creative piano for open minds

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Creative music making

Welcome to Creative Piano!If you care about exploring your own creativity and self development, this site is for you! Hello! I am Sergio Lopez, pianist, composer, cultural entrepreneur based in London and the founder of Creative Piano. CP is an unique piano teaching methodology created back in 2001 with the vision of engaging young children and adults in exploring new ways of learning how to play the piano, looking at a balance between creativity and performance. Why is important to be creative?I am passionate to unleash your creative power and grasp easily the grammar of the music you like and to explore new music and open new horizons. With Creative Piano you will be able to complete your own compositions from an idea to reality and bring the music alive through a performance, playing and sharing. The piano is your interface!I work with individuals as well as in groups from one to one to communities and organisations. The 7 + 1 elements of Creative Piano are1. Sight Reading read faster and easily2. Memory make the music yours3. Composition find the composer in you4. Analysis decoding the music5. Aural training enhance your senses6. Technique the toolkit of expression7. Performance share and engage... and fun!The focus is on the music Music scores are a usually a barrier to initiate young people or any beginner to music, so with the help of simple symbols I help students to understand the music and its hidden secrets to being able to memorize, read, learn with common sense and perform not only through practise and repetition but with passion!Holistic approach to music makingI encourage all my students to look, feel and sense the music in a way that is constructive, looking at the whole musical experience, from the familiar to the unknown , by searching for the narratives that our fingers and brains are comfortable with the help active thinking training and feeling. Learning in busy timesWe all live busy lives, so making sure that we train ourselves in being focused in the short time we have available is one of the secrets for our success. With CP you learn how to learn!I encourage to compose your own music, sometimes with the support of paper or a music notation software, so our experience of music making starts as a journey to explore your physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual relationship with music and sound.To grade or not to gradeEach stuent builds their own repertoire and also we have common pieces from classical, pop, and jazz repertoires. For those interested in taking the grades, we balance both needs on a case by case basis. The process: enjoyment and commitmentWe work together as a team with our minds and hearts focused to achieve our goals and above all, you take the ownership of your time. You will soon realize that a process without little effort won't lead to progress and excellence. The balance between fun, the immediate satisfaction of making music and the effortt that we need to put if we want the results we want is a lesson for life. Concerts and audio / video recordings We promote concerts and performances and also we provide both audio and video recordings at a high quality and reasonable price to keep record of your progress with the piano so you can have a memory when looking back at how all started.Special projectsI also provide special projects using the music to create multimedia projects as well as group workshops take place at specific locations across London. Individual lesson take place at your own home or our studio in South London. Enjoy the website and get in touch with any queries you may have!

This video is an example of a Creative Music Summer workhsop for children with autism and learning dissabilities in collaboration with Otakar Kraus Music Trust

Who?

CREATIVE PIANO FOR OPEN MINDS

Piano workshop
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Creative Piano postcard

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The teacher

Sergio Lopez Figueroa Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, (Canary Islands) Spain, 1966 He studied music in Spain: Piano High degree at RCSM, Madrid. Italy: composition studies with Alessandro Solbiati, Franco Donatoni and UK: PGDip on electro-acoustic music for film and TV at Bournemouth University and National Film & Television School, NFTS screen music course .He has collaborated extensively with artists in different mediums: film, theatre, videodance and new media. His film music style is eclectic with European influences from both contemporary classical writing and film scoring techniques. His music catalogue includes concert, theatre, opera, new media, dance and educational works, having lived and worked in Bologna, Barcelona and London. His first film score for Oguenesey won the award for the best original music score at Marbella Film Festival in 1992.In 1997, he is shortlisted by SPNM (Society for the Promotion of New Music) to compose a new chamber opera, "Mothers" premiered at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. The same year works as music director for the Anglo Spanish stage production of Lorca's In five years time, receiving great critic and public acclaim. In 2000 won a scholarship by Fundacion Autor/SGAE for the use of new technologies in composition held at Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. His piece "Ombra" for saxophone quartet was released by Anacrusi records in 2001, and received the award Cajacanarias 2005.He has also created an innovative piano teaching methodology - Creative Piano - promoting children's creativity. He has recently founded Big Bang Lab, a cultural and social enterprise working across film music and heritage, producing new music for silent films as well as innovative creative oral history and creative learning programmes to engage young people and communities across age and cultural background..His interest in silent films started while studying at the NFTS, having started the first version of his music for the film "Un Chien Andalou". The score was completed and revised in 2000 under the title "Clonic Mutations". He conducted and performed with an ensemble specifically created for its premiere at Ribermusica 2000 Festival in Barcelona. In March 2003, Clonic Mutations was performed again in Barcelona by the ensemble Grup Instrumental Barcelona 216 as part of the concert production "Les 3 chiens". His piece Ombra for saxophone quartet was released by Anacrusi records in 2001 representing emerging young composers in Barcelona. In 2003, Clonic Mutations for piano, strings and percussion written for the silent film Un Chien Andalou by Luis Bunuel, was performed in Barcelona, by the ensemble Barcelona 216. In addition to music compositon, he was responsible for the introduction into the Spanish market of Sibelius notation software, having translated it into Spanish. He currently lives in London and is CRB checked, facilitating workshops and participating in international conferences on arts, creativity and culture for social change

