Sophie is a professional piano accompanist and piano teacher. For the past 15 years she has been teaching children and adults alike in private music schools in Lyon, France. She has been greatly influenced by the Hungarian approach to teaching; her classes focus not only on a pupil’s technique and posture but also their musical interpretation and music culture.
For beginners, classes are based on singing games, often working without a score. This helps develop a sense of pulse and rhythm whilst also developing a musical ear. The pupil learns to play pieces first and foremost, with musical notation being introduced at a later stage.
For more advanced pupils, scores are analysed with difficult passages being broken down until they become simple and easy to play. Musical exigence is important but the emphasis is always on the joy of making music.
Qualifications
Piano Masterclasses with Dr. Orsolya Szabo
Summer School 2013, 2014 and 2015
Kodaly Institute of the Liszt Academy / Budapest
Post-graduate Diploma in Lied Accompaniment
Post-graduate Diploma in Piano Pedagogy
Kodaly Institute of the Liszt Academy – Budapest
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music
Trinity College Dublin / Dublin
ARIAM Teaching Diploma
Royal Irish Academy of Music / Dublin
10 years of individual piano lessons
8 years of music theory
Royal Irish Academy of Music / Dublin
Solo and chamber-music recitals
France / Ireland / Hungary