Our piano department, formerly known as Royal Arsenal School of Piano, makes up a large part of the music school community. We welcome students of all abilities, and enjoy tutoring both children and adults.
Lessons take place either in one of our five beautiful studios or online and we have many highly esteemed piano teachers, all passionate educators and acclaimed musicians in their own right.
We know that every child learns differently so we tailor our lessons to individual needs so that everyone can thrive under our tutorship here at the school.
Rosalind Wilks studied violin with Gillian Findlay at Trinity College of Music, ending the course in 2009 when she then went on to study her Masters in Piano Accompaniment at the Royal Academy of Music with Andrew West. She plays violin and viola regularly with various different ensembles and bands such as Abraxas Ensemble, Sensation Band and The Lady Godiva’s for private functions and events. She has played in orchestras and ensembles all over the world, touring in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore along with places closer to home such as Italy and France. She deputised on keys in the musical ‘Jersey Boys’ in the West End for 8 years until the show closed and performed with Gorillaz at the 02 and Birmingham Arena.
After her move to Royal Arsenal in September 2015 she set up her teaching practice Royal Arsenal School of Piano. In 2021 Rosalind and Sally Wragg co-founded Royal Arsenal School of Music and she now teaches 60 students a week. She has over 10 years teaching experience and has worked with her students from beginners through to Grade 8, with a 100% pass rate for the ABRSM exams.
Agne holds a Masters Degree in Classical Piano Performance from the Estonian Music and Theatre Academy. She moved to London 6 years ago after graduating. Although she is classically trained, she is a very well-rounded musician and has a good understanding of jazz and popular music too. She started teaching around the time that she moved to London and her students successfully pass their ABRSM graded exams every year. She also teaches Music Theory to a high level and has a special interest in music harmony.
Agne finds it important that the whole music learning process, whether you are working towards grades or playing for your own pleasure, should be enjoyable and take place in a relaxed environment.
Graham Salvage A.R.A.M. L.R.A.M. A.R.C.M.
Graham was born in Stowmarket, Suffolk and was a chorister before attending the Colchester Institute to learn piano, singing, organ and bassoon.
He was then at the Royal Academy of Music in London studying bassoon with Gwydion Brooke and piano with Hamish Milne and later moved to Germany to be a member of two Opera Orchestras for 6 years as Associated Principal Bassoonist. During this time he played piano for a Ballet School as well as teaching both bassoon and piano.
Graham then became the very long standing Principal Bassoonist of the Hallé Orchestra, (Manchester) during which time he toured extensively throughout the world and made solo
recordings, - Elgar Romance for Bassoon & Orchestra with Sir Mark Elder and an English Bassoon Concerto disc as well as many chamber music recordings. He has had many pieces
composed for him and was often invited as a guest Principal Bassoonist with the major London Orchestras.
During his Hallé tenure he tutored at the renowned Chetham’s School of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music and Manchester University. Graham was also an Associated Board Examiner for Grades and Diplomas, setting the syllabuses for many years, and mentored teachers for an AB qualification in teaching. He examined and adjudicated both in the UK and abroad and has given recitals and masterclasses in various parts of the world including France, Russia, Japan, Hong Kong, China and South America.
Graham enjoys teaching at all levels and loves to share his experience.
Molly trained in voice and piano at the Cork School of Music, achieving a First Class Honors BMus degree. As well as performance she also specialized in conducting and music therapy. She has taught piano and voice for over ten years, in Ireland and London and is an extremely passionate teacher.
Most recently Molly played the lead role of Cathy in the West End production of The Last Five Years in an actor-musician production that centered around a grand piano. She has also performed at LA Opera, Chicago Opera House, English National Opera and the BBC Proms alongside performers such as Renee Fleming, Bryn Terfl and Emma Thompson.
Diana has played the piano since the age of 5 and started her study of music at the Ukrainian Specialist College of Music in Yalta at the age of 15 for 4 years where she graduated with a distinction in music teaching. Diana further went on to study at the Russian State University where she completed a 5-year programme and achieved a Specialist Diploma in Music teaching under the tutelage of Professor and Composer Sergei Rostislavovic Zubkovski.
In addition to her classical training in piano and music, Diana is experienced in choral singing from a young age and has conducted choirs at university as part of her specialist training. She has also lectured at Ukrainian music colleges for three years on Musical Pedagogy. Diana has worked in schools in the UK for over 20 years teaching music, leading and accompanying both school and local choirs in London and has facilitated both music and piano lessons for children with special needs in the primary school where she teaches.
Diana is experienced in teaching both ABRSM and Trinity College London syllabuses with a 100% pass rate among her current students in both performance and theory exams. She teaches students of all ages and abilities encouraging them to achieve their full potential as a musician and aims to provide an enjoyable and rewarding experience for her piano pupils.
A pianist based in London and specialising in contemporary works and improvisation, Mikaela is originally from Cyprus. She completed her postgraduate studies with Distinction under Danny Driver at The Royal College of Music in 2020 as a Kenneth and Violet Scott Scholar and has since continued training on various courses including Birmingham Contemporary Group’s NEXT programme and Divertimento Ensemble’s contemporary piano course with Maria Grazia Bellocchio. In September 2023, she will be starting a part-time artist diploma course at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, supported by a scholarship from the institution.
Mikaela has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician in venues including: St John’s Smith Square, Conway Hall, The V&A Museum, Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, the CBSO Centre, Birmingham Symphony Hall and The Place.
She acts as a co-director for Company Concentric, a London-based circle of dance artists and collaborators, working in community arts fields as well as performing original works. As part of outreach they run ‘Resource Roundtables’, a series of monthly roundtable discussions free for artists to attend and supported by Arts Council England.
