Newsletter December 2025
Hello Everyone,
Well, 2025 appears to be finishing with a rush as we look forward to enjoying a good break with perhaps some wonderful weather. It has been a good year, the playing groups have grown, and the wonderful music performed has been entertaining and well played. The exam results have been excellent, even though you have all moved on to higher grades. Many of you have pushed hard into new areas and explored challenging new musical skills. As I so often say, well done! Thank you to parents and students for participating in and working hard at your music. I appreciate your efforts, and it makes all the difference to your successes.
It is time to sort out our lesson times for 2026. Most of you are happy for times to stay the same. For those who need a change, please let me know as early as you can.
I will start lessons again on Monday the 2nd of Feb.
My price for 2026 will be $45.00 per half hour lesson.
Coming up in 2026
New Compositions: The Adventures of Bert Slythers will be the next book of compositions released in 2026. These pieces will be recorded on the YouTube channel. Similar to the book Hataitai Garden they will include improvisation opportunities. The 10 pieces range in difficulty from intermediate to challenging.
New Website: With the help of Anne-Lise Mornard-Stott the website is finished and now showing off its new look. It links with my other platforms to provide learning tools & resources for students. Next project for this and the You Tube channel will provide theory videos on fundamental theory topics.
| Other Resouces |
You Tube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzy52oiEYaThNzN0M0HCpGA/videos?view_as=subscriber
The YouTube Channel has grown over the year and now has over 130 videos. The next series of videos will be based on fundamental theory topics to support the early stages of playing. Useful to everyone. All the new compositions will also be recorded here to help with the playing of the new book.
The “How to play …. Jazz Tunes” Type videos and other tutorials will continue to be added to. They cover all sorts of jazz and improvisation tricks to help students.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063673505134
The Facebook platform has been going for quite a while now. Therefore, if you are looking for some new music or perhaps some interesting interviews or documentaries just scroll through the feed. Lots of this music has come from other students. It has become a large pool of musical inspiration.
Digital exams: Repertoire only options are available now in digital exams. They have also increased the maximum file size from 1GB to 3GB, a very helpful change for the higher grades. I have noticed that all though some of you love this approach and are doing well. The face-to-face exam suits some of you better and I will encourage this exams approach for you.
Examiners are looking for musical fundamentals, regardless of the exam structure. It is very important to practice technique, ear, musical knowledge etc as these things always show up in the playing.
Playing groups: This is all about sharing some music. It has been wonderful to have you all here this year and the group is getting bigger. We are learning to have fun performing and not worry about things too much. Work in progress pieces, and old favourites are always good.
The IRMT NZ provides many musical events for us throughout the year. Performance opportunities with the YMF (young musicians festival), the sonata competition and usually kicks the year off with a duet celebration.
The duet celebration has been a chance for us to explore playing other instruments in duet with the piano. We have used jazz standards and improvisation to present for example Duke Ellington’s classic In a Sentimental Mood played on Trombone and piano. This is a very encouraging and open event that you may consider being involved in.
For listening to live music, I would like to point out two good venues. St Andrews on the Terrace, they have lunch time concerts 12.15 pm on Wednesdays with a variety of performers, e.g. choirs, duets, solo instruments, string quartets even small orchestras.
The second is The Realm on Moxham Ave, Hataitai. It is just up the road from me. Greg Crayford (an old mate of mine) has been running this jazz gig for decades. First & third Wednesday of each month there are different jazz performers. Some small ensembles sometimes big band jazz. Some exceptional playing has taken place. definitely worth checking out.
In the meantime, please explore my book Hataitai Garden composed by Peter Feehan
Hataitai Garden, ten piano compositions published by SOUNZ in 2023. Composed by Peter Feehan
Available from SOUNZ, supporting local artists & musicians,
follow the links below PDF: Peter Feehan: Hataitai Garden — downloadable PDF SCORE – SOUNZ Hardcopy: https://www.sounz.org.nz/resources/29966
and available at Alistair’s Music, 215 Cuba St, Te Aro, Wellington 6011.
All works can be listened to in a play list from this link. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgcAS-pp9AAOz2irXWqIUA5Vih8kjS-_Z
Have a great holiday.
Cheers
Peter
Term Dates for 2026
Term 1 Monday 26th January – Thursday 2nd April
Term 2 Monday 20th April – Friday 3rd July.
Term 3 Monday 20th July – Friday 25th September.
Term 4 Monday 12th October – Friday 18th December.
| Contact Details Peter Feehan ph: (04)386-2315, Mobile 027 2864561 77 Moxham Ave, Hataitai, Wellington. 6021 Email Peter-Melanie@xtra.co.nz Website https://thepianoteacher.net/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/The-Piano-Teacher-1795471537400955/ You Tube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzy52oiEYaThNzN0M0HCpGA/videos?view_as=subscriber |