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Thank you so much for everything over the weekend. I can’t imagine a better finish to such a productive and happy conference – Saturday night’s performance was just wonderful, and the Sunday morning workshop was a privilege to observe. You’re such a natural with the kids – it was great to see you pare everything down to the essentials and then grow from there, really engaging head and heart. It certainly was virtuoso teaching!’

Simon Toyne – President of the Music Teachers Association

You created an amazing buzz around the school – students and teachers alike kept coming to tell me how amazing your performances were! Brilliant entertainment, astonishing invention and wonderful camaraderie with the audience. You handled a hall packed with hundreds of teenagers with aplomb – they were eating out of your hand! Thank you, too, for the workshop with some of our music scholars. They all got so much from the workshop, which gave plenty of ideas for more confident improvisers and also an encouraging first few steps for those who had not improvised in public before. They loved it – and it was brilliant to hear so many of them trying out ideas in practice rooms around the department over the following days.

Sam Gladstone – Director of Music, Radley College, Oxford

I really don’t know what to say. I can usually write a thank you note without any problem, but anything I write seems completely inadequate for what you produced on Thursday! There really are no words. It was so special, so amazing, so inspiring, and so much fun to hear/watch. Wow!

Anne Bolt, Head of Piano – Oakham School, Rutland

Thank you so much for a fantastic day. The workshops were superb, hitting the right levels for each of the abilities and stretching those who needed it. The pupils were utterly inspired and please know that two of them who were considering quitting, having handed in their notice, have since decided to carry on thanks to you. We were royally entertained and in awe!!

Tim McVittie, Head of Music, Dean Close School, Cheltenham

Harry’s approach is all embracing, making everyone who works with him feel not only his support, but also his respect. Confidence building is Harry’s credo, and his conviction and sheer love of music making and piano playing never fail to inspire his students.

Murray McLachlan – Head of Chethams International Summer School, Manchester

Harry the Piano, a true virtuoso and sublimely relaxed improviser, treated our students to a crash-course workshop in improvisation before wowing a 350 strong sold-out Johnson Hall audience with performances that will live long in the memories of all who attended. 

Matthew Cook, Director of Music, Millfield School, Somerset

Harry has been sharing his talent with us for over ten years now and it’s always a joy to witness his remarkable impact he has on musicians of every ability. It is not only the children that are inspired by Harry. He is good for the soul!

John Thwaites, Head of Piano – Birmingham Conservatoire

Harry provides an enthralling musical lecture about life as a freelancer in the performing arts, with fabulous and unique musical accomplishment. This man is a master of improvisation – the best.

Alan Smith, Master Teacher, Roedean school, Sussex

Harry’s sheer technical brilliance combined with his phenomenal musical brain wowed us all. His work with the students was truly inspirational especially in a short space of time. Absolutely fantastic!

Libby Fisher, Head of Piano, Wellington College, Berkshire

It was fabulous to have you do the workshop, the students got so much from it. Then the evening, what can I say, I loved it and so did everyone else!

Mark Cracknell, Director of Music, Taunton School

You were fantastic! What talent! Thank you so much for making your way down here and uplifting us all with such a dazzling display.

Neil Morris, Head of General Studies, Hurstpierpoint College, West Sussex

I would like to thank you on behalf of the whole school and music department for the wonderful concert.  You have unleashed some real enthusiasm for the piano which will spill over in all aspects of music life here at Abingdon School.  Thank you for not only sharing your amazing talent with us, but doing the workshop earlier in the day, which was really valuable and informative for everyone there.

Lynette Stulting, Head of Piano, Abingdon School, Oxfordshire

It was such a pleasure to welcome Harry back to Queen Anne’s and we had a fantastic workshop and concert. Harry was brilliant and the audience just wanted more! Look forward to welcoming him back to Queen Anne’s as soon as possible!