RTN_creativepiano_article.pdf

articles

music scores

CV

CV

SERGIO LOPEZ FIGUEROA
EDUCATIONNational Film and Television School NFTS : Postgraduate course on Music for Film & TV 1995-97Bournemouth University - UK , PGDip Electro-acoustic music for Film & Television 1994-95 Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid Piano and music theory High degree 1990-92Conservatorio de Musica G.B. Martini (Bologna) Italy, Piano studies and composition 1988-90 Conservatorio Superior de Música de Las Palmas - Spain, Piano teaching degree 1978-/88Music composition workshops•Sound, material and form, Giacomo Manzoni - Fiesole -Italy 1988•Music Composition Course, Franco Donatoni Ac. Chigiana, Siena, Italy 1988•Analysis and music form Javier Darias Las Palmas - Spain 1989•Improvisation for silent film Paolo Fresu, Bologna University - Italy 1990•Open Music Pedagogy, Violeta Hemsy Madrid - Spain - 1991•Music for Film, TV and Video Wilfred Josephs, Dartington School UK 1992•Music for Film, Ennio Morricone -Ac. Chigiana, Siena, 1993•Music Computing. Matalon/Fedele /JarrellSibelius Academy, Helsinki, 2000•( Ircam/ Centre Acanthes - Bursary obtained from SAGE / Fundacion Autor)Professional development coursesComposing and arranging for big band, Morley College London 2003Composer-in-residence conference Bedford School Bedford 2002Making Music Work,module leading to Culture Industries Certificate, City UniversitySchool of Sound Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Glasgow 2001Introduction to music publishing, SGAE Barcelona 1999AWARDSBest original music score at Marbella Film Festival. 1992 SEA LA LUNA Juan Ramón MenéndezCajacanarias best author for the composition Ombra, for saxophone quartetHarlock award at Rimusicazioni Film Festival , Bolzano / Clonic Mutations music for Un Chien AndalouCultural Leadership Programme (British Council) International placement in New Delhi 2. Concert musicFUGUETINAPiano solo1988 MEDITACIONCello and Piano1988AFTER RAIN IN AHarpsichord soloist 1992EGO unaccompanied Mezzo-soprano 1994 DILEMA CONCERTANTE Harpsichord, prepared piano and mixed ensemble 1995KADOOK-TUK Solo cello 1995OMBRA Saxophone quartet 1999Premiered November 2000 at L'Auditori in Barcelona, CD released by Anacrusi records FUNKDANGOSaxophone quartet20073. OperaMOTHERS (Fl. Hp. Vcl. Sop. Mezzo. Bar.) One Act chamber Opera 1997 SPNM project. World premiere at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival -UK4. Musical TheatreMusic for the play IN FIVE YEARS TIME, an adaptation from ASI QUE PASEN CINCO AÑOS by Federico Garcia Lorca. An anglo-spanish production directed by Marta Momblant and produced by Eurocircles. Staged at the Southwark Playhouse, London from 10th Feb - 7th March 1998.Left behind / Greenwich Theatre 10 minutes challengeSelected to participate in the creation of a 10 minutes musical with writers Russell Hope and Alison Solomon 5.Educational ProjectsRefer to www.bigbang-lab.com 6. Silent films with live musicLA CONCHITA DEL CONEJO String quartet 1996CLONIC MUTATIONS score for strings (4.2.2.1.) piano and Latin percussion 1995-2000music composed for the surreal film UN CHIEN ANDALOU by Luis Buñuel/Salvador Dalí (1929).Premiere at Ribermúsica 2000 Barcelona. Garoé Chamber Orchestra. March 2003 Grupo Barcelona 216Tate modern commission for the Dali at Tate exhibition, 20077. Music for contemporary danceFOLLOW ME video dance project at NFTS. Score for solo cello 1995HARLESDEN GRIEF ON SUNDAY, three pices for mixed quintet(Vl,Fl,Cl,Guit, Perc)2001(Oxide, Ahemonium + Cambunda) Commissioned by ACC for Avui Music Season, First performance Grup XXI Barcelona 2002WORK EXPERIENCEMusic Teaching 1990-91 Piano and music theory teacher Independent school Musical Embajada. Madrid / Music Theory teacher at Mostoles Conservatorio.1991-92 Accompanist teacher / High School of Singing, Madrid Pianist in collaboration