Deciphering New Pieces

From the First Reading to the First Lesson

You’ve chosen a piece and are excited to dive in, but you’re not sure where to start? What can be learnt from the initial reading? How do you go about practising for your first lesson?

Starting a new piece is like deciphering a code: we must convert the symbols on the page into something meaningful, going beyond “learning the notes” to figuring out what is actually happening in the music. This involves recognising, among other things, chords, rhythmic figures, melodic motives, phrases, sections, key changes and patterns of all kinds.

In this two-part workshop, Ken Johansen presents a method for approaching new pieces, bridging the gap from the first reading to the first lesson. The first workshop will use several repertoire examples of varying styles and difficulty to discuss what can be learned from the initial sight reading. Ken will then go on to show how to decipher and practise each piece in an efficient way.

In the second workshop, participants will have the opportunity to submit scores they find difficult to decipher, or pieces they would like to learn but are unsure how to begin studying!

Ticket options

The sessions will be recorded in and all ticket holders will receive a link to view recordings shortly after each session. Therefore, if you are unable to join us live, you will still be able to watch the workshop recordings at your convenience. Tickets for both sessions cost £50 (£30 for Online Academy subscribers) and can be purchased here or by clicking on the "Buy" button below.

---

Workshop sessions & dates

Part 1 (05 Oct 2025 @ 15:00 BST (GMT +01:00))

Part 2 (26 Oct 2025 @ 15:00 GMT)