Lucinda Mackworth-Young

Pianist, psychologist, teacher and a pioneering lecturer, writer and consultant

Lucinda's experience, training and approach enable her to work holistically with physical, emotional, mental, psychological, imaginative, intuitive and spiritual, or energetic, concepts and strategies, putting them into relevant and practical forms for music teaching, learning and performing.

I help people help themselves, identify their purpose, aims and issues, make connections, add depth, develop strengths and skills, and succeed

Graduating from Trinity College, London in 1978, Lucinda then gained a PGCE from The Institute of Education, London University and began teaching piano, recorder, clarinet, singing and general music classes in schools and privately.

In 1984 she returned to the Institute to gain first a Diploma and then a Master’s Degree in the Psychology of Education by 1987. The most significant part of this was the action research she did with her own piano pupils, which launched her career in professional development, lecturing and leading workshops nationally and internationally.

Lucinda then began to run courses putting psychology into relevant and accessible forms to refresh and inspire music teaching, learning and performing. These include the highly popular week long Practical Psychology Course to Inspire and Refresh Instrumental and Vocal Music Teaching, Learning and Performers (click here for more information).

As a keen dancer who appreciates the value of musicians being taught the dance steps of the dances that they play, she also founded her association, Music, Mind and Movement with Early Dance specialist, Nicola Gaines, and leading Dalcroze specialist, Karin Greenhead in 1995.

In the 1990s, Lucinda was invited to provide course work for the leading professional development courses run by the Associated Board, the Incorporated Society of Musicians and the European Piano Teacher's Association, and in 2008 she was appointed Director of The Piano Teachers' Course EPTA - the UK’s leading professional development course solely for piano teachers.

A prolific writer, she has had many articles and chapters published in Rhinegold, Faber and ABRSM publications as well as in numerous music teaching magazines and journals.

Her highly successful and readable book: Tuning In: Practical Psychology for Musicians came out in 2001 and her subsequent book, Piano by Ear published by Faber Music in 2015, was shortlisted for the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence, 2016

Author links and publications

  • Lucinda's website (click here)
  • Tuning In: Practical Psychology for Musicians (click here)
  • Piano by Ear: Learn to play by ear, improvise and accompany songs in simple steps (click here)
  • Piano Teachers' Course website (click here)

Featured content

Anyone Can Improvise!

Dedicated to helping everyone play the music they love and long to play, Lucinda Mackworth-Young introduces her step-by-step system for learning to play by ear and improvise, so that even classically trained piano players can play spontaneously, anywhere, anytime - and say “Yes!” when asked to play Happy Birthday!... Read >>


Lucinda Mackworth-Young Performing Improvisation

Practical Psychology for Teaching and Learning

Based on lectures from the Piano Teachers' Course, this set of video lectures provide psychological insight and understanding, and practical tips, to help piano teachers with their pupils.... Read >>


Lucinda Mackworth-Young Teaching