Mikaela has over 12 years of teaching experience and takes students of any level, catering the lessons to suit each student’s interests and requirements. She is experienced in teaching the ABRSM syllabus, with a record of all students achieving a Merit and above. She is passionate about providing a strong foundation of knowledge, including sight-reading and improvising skills, so that her students will be able to enjoy music-making for the course of their lives.
Eirini Diamantouli is a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Music at the University of Cambridge, and a graduate of the University of Oxford where she completed her masters with Distinction. Prior to her current focus on the scholarly analysis of music, she received instrumental tuition at the Royal Academy of Music during the course of her bachelor’s degree at King’s College London.
She is a keen and enthusiastic teacher with 10 years’ experience preparing young people and adults for excellence in performance and ABRSM and Trinity examinations. She is committed to cultivating a love for music in her students, working with them to realise their ambitions and become independent and well-rounded musicians.
Hei Chit Wong is a recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music. As a cellist, he is a versatile performer, appearing on a wide variety of stages, from orchestras to chamber music, across the globe. His recent performances include appearances at the Petworth Festival (UK), Ferrandou Musique (France), and an 8-city tour with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra across the UK.
Currently, Chit serves as an Instrumental Ambassador for the Benedetti Foundation, continuing to develop his skills as an educator in diverse settings, with a focus on making music education as accessible as possible. He holds the LRAM teaching qualification, specialising in pre-college students, and has been involved in community music-making projects at the Wigmore Hall, CityLit Percussion Orchestra, and ENO.
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Usually praised for his poetical, intense and original performances, Víctor Braojos obtained his BMus (Hons) at Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (Barcelona), and his Master in Piano Performance (Distinction and Concert Recital Diploma) and Artist Diploma at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Furthermore, he has completed his musical formation working with world-acclaimed performers such as Dame Imogen Cooper, Sir Stephen Hough or Paul Lewis CBE.
Top prize-winner at several international piano competitions –such as the Catalunya Piano Competition, the Barcelona Competition or the prestigious “El Primer Palau” Music Competition– he has performed in renowned venues throughout Europe and the UK, such as Palau de la Música Catalana, National Auditorium in Barcelona, London Steinway Hall or the Frédéric Chopin Museum in Warsaw.
His commitment to combine classical repertoire with contemporary music has led him to world-premiere works by some of the most renowned Spanish composers such as Benet Casablancas, Joan Magrané, Marc Migó or Josep Maria Guix. Such juxtaposition of styles is perfectly visible in his latest solo piano CD, Shreds of light (Sheva Collection, 2022).
Currently, Víctor combines his teaching role at Royal Arsenal School of Music with a busy international performing career and a Junior Fellow position at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Yvain Calvo is a Spanish pianist with an active career as both a soloist and chamber musician. In 2021, he graduated with distinction from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music & Drama under the guidance of renowned mentors Peter Bithell and Caroline Palmer.
Based in London, Yvain's international appearances include features on Spain's national radio, RTVE, and Germany's Deutschlandfunk Kultur during the past summer. In the United Kingdom, he showcased his talent at distinguished venues such as the Oxford Philharmonic Friend’s Evening and the Milton Court Concert Hall. Additionally, Yvain had the privilege of recording at the iconic Abbey Road Studios.
Yvain's collaborative endeavors encompass his membership in the Duo Fabulae, a partnership that has earned him numerous international awards, including 1st and 2nd prizes in the accompanist and chamber music categories, respectively, at the 2022 SCO competition. Moreover, Yvain was honored as a recipient of the Guildhall School Futures Fund. This prestigious award supports his involvement in an interdisciplinary project with a filmmaker, focusing on the exploration of the works of the esteemed British composer Frank Bridge.
At present, Yvain integrates his performing career with a dynamic teaching role. He instructs piano and ensemble classes, while also leading student orchestras.
Joshua grew up in North Wales and was passionate about creating more music opportunities in the area. He founded his school's first music society and started a teaching business offering affordable lessons to children in rural areas, and now has several years of experience teaching piano and saxophone to all ages. Having become an Associate of the Royal Schools of Music upon completing his diploma in piano performance, Joshua moved to London to gain more experience in musical theatre.
Joshua has conducted and directed multiple musical productions at the Bloomsbury Theatre, and recently composed an operetta which premièred at the Bloomsbury Studio. Joshua focusses on students' wishes and goals, always keeping the joy of music central to every lesson. Passionate about contemporary, theatrical and world genres, Joshua is keen to nurture students' creativity and expression through sound.
Raoul trained in music at King’s College London, receiving a First Class Honours BMus degree. He works predominantly as a composer for video games and television, and often records as a pianist (amongst other instruments) on tracks that can be heard on shows such as Law and Order, Songs of Praise, Come Dine with Me, and in video games such as Jurassic World: Aftermath and Paw Patrol: Grand Prix. He has also written songs and recorded both french horn and keyboards with world renowned boys choir Libera (of whom he was once a member) on their latest albums, which have topped the classical and mainstream charts in a number of countries.
As a french horn player, singer, pianist and guitarist, he has performed and recorded with a number of artists over the years including Andrea Bocelli, Jools Holland, Nitin Sawhney, Charlotte Church, Emile Sande, Tom Odell, Libera Boys Choir and Aled Jones.
Raoul also enjoys teaching and has held the position of musician-in-residence at Invicta Grammar School for 8 years where he enjoys teaching the piano, singing, french horn, guitar, and arranges for and helps lead some of the ensembles, as well as helping with the GCSE composition and music theory students.