Seven of our pianists enjoyed a memorable visit to St Anne’s College on Tuesday 10 March for the inaugural Steinway Hub Schools Workshop. Teyla B (UIV), Easton C (LIV), Jemima J (LV), Jinxi L (LIV), Elsa Y W (UIV), Emi W (UV) and Lily Z (LIV) took part in a varied and inspiring day.
The visit included a tour of the college and an informative session from faculty on life at University of Oxford, alongside guidance on Oxbridge applications. Students also observed an outstanding performance by current music scholars before participating in a masterclass led by Caterina Grewe, Steinway Artist and Professor of Piano at the Royal College of Music. Jinxi L performed superbly in this class, playing the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Sonata in D major, K.311.
A further highlight was an engaging presentation from Steinway & Sons on piano construction, exploring the design of the soundboard and the fundamentals of sound production in a grand piano.
Reflecting on the experience, Emi commented: ‘We observed a couple of masterclasses where students performed their chosen pieces on the amazing Steinway piano. This was equally valuable for those of us who were not taking part, as we learnt techniques to bring to our own playing.
We also attended a lecture about various aspects of life at the university, followed by a tour of the college. Additionally, we learnt about the construction of a Steinway piano and had the opportunity to play on it briefly. Overall, it was a very memorable experience, and I really enjoyed it.’
Mr Mark Sandon-Williams, Head of Keyboard Studies
