Claire Allen

About Me

Claire Allen is a piano teacher and musician with over 16 years’ teaching experience and a longstanding interest in piano pedagogy, creativity and musical understanding.   She teaches predominantly online and has extensive experience supporting students across a wide range of ages, abilities and locations, from complete beginners to advanced players. She also enjoys helping adult learners and returning pianists rediscover confidence and enjoyment at the piano.   Claire holds a BA (Hons) Music degree and also trained as a piano technician, developing a detailed understanding of piano tone, touch and sound production which continues to inform her teaching and musicianship. She has undertaken professional piano pedagogy training through The Royal Conservatory of Music, Canada, covering beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, and continues her professional development through organisations including the Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy.   Claire’s teaching combines listening, creativity and musical exploration with technical development. Lessons are tailored to the individual student and may include classical repertoire, contemporary music, improvisation, theory, sight-reading, aural training and creative work, with support for graded examinations where appropriate. She aims to create a supportive and thoughtful learning environment in which students can develop both confidence and musical independence.   Alongside her teaching work, Claire maintains an ongoing interest in composition, improvisation and contemporary piano writing, particularly in relation to accessible and atmospheric music for learners and returning pianists.