Four talented musicians attended a bespoke masterclass at the Coach House Pianos Showroom in London last Friday, alongside pupils from Loughborough High School. Hosted by Coach House Pianos, the UK’s only piano retailer to house all the world-leading brands, the exclusive experience was led by professional pianist, Gareth Owen, Deputy Head of Keyboard at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, who has performed both as a soloist and as a chamber musician.
The young musicians took to the stage to play their piece, prepared specifically for the opportunity to receive tailored feedback from Gareth, upon a pristine Bösendorfer Grand Piano. Gareth worked with the pianists to hone their skills and the bespoke masterclass focused on technique, tempo, rhythm and melody. Asking questions such as ‘what are the main challenges for you?’ and ‘what do you want your audience to hear?,’ Gareth challenged the pupils to think more critically about their music, channeling more creative expression into their work.
Year 12 pupil and Head Boy for the 2025-26 academic year, James, who played Stravinsky’s Tango during the workshop, said: “I thought Gareth was really knowledgeable and really interesting. He encouraged me to bring out the lightness in some areas of the piece and the darkness of other areas to try and give a bit more contrast.”
During the day, pupils also had the chance to explore the showroom and play on the variety of pianos housed there. Year 10 pupil, Oliver, said: “I’ve really enjoyed playing such high-quality pianos because they all have their own special qualities and feel different from each other.”
Following the bespoke masterclass, an audience of parents and teachers enjoyed a recital where the pupils put Gareth’s advice into practice and piano solos included renditions of music by Debussy, Beethoven, Mozart and Bach.
I was delighted to be so warmly welcomed to Coach House Pianos, and am grateful in particular to David Halford, Education Business Manager at Coach House Pianos, for helping to bring this partnership to fruition. The workshop with Gareth Owen was truly inspiring with each participant taking something important away to consider in their playing. The venue for the concert was beautiful and we were royally entertained! I am thrilled at the way our partnership with Coach House Pianos is shaping up, and I am excited for the future.
Nicky Bouckley, Director of Music
Following the selection of a suite of new pianos, which will be installed ahead of the next academic year, the Music School looks forward to seeing its pupils benefit from their partnership with Coach House Pianos.
