OUR TUTORS
Graham Fitch, piano
Based in London, Graham Fitch maintains an international career not only as a pianist, but also as a teacher, adjudicator and writer. His workshops and classes, which he gives all over the world, have received high praise for their creative and illuminating approach to the subject. First Prizewinner in the Mieczyslaw Munz Piano Competition, he graduated with honours from the Royal College of Music in London as a Hopkinson Gold Medallist. His teachers at the RCM included Stephen Savage, Peter Wallfisch and Roger Vignoles. A Fullbright Scholarship then took him to the United States, where he completed his studies with Ann Schein and Nina Svetlanova, as well as participating in weekly classes with Leon Fleisher.
During much of the 1990s, Graham Fitch's career straddled the Atlantic with solo and chamber performances in England (where he taught piano at the Purcell School, St. Paul's Girls' School, and the Centre for Young Musicians), in Europe and North America. The New York Times spoke of his playing as "unalloyed pleasure". In the UK, he was a recitalist at the Bournemouth Festival, and appeared in repeated engagements with the London Chamber Soloists on London's South Bank. US activities included concerts with his trio, the Trio dell'Arte, various solo appearances, (including a performance of Bach's Goldberg Variations in Merkin Hall during the 250th anniversary of the composer's death) and a performance of Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion with Jonathan Haas.
From 1997 to 2008, Graham Fitch was Head of Keyboard at the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town, from where he travelled to Australia, New Zealand and the USA to perform and teach. Graham gave recitals, masterclasses and keynote addresses at four successive Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conferences across Australia from 1999 to 2005. He was in residence at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2006, giving a masterclass, directing a performance class and teaching the Head of Piano's studio.
Graham is a principal tutor for the Piano Teachers' Course UK, Britain's flagship training programme for piano teachers. He is also a tutor at the Summer School for Pianists in Stowe, and gives regular workshops for pianists and teachers in London and Finchcocks. Graham is a regular contributor to Pianist Magazine, with articles on technique, style, practising and performance as well as producing an ongoing series of video demonstrations on YouTube. Graham was commissioned by Trinity College London to write the teaching notes for a series of graded piano pieces, Raise the Bar, as well as for advanced grades for the new syllabus. He is also doing some consulting work for the ABRSM on new syllabus for advanced grades.
Graham teaches privately in South West London, and counts among his students professional pianists, piano teachers, adult amateurs as well as youngsters. Schedule permitting, Graham's philosophy is to be available to anyone who wishes to study with him who is serious about developing their piano playing.
Fanny Gsteiger, Alexander technique
Fanny Gsteiger discovered the Technique during her singing studies at the Conservatoire of Music in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and graduated as a techer of the technique in Geneva in 1990.
The Alexander Technique, named after its creator Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869 - 1955), is an educational process that was created to re-train habitual patterns of movement and posture. Alexander believed that poor habits ins posture and movement damaged spatial self-awareness as well as health, and that movement efficiency could support overall physical well-being. Many actors, dancers and musicians use the Alexander technique to improve their body posture and artistic development.
Fanny maintains a full-tim private practice and works under the auspices of the Conservatory of Music in Lausanne. She participates to numerous international congresses and professional courses mainly in London. Fanny will give private sessions on the technique in Blonay (pre-reservations required).
Music Centre, Paul Hindemith Foundation,
Blonay, Switzerland
The course takes place at the Music Center of the Hindemith Foundation, in the village of Blonay, ideally situated above the cities of Vevey and Montreux.
The German violinist and composer Paul Hindemith lived in Blonay from 1953 to his death in 1963. His wife created the Foundation in 1968, including the Chalet de Lacroix and the Pavilion. The location of the Music Center offers a great view on the Lake Léman and the Swiss Alps.
The main classes will take place in the Salon Hindemith with its 2 Bösendorfer grand pianos. Six other pianos are available for individual practice.
Twin comfortable bedrooms are available in the Pavilion (and the Chalet). Tasty meals will be served in the large dining room or on the terrace, weather permitting. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be served during the morning and afternoon breaks.
MORE INFORMATION
Booking
- Booking includes teaching fees, food and accommodation (single room en-suite) in the Music Center.
-
Registration forms are available for each course. Thank you for sending a message to Véronique Moret via vmoret4@gmail.com.
-
Confirmation of registration is subject to a non-refundable bank deposit of 100 CHF to be paid two months before the course.
- As places are limited (12 active participants), bookings will be allocated on a first come-first serve basis.
- Participants organise their own travel arrangements, including accommodation before or after the course.
- The courses start and end at 12:00.
- Alexander technique lessons are not included (pre-reservations required, 50 min/ 90 CHF).
- Courses are given in English.
Prices 2025 (prices may vary from year to year based on the rates set by the Music Center)
* Active performer, full course and accommodation: 810 CHF
* Active preformer, full course without accommodation: 540 CHF
* Observer, full course and accommodation: 690 CHF
* Observer, full course without accommodation : 420 CHF
* Observer, one full day, including lunch and dinner: 180 CHF
Bank account
Bank name and address:
Postfinance,
Mingerstrasse 20,
3030 Berne, Suisse.
IBAN CH49 0900 0000 1519 4064 6
BIC POFICHBEXXX.
Address
Centre de musique Hindemith
Chemin Lacuez 3
1807 Blonay
Phone No: + 41 (0) 21 943 05 20
Information and administration
Véronique Moret
Switzerland
Phone No : + 41 79 213 69 77
Email : vmoret4@gmail.com or masterclassvm@bluewin.ch
Access
* By plane: the nearest airport is Geneva Airport, at around 80 km from Blonay, with direct rail connection to Vevey.
* By train: from all directions, change in Vevey and take the rack-railway Vevey-Blonay-Les Pléiades to the station “Château de Blonay”:
as it is a "stop on demand " station, you have to press a button on the train. Walk down the main road (5-min walk). At the signpost “Fondation Hindemith”, turn left on the Chemin Lacuez. The entrance to the Centre is on the left side.
* By car: exit the motorway A1 at Vevey. Follow the indications Blonay / St-Légier. Drive through the city of St-Légier. Turn left after the 1st railway crossing. Follow the sign “Fondation Hindemith”. The entrance of the Centre is about 30 m to the left, with a large complimentary carpark.
Frequently Asked Questions
*Do my pieces have to be at a good standard or can I bring pieces that are “in progress”? Participants usually find that they get the maximum benefit in class and the most out of the course from playing pieces which are securely “under the fingers” and at a good standard.
*What are the performance opportunities? Evening recitals provide the opportunity to play your pieces in front of all participants.
*What are the conditions in case of special diet or other medical conditions? Please contact Véronique Moret by email for any special need.
*More information is available on the following websites: http://www.hindemith.info/fr/centre/;http://www.grahamfitch.com/; https://practisingthepiano.com/;https://www.techniquealexander.ch/fanny-gsteiger.