with 6 different singing/phonetic teachers1994- present Creative piano and music teaching method www.creativepiano.co.ukInnovative piano method for children and adults Piano performance, improvisatiohnology skills1995-1998 Pianist for classical and contemporary dance Administration 1998-2000 Sibelius software representative dealer in Spain 2000 Chamber orchestra founder/ producer - Ribermusica festival 1999 New technology Centre for young people co-ordinator1998 Music administration trainee 1997- 98 Assistant editorFreelance experience1995 1997 Pianist for contemporary dance lessonsoccassional piano improvisation at London pineapple, London Studio centre and Reanimators1999 2000 Sibelius music copyist / scorchmusicFreelance work for music registration (from tape to score) and orchestral scores for individual musiciansOrchestration, music engraving, arranging transcription from MIDI to score2000 Interpreter / British Council, Barcelona Live interpreter form English to Spanish and viceversa for a series of lectures organised by ABRSM2002 - CD recording serviceMobile recording, mixing, editing and mastering services for classical musicians2003 - Worshops in composition, education, community music and mixed mediaVarious projects awaiting for funding addressed to young people: music and film projects, music residency as well as social inclusion projects. 2004 Sibelius Software Spanish Translation version 3.14 (music notation software)Full English to Spanish translation of the User Guide, software and documentation2004 Project research and development:Borderline: a multicultural live classical music project in London Professional associationsMUSICIANS UNION member of the writers committeeSGAE Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (equivalent society to PRS in UK)GEM Group for education in museumsMUSIMAGEN Association of Spanish composers for filmACC Association of Catalonian ComposersLanguagesSpanish, English, Italian and PortugueseProject recording studio with option of portabilityApple Mac G4 933MHz 768 Mb CD/DVDR Digidesign Digi 002 Pro Tools hardware Pro Tools LE 6.3 Emagic/Apple Logic 7 Emagic EXS24 software sampler Roland XV-5050 sound module PMC TB2 passive studio monitors Semson Servo 260 90W power amplifier Canopus ADVC100 video capture unit Fostex D-5 Digital master recorder DAT machine Rode NT2 Studio condenser mic Rode NT4 sterero mic

Where to start?

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Agreement_CP.doc

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one to one lessons
In London I provide regular lessons for residents in Dulwich, Brixton and Herne Hill area in South London as well as private lessons at your home covering other ares of London. FIRST STEPSWe recommend a maximum time for a child beginner of 30-45 min. On the first lesson booked we make an assesement followed by a discussion with the studend or parent We offer a first 30 min lesson in addition to 30 min consultation with parents for £20 Payment can be made via Paypal. Further lessons after signing the terms and conditions are paid in advance via transfer on a monthly basis. For policies on cancellation refer to the agreement. Fees £50 hour / £40 for 45 min (at your place) £40 hour / £30 for 45 min (at our studio)
UK wide I work with a group of facilitators to provide piano and music composition workshops, residencies as well as organize group recitals for special events, school perfrormances and another extracurricular activities. Recording Services we provide recording services (audio and video) for DVD, online and social media distribution. If there is a case, we involve our learners in the evaluation process.All facilitators are CRB checked. Contact us for a quote and your request

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Shared Voices - video channel

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