Chetham’s International Piano Summer School

Teaching session 1
2025-08-19 08:45 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
As all members of the faculty teach throughout the school, don’t miss the opportunity to listen to the amazing lessons.

Junior Piano Group Class
2025-08-19 08:45 - 09:30 | Oglesby Atrium
The first morning group class where singing, movement and more help to ease everyone into the day.
a young pianist exploring rhythm with Murray McLachlan.

Late Night Jazz Room with Les Chisnall and guest Richard Iles
2025-08-18 22:00 - 23:30 | G04
New this year!
Every evening a chance for participants to play some jazz and improvisation in this lovely space on a superb grand piano kindly donated by Forsyth Music Shop. On the opening night we are thrilled that Les Chisnall will perform a short set for us as we enjoy our welcome drink. He will be joined by Richard Iles Home | RICHARD ILES – can’t wait!

Gala Faculty Recital
2025-08-18 17:00 - 18:00 | Stoller Hall
The opening night of CIPSS part two continues with a gala faculty recital. A varied and exciting programme featuring outstanding members of the faculty.
Free for all summer school participants. Tickets available for the public from the Stoller Hall.

Participant recitals
2025-08-17 17:00 - 18:00
All participants have the opportunity to perform on one of the concert grand pianos in the recital rooms. Steinway, Schimmel, Bösendorfer, Yamaha and Bechstein are some of the models available.
Make sure to sign up when applying online.

Carole Nash Recital Hall

Yoga group class
2025-08-17 16:15 - 17:30 | Waterhouse
We are thrilled to welcome Sam Brook to take 2 group classes in Yoga this year.
Sam is an outstanding pianist and teacher and is also a qualified Yogi.
Some of yoga’s many potential benefits include improved flexibility, strength, and body awareness. It may also help relieve stress and anxiety.
The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root word “yuj,” which means “to yoke” or “to bind.” The word itself has numerous meanings, from an astrological conjunction to matrimony, with the underlying theme being connection.
Book one or two classes on the application form.

'Drop in' performance class
2025-08-17 16:15 - 17:00 | G06
The final opportunity on part one to perform in this informal setting, to an audience of supportive participants.

Teaching session 3
2025-08-17 14:45 - 17:00
The third teaching session of the day. Over 100 pianos will be played during this session!

Junior Foundation 'drop in' performance class
2025-08-17 14:45 - 15:30 | G06
The final ‘drop-in’ performance class for the Foundation Junior Course on part one. Come along and perform on a beautiful piano with a supportive audience.

Teaching session 2
2025-08-17 11:30 - 13:00
Individual lessons continue apace. With so many wonderful teachers and course options everyone will be kept very busy!. The piano summer school has an ‘open door’ policy – so do go and listen to other lessons. You might decide you want to learn jazz!

Adult Amateur Workshop
2025-08-17 11:30 - 13:00 | G06
The final group performance workshop on part one, with the very popular teacher, Ben Powell. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to perform on the beautiful piano in front of your new piano family.

Junior Advanced 'drop in' practise workshop
2025-08-17 10:15 - 11:00 | G06
The final daily ‘drop -in’ class for all Junior Advanced pianists on part one. A great way to set up the day with tips on every aspect of piano playing from a member of the faculty. Come along with a bar, or a small section for lots of advice and help to take you into your practice room.

Junior Foundation 'drop in' practise workshop
2025-08-17 09:30 - 10:15 | G06
The final daily ‘drop -in’ class for all Junior Foundation pianists on part one. Don’t miss the chance to come along for some extra help on any aspect of playing.

Teaching session 1
2025-08-17 08:45 - 11:00
The day begins with all members of the faculty teaching throughout the school. Everyone will receive a daily lesson as standard.

Junior Piano Group Class
2025-08-17 08:45 - 09:30 | Oglesby Atrium
The final group class for all young pianists on the Junior Course part one.
From 2023 – enjoying listening to music with eyes closed with Murray McLachlan.

Early Morning Warm Ups with Murray
2025-08-17 08:15 - 08:30 | Oglesby Atrium
End of course blues? Don’t worry- you can come back again next year for more inspiration and pianophilia. Meanwhile, join Murray for one last time in the final part one cobweb-sweeping session to get your last day off in style!

Late Night Jazz Room
2025-08-16 22:00 - 23:30 | G04
A wonderful opportunity for participants to play some jazz and improvisation in this lovely informal space on a superb grand piano kindly donated by Forsyth Music Shop.
Listen with a drink, or enjoy playing to fellow participants.

Lecture Recital with Murray McLachlan
2025-08-16 17:15 - 18:00 | Stoller Hall
Today Murray celebrates the 80th year of composer Edward Gregson.
I have no hesitation in declaring Gregson to be one of the most significant British composers currently active in this country
Robert Matthew-Walker, International Record Review
Edward Gregson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England, in 1945. He graduated from London’s Royal Academy of Music in 1967, having studied piano and composition (with Alan Bush), and then completed a B.Mus (Hons) degree at London University. He is a composer of international standing whose music has been performed, broadcast, and recorded worldwide. He has written orchestral, chamber, instrumental and choral music, as well as making major contributions to the wind and brass repertoire. He has also written music for the theatre, film, and television.
Edward Gregson has had an impressive career as an academic, from his time as Head of Composition and resident conductor in the music department of Goldsmiths College, University of London (1976-96), and where he was appointed a Professor of Music, to his tenure as Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester (1996-2008). He retired from academe in 2008 in order to concentrate on his composition.
His orchestral music has been performed by many orchestras and conductors worldwide, including all the BBC orchestras, the London Symphony, Royal Scottish National, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and Bournemouth Symphony orchestras; with conductors such as Martyn Brabbins, Edward Downes, Rumon Gamba, Alexander Gibson, Gunther Herbig, Kent Nagano, Gianandrea Noseda, Bramwell Tovey, and soloists including Ole Edvard Antonsen, Wissam Boustany, Olivier Charlier, Michael Collins, Nelson Goerner, Guy Johnston, Nobuya Sugawa, and Richard Watkins.
Six Little Piano Pieces
Three Etudes
Piano Sonata

'Drop in' performance class
2025-08-16 16:15 - 17:00 | G06
A daily opportunity to perform and hear other pianists on the course in a very informal performance session, hosted by a member of the faculty. All welcome.

