As a former examiner, both at grade and diploma level, Philip has an excellent knowledge of syllabus requirements, and gives specific in-house pre-examination coaching, and external master classes, for example, one for senior pianists at Plymouth College. As a consultant, he has been involved in syllabus-setting for the Electronic Organ, as part of the Trinity College London Keyboard Syllabus at Grade and Diploma levels. While Philip essentially teaches only piano and theory, he did have a long-standing keyboard student, and also taught recorder to one of his gifted pianists.
An ex-secondary-school Head of Music, Philip now gives individual private lessons in Piano, Theory and General Musicianship, from Initial Grade up to Diploma Level, entering students for examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Trinity College London. As well as Classical Piano, students can also study for the Jazz Examinations of the ABRSM. Philip's fees reflect current EPTA (UK) guidelines.


All lessons are given on his regularly-tuned and maintained Steinway Model 'M' Grand in Philip's Teaching Studio. In May 2011, Philip's piano had a complete rebuild, which took just over four months, and which has given the 1964 instrument a new lease of life. The work was carried out locally by the former Grantham Piano Services in Yelverton. Philip also has a  top-of-the-range Yamaha CLP Clavinova Digital Piano, for personal use in the house, and as an emergency back-up should the studio-heating ever fail temporarily.
 
Musician and Music Writer
Philip recently retired as a Professional Member (PMEPTA) of the European Piano Teachers' Association, for whom he had also written music and software reviews, and articles for Piano Professional, the Association's magazine. Click to read some of these. An excerpt from his Maltese Islands Suite also featured in the September 2005 edition.

An article on Music Software appeared in the August 2014 edition of
The Studio - the quarterly magazine of the Music Teachers' Association of New South Wales (MTA), Australia - and which also featured the first part of Philip's extended essay on The Romantic Piano Concerto, the final part appearing in the subsequent edition. Click to see Philip and Music Teachers' Association President, Dr Rita Crews OAM, after having lunch together at Sydney's Sir Stamford Hotel at Circular Quay during one of Philip's visits 'downunder'.

Philip's compositions, like the Five-finger Movement  duets, are also very popular with his students. Leading UK writer of children's and adults' piano music, Pam Wedgwood wrote: 'I think your ideas are very sound and could work well!' Click for a down-loadable fact sheet.
Philip is ideally qualified to recommend the best course of study for the individual student. For those youngsters at the outset of their learning, the Initial examination from Trinity College London possibly provides a better introduction to the examination system, in that it has (albeit in miniature) all the main components - scales, exercises, three pieces, and options which can include sight-reading, aurals and improvisation.

For practical exams up to Grade 8, Philip then opts for the ABRSM, which involves passing Grade 5 Theory as a pre-requisite for Grades 6-8, before continuing with the fairly-recently-introduced ARSM diploma. Trinity's Advanced Certificate may be taken in preparation, but following the ARSM, Philip prefers Trinity's three-tier diploma structure - ATCL - LTCL - FTCL - to that of the ABRSM
.

Philp still favours conventional one-to-one practical exams at a local centre, rather than by a video submission, as well as fully-integrated graded exams - Scales & Arpeggios, Pieces, Sight Reading and Aural Tests, rather than the recently-introduced 'Performance' Exams, where only pieces are required.

However, since the Covid 19 pandemic, and associated lock-downs, Philip has significantly cut down the size of his Teaching Practice, in line with his overall policy of concentrating on other activities. He is still happy to receive enquiries from adults and young people, but would consider each potential student on their individual merits, and ability to slot into any available time slot.
Back in 2004, Philip was invited to be involved in the publication of new piano-teaching initiative in Belgrade, specifically for use in the local Elementary Music School system. Piano Pieces & Exercises was specially composed and arranged by two colleagues from a Music School in the Serbian, and former Yugoslav capital, and published originally by Narodna knjiga.

Sadly, project-lead - Dragana Petkovic - passed away unexpectedly, a few years after this collaboration.

Philip R Buttall
Home Biography Qualifications Composer Performer Music Writer Videos Links Contact
 
Teaching Studio
Steinway Piano
EPTA UK
ABRSM / TCL Exams
Piano Pieces & Exercises (Serbia)
Florilegium (China)

Piano Teaching
Steinway Piano
EPTA UK
Philip's Sonatina for Piano Duet has been published by the Shanghai Music Publishing House, part of a Florilegium of solos and duets, for use as general teaching material across China.

Philip hopes his lessons are both productive and fun, and, judging by just a few of the 'thank-you-notes' he has received over the years, and the fact that virtually all his students remain with him before leaving the area, this would certainly seem to be the case!
Philip's Sonatina for Piano Duet has been published by the Shanghai Music Publishing House, part of a Florilegium of solos and duets, for use as general teaching material across China

Philip hopes his lessons are both productive and fun, and, judging by just a few of the 'thank-you-notes' he has received over the years, and the fact that virtually all his students remain with him before leaving the area, this would certainly seem to be the case!

Either way, former Plymouth College student, Tom 'CJ' Brooker, certainly seemed to be enjoying playing one of his Grade 2 Jazz pieces informally to his schoolmates! Watch Tom play here! To find out more about some of Philip's former-students over the years, please click on the piano-keys below:
 
Back to Top
PianoKeys
ABRSM / TCL Exams
Florilegium (China)
Piano Pieces & Exercises (Serbia)
Florilegium (China)
Teaching
To find out more about some of Philip's former-students, and his teaching experience in general, please click on the piano keys below:
PianoKeys
Philip's Teaching Studio is adjacent to his house, and visitors should park in the carport, whci is monitored by CCTV 24/7. The postcode is PL9 8AL, and the house and studio are situated some 100 metres along the private cul-de-sac, on the right-hand side.
The Studio - Vol 20 No 3 - August 2014
Teaching Studio