John Padley, Director of Music, Queen Anne’s School, Berkshire

Harry’s concerts are a great inspiration to our students. He has an excellent rapport with the audience and his talent leaves the children spellbound. He has become a favourite with our pupils and teachers alike, so much so that our teachers went up to London and joined a long queue to attend another of his concerts.

Brenda Mendelssohn, Director of Music – Rikkyo Japanese School, West Sussex

Thank you for your breathtaking contribution to what was a simply unforgettable evening. When we were planning the concert John (Wilson) told us about who was going to be there and said that the evening as he wanted it to happen would not have been complete without you. I now understand exactly what he meant.

Bryan Fox, Hon Sec – Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester

May I take this opportunity to thank you most sincerely for your visit. I know for all pupils involved that it was an experience they will never forget, they simply loved your charm, humour and skill whilst I have had so many complements about the concert and your simply fantastic playing. You are a virtuoso of the highest calibre and you left the audience totally spellbound. It would be wonderful to invite you back for a similar kind of event in a couple of years’ time.

Richard Stafford, Head of Music – Ardingly College, Haywards Heath, West Sussex

It is so humbling that such a fantastically talented musician should come and share his abilities in this way. The children responded to him instantly; his incredible prowess and understated charisma were so inspirational that I wanted to learn too!

Amanda Harman, Head of Education – Clonter Opera Trust, Cheshire

Wow! Thank you so much for tonight’s absolutely brilliant event. The students and parents were buzzing with excitement as they left the building. It was awe inspiring and inspirational!! Harry, you are welcome back whenever you like!

Rosemary Scales, Head of Music, Leighton Park School, Reading, Berkshire

Last Thursday was a triumph! The girls, staff and parents absolutely loved the event. I have had innumerable comments from people all of whom had loved the whole evening.

Dominic Hawley, Head of Music, Cheltenham Ladies College, Gloucestershire

A truly inspirational lecture which gave the students an excellent insight into “A Life in the Arts”, mixed in with some fantastically entertaining piano playing – I’m already being asked when you are coming back!

Kenneth Robertson, Senior Deputy Rector, Glasgow High School

Harry’s workshops with our pianists were hugely motivational. He opened their eyes to life beyond the dots and through his skill as an improviser enabled everyone to feel confident testing their new skills in front of a large audience in a rollercoaster duet ride which changed musical character to suit each new passenger!

Tim Uglow, Head of Music, Worksop College, Nottinghamshire

Your professionalism and expertise were outstanding and the students thoroughly enjoyed themselves, especially those featured in the evening concert. The students and local community were hugely entertained in the evening – thank you for a crowd-pleasing evening of laughter and amazement.

Dr Oliver Leaman, Director of Music, Blundell’s School, Somerset

Thanks so much for coming last week, it was a really brilliant day and the pupils involved took a lot away from it. It was great to see the looks on their faces when you first began to play!

Hannah Ashe, Director of Music, The Harrodian School, London

Thank you so much for the workshops, the pupils thoroughly enjoyed them and have been motivated to try out some of your ideas in their own playing, I have seen several now start to pick things out by ear and then experiment with different ways of playing. The concert was an inspiration and the pupils and parents thoroughly enjoyed it.

Anna Lang, Head of Piano and Keyboard, Berkshire Maestros

Harry provided fantastic workshops for our pupils: able to inspire and engage all ages, particularly impressive as they ranged from 6 to 18. His interactive approach held everyone enthralled and genuinely had the students thinking about music in a different and refreshing way. The evening concert was a triumphant tour de force encompassing fantastic keyboard skills and some of the most amazing improvisation I’ve ever heard.

Roger Muttitt, Director of Music, Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation

The evening concert at the new theatre Royal was a breathtaking demonstration of musical intelligence, humorous and thoughtful improvisation and performance. For those attending it was a privilege to witness the skill of the master improviser and good to know that the art of live improvisation in the lineage of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven is still alive, flourishing and superbly entertaining!

Gareth Hemmings, Director of Music, Portsmouth Grammar School

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