Welcome to the Piano Department
About us
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
Head of Piano
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 Vitcaite
Associate Piano Teacher
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.
Rishabh Jain
Associate Piano Teacher
Rishabh, professionally known as Rish, is a London-based pianist, producer, and music educator. He made his debut in 2018, winning the Con brio piano competition, sponsored by Steinway & Sons in India, and subsequently secured a scholarship to pursue classical piano performance studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Under the guidance of renowned pianists Philip Fowke, Alisdair Hogarth, and Mikhail Kazakevich, he honed his skills. Rish is excited to return to India in 2024 with his London-based trio to embark on a series of concerts across the country.
Rish carries a strong personality and possesses a profound understanding of various genres. In addition to his role as a production manager for upcoming singer/ songwriter Polly Green, who released her debut single 'Standing There' on June 16th, he also leads a progressive rock band called 'One Last Memory' based in the United States and India. The band is currently working on their first album set to release in 2024, following the success of their debut single 'Changes' in 2018.
Furthermore, Rish has a keen interest in music technology and boasts over 5 years of experience in audio engineering, mixing, mastering, and stage management. His talent and expertise have been recognised, as he has been awarded a 100% scholarship to serve as the Assistant Stage Manager/Sound Design Assistant for the 2023 NYMT (National Youth Musical Theatre) production of 'Merrily We Roll Along' which is set to take place later this year. In addition to his production and stage management roles, Rish has showcased his musical prowess by playing keys for several artists on their tracks. His multifaceted skills and diverse experiences make him a versatile and invaluable asset in the music industry.
Honor Watson
Associate Piano Teacher & Music Theory Tutor
Honor studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, where she majored in the violin under the tutelage of Gina McCormack. Since graduating in 2009, she has enjoyed a very busy freelance career, performing extensively across six continents.
Honor has recorded, performed and toured with many artists, including Mark Ronson, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Michael Bublé, Jess Glynne, Little Simz, Ellie Goulding, Pink Floyd, The Sex Pistols, Seal, Elbow, Bastille, Sam Smith, Tom Odell, Beverley Knight, Paloma Faith, Dermot Kennedy, Sarah Connor, Roger Sanchez, Jessie J, Diversity, Rick Astley, Bryn Terfel, Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, James McCartney, Jason Donovan, Alexander Armstrong and Ronan Keating.
Honor also enjoys performing internationally as a member of electric string quartet, Escala. Highlights have included performing their track Louder at The Royal Variety Show and being the first musical act to perform at the opening of the London Olympic Stadium in 2012.
An experienced and passionate educator, Honor led a variety of outreach projects and workshops for students in London and Kent whilst studying at Trinity and has since taught violin, piano and music theory both privately and in various schools over the last decade. This includes a Head of Strings post, freelance chamber music group coaching for secondary school children in the South East London area and Strings Mentor on the CLIC Sargent Summer Course.
Alison Holford
Associate Piano Teacher
Alison Holford was born and brought up in Birmingham. She read music at Huddersfield University and Trinity College of Music, studying with Sue Lowe, Anna Shuttleworth and David Kenedy. At Trinity College of Music she was principal cello in the college Symphony Orchestra and the Contemporary Music Group.
Since graduating she has pursued a busy freelance career, playing and teaching both piano and cello in London and the south-east of England. Her performing work includes: principal cello of St Paul's Sinfonia; solo cello in Splinter Cell, a contemporary music group based in Canterbury that aims to mix the most challenging and virtuosic pre-composed music with free improvisation, and collaborate with other art forms including film, visual art and dance; cellist in Bridgetower Music, a flexible chamber ensemble performing anything from piano trios to Pierrot Lunaire; and in France, principal and continuo cello of Opera de Baugé.
The piano has been a constant musical companion since Alison began formal lessons, on the advice of her cello teacher. She studied piano at Huddersfield with Paul Feehan and regularly accompanied group cello classes and other students. Since graduating, Alison has taught piano and cello from beginner to ARSM and has enjoyed seeing pupils progress to studying music at degree level.
Alison is a regular accompanist for ABRSM exams and recitals at the Harrodian School, where she teaches. She has accompanied for classes at the London Cello Club and acts as a deputy accompanist for Thurrock Choral Society.
Molly Lynch
Associate Piano Teacher
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 Smith
Associate Piano Teacher
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.
Mikaela Livadiotis
Associate Piano Teacher
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 Diamandoulis
Associate Piano Teacher
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
Associate Piano Teacher & Cello Teacher
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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Victor Braojos
Associate Piano Teacher
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
Associate Piano Teacher
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.