Clare Larden

Hi! I first started playing the organ as a young child before moving on to the piano. I completed all 8 Grades of the ABRSM Practical exams and passed the Piano Teaching DipABRSM Diploma a few years ago when I'd already been teaching piano for several years. So now, my main job is as a piano teacher both in local schools and privately with ages ranging from 7 to 70! Over the years I have accompanied several choirs and singers as well as playing duets with other musicians. This has been on both an informal and formal basis. A highlight of my playing in more recent years has been the experience of playing with other musicians; for so many years playing was very much a solo activity, as you'd expect, but learning to play with others is a completely new skill and discipline which I have enjoyed immensely. This has also developed my sight-reading - something which I was already very good at, and that has been an extremely valuable development for me personally. I regularly play local church organs for morning services and so I am very familiar and happy with this style of music also. My preferred genre to play is both classical (I love Debussy, Chopin, Clementi, Dvorak and Bach particularly) and more modern/contemporary pieces from Einaudi, Coldplay, Crowded House, George Michael, The Beatles to film and theatre/musical music - I could go on! But I am very open to requests either in advance of or at the event, so if you don't see the pieces/songs you'd like, please do let me know. I do have an electric piano and amp that I can bring to events if the venue does not have a piano of its own.