aloysius' College, as well as my teaching RSAMD students under the supervision of concert pianist Marina Nadiradze.

I have a great deal of experience teaching students of all ages - privately, as well as through Paisley Academy of Music and Woodfarm Music Workshop in East Renfrewshire. My students have had an extremely high rate of success in ABRSM exams, and in performing in music festivals. I hope this is because they are always learning how much fun the piano can be!