Top Note Piano Studio is located in Inverness, Scotland and is owned and managed by Shirley Munro, a professional Private Piano and Music Theory Tutor with over 20 years experience tutoring students of all ages -Children to Adults and ability levels ranging from Beginners to Intermediate. She also prepares her students for Associated Board of The Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) Piano and Music Theory exams. Her formal music qualifications are :
BA (Hons)
Dip Mus
ABRSM Pianoforte Grades 1-6
Studied to ABRSM Grade 8 level.
ABRSM Theory of Music Grades 1-5.
Shirley has PVG Scheme Membership is a member of the Musicians Union and adheres to NSPCC child protection policy as a musician who teaches. Moreover Shirley's qualifications in Psychology , MSc, BSc (hons), provide her with the knowledge and understanding of how people learn and retain knowledge which she draws on to improve her students learning process and promote their educational success.
Lessons are taught in a relaxed but focused environment where it is fun to learn. Piano Lessons are structured around a teaching syllabus that develops performance skills such as learning to read music with accuracy of pitch and rhythm, distinguishing between loud and soft volumes of notes and phrases and performance techniques of staccato and legato notes, and scales which helps with mastering performance techniques and understanding the construction of music. Students are introduced to different styles of music such as Classical, Jazz, Modern , Folk etc. Each pupil has their own work book and are assigned pieces which slowly increase in difficulty, serving to challenge and motivate progress and build confidence. Supplementary materials reinforce their learning experience. Students are encouraged to be active participants in the learning process and work to develop their own individual repertoire of pieces for performance and personal enjoyment. Many Students take ABRSM exams as a means to establish milestones in their learning, some learn purely for pleasure. Others have participated in local festivals and successfully competed with their peers.
Music Theory Lesson Structure
Students are taught a solid foundation in Music Theory using the ABRSM Music Theory syllabus and covers Grades 1-5. Lessons include instruction in the principles of music theory using ABRSM resources : Music Theory in Practice workbook and Practice Papers in preparation for examination
The typical length of a Piano lesson is 30 minutes and costs £16.00.
Lessons are scheduled in 30 minute weekly sessions and run from 4.00pm to 7.15pm Mon -Wed The Studio is closed weekends & during school holiday periods (not Bank holidays or in-service days) Lessons are billed in 4 week blocks and paid for in advance. Students are taught around a teaching calendar that breaks for two weeks holidays at Easter, October and Christmas, and six weeks over the summer. An introductory lesson is available prior to booking in for weekly lessons at a cost of £10.