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News & Blog
We're back...Viva Piano Spring term has begun!
Hello from us at Viva Piano! We're so excited to have kicked off our Spring term group piano lessons last Saturday. We had a wonderful morning starting with our beginner class - Introduction to Piano - followed by our lesson for more experienced players - Level Up Piano. You can read all about the two lesson programmes, and their differences, here . We welcomed some new faces, and LOTS of familiar ones too. It was incredible to see the confidence and skills growth in our stud
Scarlett Neville
Apr 17
Why piano practice can feel so hard on parents - and what actually helps
As piano teachers of young children, we know that there are some children who just can't wait to try out their new skills at home. But for others, it's not so straightforward. Here's some very common reasons why practise can end up being stressful for parents and a little advice based on our experience as both teachers AND former pupils (albeit some time ago!) “I don’t know how to help” One of the biggest struggles parents share is feeling a bit out of their depth. You didn’t
Scarlett Neville
Mar 27
Reflections, an exciting announcement and a look forward to Spring!
What a start to the year we have had here at Viva Piano! No January blues here January saw us kick off with a new term of Introduction to Piano classes. We met the most incredible group of children and families - full of enthusiasm, fun and as it turns out, talent! We wrapped up our Winter term on Saturday and while it was sad to wave goodbye for a few weeks, we can't wait to see most of them again in the Spring and to meet some new budding musicians. Laura and I always like
Scarlett Neville
Mar 10
Why group piano lessons work (especially for young children) - the blog version!
You may have seen our recent Instagram post about this very topic. Well, it's such an important one, I felt it needed its own blog post. Let's do a deeper dive into why group lessons are so impactful when learning the piano. When parents look for music lessons for children, they often assume one-to-one sessions are the best (and only!) option. And while they can be a great fit for some, there is no doubt that group piano lessons offer something really special, particularly fo
Scarlett Neville
Feb 13
Disney, pop and a bit of Whitney: why we learn with contemporary music at Viva Piano!
Story time! When I was a little girl, my dad bought me two piano books: Easy Disney and Whitney Houston’s Greatest Hits . Now, the image of a 10-year-old belting out Whitney while enthusiastically bashing away at the piano might make you laugh (and feel deeply sorry for my older brother), but those two books changed my life. Up until that point, Dad had taught me a few chords, but I didn’t have a clue what to DO with them. Then suddenly, with these books, I could make real m
Scarlett Neville
Jan 30
Welcome to a Musical New Year at Viva Piano!
It's a new year, and our love for music is stronger than ever here at Viva Piano! We have so much planned for 2026, and we just can't wait to get started. We've kicked things off in the best possible way—by welcoming a new group of musicians to our Introduction to Piano courses this past Saturday. Week one was FULL of energy, curiosity, and the magic of playing a melody for the very first time. For the next seven weeks, we'll guide our students through some music theory fund
Scarlett Neville
Jan 15
A Musical Year's End: Autumnal reflections and a very special festive announcement!
Wow - can you believe we are already in November? I don't know about you, but this is my favourite season. Give me ALL the hot chocolate, please! A Time for Reflection It's also a wonderful time for reflection. Laura and I have been doing quite a bit of that recently as we wrap up 2025 and plan for the new year. Our Autumn courses finished a few weeks ago, and we could not be prouder of our students. We are so impressed by what they achieved! Celebrating Our Students' Achieve
Scarlett Neville
Nov 14, 2025
That age old question: how can I get my child to practise? 5 ideas to inspire your little musician!
Anyone who learnt an instrument as a child has memories of being nagged to practise, and if you were anything like me, it sometimes had the opposite effect! Here at Viva Piano, we believe practice should feel playful and rewarding, not like homework. We're passionate about helping kids enjoy the process, not just the results. Of course, even the most enthusiastic young musician needs a little encouragement now and then, and let’s face it, practice is important. So, how do we
Scarlett Neville
Sep 18, 2025
The faces of Viva Piano: get to know Laura and Scarlett and why we founded this wonderful venture!
Hi everyone, Laura and Scarlett here! As we prepare to welcome a new group of budding musicians to our Autumn courses this week, we thought we'd take a moment to share a little more about us and how Viva Piano came to life... How did we meet and found Viva Piano? Our story begins in 2022, when we met at an NCT course, both expecting our first children. Fast forward to February 2024 - we got together for a coffee one Saturday morning for Laura to pick Scarlett’s brain about he
Scarlett Neville
Sep 2, 2025
From newborns to new notes: Growing our course offering this Autumn
At the start of the year, we set ourselves what seemed like an ambitious goal: develop and run two courses in 2025.
Scarlett Neville
Aug 15, 2025
What did we learn from our first 'Introduction to Piano' course?
Laura and I recently had the absolute joy of running our very first 'Introduction to Piano' course for a group of incredible and very talented children. Here’s what we discovered along the way and what we’re taking into our next courses: They get stuck in! The kids were wonderfully enthusiastic and curious. They wanted to press keys, explore sounds and make music right away. And so, we very quickly learnt to… Talk less, play more One of our biggest takeaways: don’t over-expla
Scarlett Neville
Jul 19, 2025
Learning on a piano vs learning on a keyboard - what's the difference?
Here at Viva Piano, children use portable keyboards instead of pianos during our group lessons. Whilst there are some differences between the two, keyboards are effective for learning all the necessary skills to play the piano, and for developing your child's musicality. Plus, they enable our group lessons right here in Letchworth! Here are our thoughts on some of the similarities and differences. They (pretty much) look the same. The piano and keyboard have the same layout
Scarlett Neville
Jul 5, 2025
How young is too young? Why we believe 6-10 is the ideal age to start group piano lessons.
We're often asked why our 'Introduction to Piano' course is designed for little ones age 6 to 10. Let's jump straight in. Sweet-spot for learning At this age, children are developing strong connections between hearing, sight and movement - this makes for an ideal time for learning, as the piano requires all three! Physically fit In this age group, children's fine motor skills are developed so that their hands are able to play with multiple fingers, with the strength and contr
Scarlett Neville
Jun 3, 2025
Are there really THAT many benefits to learning an instrument? Spoiler: yes.
On the fence about you or your child learning an instrument? My top 10 benefits might inspire you!
Scarlett Neville
May 20, 2025
Time to Learn Piano, Love Music: Our first course kicks off this weekend!
Some thoughts from us before week one!
Scarlett Neville
Apr 24, 2025
We have BIG news - Viva Piano courses are open!
Some very exciting news and a little recap since our launch.
Scarlett Neville
Jan 27, 2025
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