Teaching session 3
2025-08-16 14:45 - 17:00
In this third teaching session relish the opportunity to ‘sit in’ on as many lessons as you can – observing some of the world’s leading piano teachers in action!

Junior Foundation 'drop in' performance class
2025-08-16 14:45 - 15:30 | G06
Every day come along to hear other young pianists playing on a grand piano, in front of a supportive audience and member of the faculty. A wonderful way to hear amazing music and to get a chance to perform yourself. Everyone welcome. If you have a duet, the member of faculty would love to play with you.

Lunchtime Recital - Neil Rutman
2025-08-16 13:45 - 14:30 | Stoller Hall
‘He won the audience over for himself with exquisite performances’ (New York Times)
Professor Neil Rutman is one of America’s most distinguished musicians. A prizewinner at many celebrated international competitions, he has performed throughout the world and continues to nurture young pianists as Artist in residence at the University of central Arkansas. Neil has performed ‘L’histoire du Baba’ with both Shirly MacLaine and Emmy Award winner Tony Randall as narrators. For this recital he will undertake the remarkable tour-de-force of both performing the music and narrating the charming story entirely by himself. Not to be missed.
POULENC ‘The Story of Babar the Little Elephant’
LISZT Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude

Teaching session 2
2025-08-16 11:30 - 13:00
As individual lessons continue apace, take full advantage of the ‘open door’ policy on the summer school.

Junior Advanced 'drop in' practise workshop
2025-08-16 10:15 - 11:00 | G06
The daily ‘drop -in’ class for all Junior Advanced pianists. A great way to set up the day with tips on every aspect of piano playing from a member of the faculty. Come along with a bar, or a small section for lots of advice and help to take you into your practice room.

Junior Foundation 'drop in' practise workshop
2025-08-16 09:30 - 10:15 | G06
The daily ‘drop -in’ class for all Junior Foundation pianists. A great way to set up the day with tips on every aspect of piano playing from a member of the faculty. Come along with a bar, or a small section for lots of advice and help to take you into your practice room.

Teaching session 1
2025-08-16 08:45 - 11:00
Individual lessons take place on all courses throughout the school. The summer school has an ‘open door’ policy – offering an amazing opportunity to sit in on lessons.

Junior Piano Group Class
2025-08-16 08:45 - 09:30 | Oglesby Atrium
Join Emma Dixon and Ruth Aldred for early morning movement and musical activities.

Late Night Jazz Room
2025-08-15 22:00 - 23:30 | G04
A wonderful opportunity for participants to play some jazz and improvisation in this lovely informal space on a superb grand piano kindly donated by Forsyth Music Shop.
Enjoy listening with a drink, or enjoy playing to fellow participants.

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko Recital
2025-08-15 20:30 - 21:30 | Stoller Hall
Winner of the 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition and recipient of the Dame Fanny Waterman Gold Medal, 25-year-old Canadian pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko has been celebrated by audiences, critics and composers alike for his communicative power, refined technical command and artistic maturity. A few months before his triumph in Leeds, Jaeden became the first Canadian Grand Prize Laureate in an instrumental edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal in May 2024.
We are thrilled to welcome Jaeden to the Stoller Hall for a solo recital.
Partita No. 4 in D major, BWV 828 J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750)
Ouverture
Allemande
Courante
Aria
Sarabande
Menuet
Gigue
Fantasie in B minor, Op. 28 Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915)
Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58 Frederic Chopin (1810 – 1849)
Allegro maestoso
Scherzo: Molto vivace
Largo
Finale: Presto non tanto

Simon Callaghan Recital
2025-08-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Stoller Hall
Simon Callaghan, Chetham’s alumnus, performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, in parallel with a highly successful career as a recording artist. A favourite performer at the internationally-renowned Husum Festival of Piano Rarities in Germany, Callaghan’s recent sell-out concert was praised by VAN Magazine as a “cleverly curated recital full of discoveries” and by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung as “technically brilliant”. Callaghan has developed a wide following and appears on a regular basis in the UK’s major concert halls, and on tours to Asia, North America and Europe. Recital partners have included Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Nicholas Daniel, Adrian Brendel, Feng Ning, Samuel West, Prunella Scales and Timothy West. BBC Young Musician of the Year Finalist Coco Tomita and Callaghan have a successful duo partnership which saw their first record released in 2022 on Orchid Classics. He is also a founding member of the London Piano Quartet, joining colleagues from the renowned Piatti Quartet to showcase the repertoire for piano quartet with a particular focus on revivifying works that have fallen into obscurity.
Simon Callaghan’s distinguished and eclectic discography includes recordings for Hyperion, Nimbus and Lyrita. He has a strong profile on BBC Radio3 and on a variety of streaming platforms, his most recent single on Apple Music with Coco Tomita surpassing 1 million streams in the first month of its release. He is a strong social media enthusiast, using it as a form of promotion for classical music in general but seeing it as a particular tool in his advocacy of the rare and unexplored.

Grieg | Holberg Suite Op.40
Poulenc | Les Soirées de Nazelles FP84
