After graduating in 2015, Matthew established his piano teaching business and later acquired a narrower keyboard (6.0), in an upright piano made by Clive Pinkham in 2018. Enjoy his program here!
Program:
Gabriel Faure; Nocturne No 4 in Eb Major (Op 36)
Barcarolle; No 2 in G Major (Op. 41)
Isaac Albéniz; Tango in D, No 2 from Espana (Opus 165)
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Matthew started playing piano in 2001 with a local piano teacher when he was still at school, working on a range of repertoire and passing graded Trinity College London practical exams up to Grade 8.
In 2005 he was fortunate to be offered a place at Trinity College of Music as a junior student, achieving Grade 8 in 2009 and an advanced performance certificate in 2011. He also participated in regular lunchtime recitals performing solo on piano and alto saxophone.
Matthew decided to pursue a music career and was delighted to be offered a place at the London College of Music at University of West London in 2012 to study performance with pianoforte.
As he was musically drawn towards early romantic (Beethoven) and romantic composers such as Faure and Chopin, he started to realize that his handspan was well below average male size and found his repertoire physically demanding. This compromised his ability due to his smaller hands. Matthew was in the middle of his degree course and became enlightened about DS keyboard sizes and the PASK campaign.
After graduating with a first class in 2015, he established his piano teaching business and later acquired a narrower keyboard (6.0), in an upright piano made by Clive Pinkham in 2018.
Matthew has enjoyed playing this 6.0 piano and his young beginner pupils benefit from starting lessons on a narrower keyboard. Matthew still enjoy splaying his old pieces and attempting new advanced repertoire which he could not play/practice on a 6.5 piano.