Pianoforte Classes

Friday 13th - Monday 16th February 2026

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST CREATE A USER ACCOUNT AT LEAST 7 DAYS PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE.

Venue: Delrow Community Hall

                                                            Hilfield Lane, Aldenham, Watford, Herts WD25 8DJ

Adjudicators: 

Susan Clark

 

Susan Clark started playing the piano at the age of four and attended the Trinity College of Music Junior Department for ten years, studying piano, flute, violin and musicianship. She continued her studies at Cambridge University and while there performed extensively both as a soloist and accompanist. After graduating in Classics, Susan successfully completed a Postgraduate Diploma in performance at the Royal College of Music and was awarded an MA in musicology by the Open University.

 

She has appeared as a soloist or accompanist at many major London concert venues and has also played at the Edinburgh and the Aldeburgh Fringe Festivals and various music clubs in the south east as well as at the Martinu Hall in Prague. She performed Mozart and Chopin piano concertos with Trinity Orchestra, Harrow and the Lincolnshire Symphony Orchestra and more recently  took the solo piano part in the Rio Grande by Lambert.

 

Susan has had three articles about teaching techniques published in the Music Teacher magazine and in 2018 wrote and published the book ‘Speedy Music Theory’.

 

She has taught at a number of prestigious schools and currently holds posts as a visiting teacher of piano at Merchant Taylor’s School, Latymer Upper and the Royal Masonic School for Girls. She examines for ABRSM and has completed many examining tours in the Far East and is also an adjudicator member of BIFF and regularly adjudicates at music festivals around the UK.

 

In her spare time Susan enjoys playing with her Ragdoll cats and is attempting to learn the harp

 

 

 GENERAL INFORMATION:

  • Most classes are for children under the age of 18. C27 - C28 are for adults.
  • All class winners are eligible to receive a certificate/medal/trophy.
  • AN ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE MUSIC PERFORMED MUST BE PRESENT, EITHER HANDED TO THE ADJUDICATOR OR FOR USE WHILE PLAYING AS WELL AS A COPY FOR THE EXAMINER. (A digital download with proof of purchase is also acceptable.)

CLASSES - OWN CHOICE

  • Please enter only one of the classes : C0-C8, C9-C12
  • In these classes you may play one or two pieces only except C21
C0 Pre Grade 1  2 mins £12.00
C1 Grade 1  3 mins £13.00
C2 Grade 2  3 mins £13.00
C3 Grade 3  4 mins £14.00
C4 Grade 4  4 mins £14.00
C5 Grade 5  5 mins £15.00
C6 Grade 6  5 mins £15.00
C7 Grade 7  8 mins £18.00
C8 Grade 8 Only  8 mins £18.00
C13 20th and 21st Century 14 and under  5 mins £15.00
C14 Duet or Trio - Family with Parent  4 mins £14.00
C15 Duet or Trio - Family  4 mins £14.00
C18 Baroque and Classical only - 14 years and under  6 mins £16.00
C19 Jazz and Musical Theatre - 16 Years and Under  4 mins £14.00
C20 Baroque and Classical - 16 years and under  8 mins £18.00
C21 Jean Merlow Memorial Scholarship 19 and under (3 Contrasting Pieces) 15 mins £26.00
C22 Classical Open  8 mins £18.00
C23 Baroque Open  8 mins £18.00
C24 Romantic Open  8 mins £18.00
C25 20th and 21st Century Open  8 mins £18.00
C29 Duet or Trio 11 years and under  5 mins £15.00
C30 Duet or Trio -14 years and under  5 mins £15.00
C31 Romantic - 14 years and under  6 mins £16.00
C32 Popular and Anime - 16 years and Under  6 mins £16.00

CLOSED CLASSES

 Competitors must not have won first prize in the Pianoforte closed sections of the Festival in the last 2 years except C27 - C28

  • C16 - Two to three contrasting pieces grade 3-5
  • C17 - Two to three contrasting pieces grade 6 and above
  • C26 – Two to three contrasting pieces grade 8 and above
  • C27 - Three contrasting pieces
C9 Age 8 years and under  4 mins £14.00
C10 Age 10 years and under  5 mins £15.00
C11 Age 12 years and under  6 mins £16.00
C12 Age 14 years and under  8 mins £18.00
C16 Mini Recital - Age 10 years and under  8 mins £18.00
C17 Junior Recital - 14 years and under 12 mins £22.00
C26 Senior Recital - 18 years and under 15 mins £26.00
C27 Adult Recital - 18 years and over 15 mins £26.00
C28 Adult Open Duet 8 mins £18.00