Dr Robert - Piano tutor - Stockport
1st lesson free
Dr Robert - Piano tutor - Stockport

Dr Robert's profile and contact details have been verified by our team

Dr Robert

  • Rate R984
  • Response 10h
  • Students

    Number of students Dr Robert has accompanied since joining Superprof

    35

    Number of students Dr Robert has accompanied since joining Superprof

Dr Robert - Piano tutor - Stockport
  • 5 (12 reviews)

R984/h

1st lesson free

Contact

1st lesson free

1st lesson free

  • Piano
  • Musical keyboard
  • Synthesizer

Award-winning composer and pianist with a PhD in Music and 20+ years' teaching experience – piano and music theory from beginner to diploma

  • Piano
  • Musical keyboard
  • Synthesizer

Lesson location

Super Tutor

Dr Robert is one of our best Piano tutors. High-quality profile, qualifications verified, organised and responsive to lesson requests, and appreciated by their students.

About Dr Robert

Hi, I'm Dr Robert Ratcliffe, an award-winning composer, producer, pianist, writer and music educator with more than twenty years' teaching experience. I hold a First Class BA (Hons) specialising in solo piano performance and composition, an M.Res in Composition with Distinction and a PhD in Composition/Musicology. My postgraduate piano studies included private study with Professor David Fanning and Roy Howat, and I have previous experience teaching performance, composition, electronic music, music production and critical studies at university level.

Alongside teaching, I have pursued an international career as a composer. My music has been performed and broadcast in approximately 30 countries worldwide, including BBC broadcasts, and my research has been published in international peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. More recently, I created the science-fiction multimedia project Chronicles of the Residuum. Its album The Age of Destruction received two Silver Medals for Outstanding Achievement at the Global Music Awards, in Electronic and Production/Producer, while both the audio work and artwork received recognition in the British Science Fiction Association Awards. The project has been covered by Prog, Record Collector, Electronic Sound, Darkus and the journal of the British Fantasy Society, with Sonic Abuse awarding the album 9.5/10.

Through the project I have worked with internationally recognised figures including Grammy Award-winning engineer David Donaldson, language creator David J. Peterson, producer René LaVice, Magic: The Gathering artist Igor Kieryluk and electronic music industry pioneer Nick Halkes. I am currently serving as a juror for the British Fantasy Awards in the Audio Fiction category, following previous international reviewing and adjudication work for ICMC and the 60×60 project. Piano and music theory remain at the heart of my private teaching, and I work with students ranging from complete beginners to diploma candidates and university-level musicians. 

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About the lesson

  • All levels
  • English

Languages in which the lesson is available :

English

My students range from children and complete adult beginners through to advanced pianists, diploma candidates, university music students, professional musicians and teachers. I have a 100% ABRSM examination pass rate, with students frequently achieving distinctions. Previous results include 99/100 for ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory and 146/150 for an ABRSM Piano Practical examination. One student was invited to perform in a special ABRSM concert after achieving one of the highest marks of the examination period. I have also prepared students for auditions and study at institutions including Chetham's School of Music, Leeds Conservatoire and the Royal Northern College of Music.

Examinations are only one aspect of my teaching. I analyse both how a student learns and how they physically approach the piano, identifying particular technical or musical problems and developing strategies to overcome them. This can include work on relaxation, coordination, sound production, quality of tone and performance anxiety.

As a composer, I'm particularly interested in helping students understand how music is constructed. Exploring the structure, harmony and musical ideas behind a piece can lead to a much deeper understanding of interpretation rather than simply learning to reproduce the notes on the page. I have a particular affinity with Romantic and Impressionistic repertoire, especially Chopin, Debussy and Scriabin, although my students play music from a very wide range of periods and styles. Lessons can include repertoire, technique, interpretation, sight-reading, aural skills, improvisation and theory according to the student's needs. For advanced students, my background in composition, electronic music, academic research and professional production also allows us to explore areas well beyond conventional piano tuition.

Although much of my experience is at an advanced and professional level, I believe that high-quality musical education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. I therefore welcome beginners and those returning to the piano after a long break, as well as students with more ambitious performance goals. There is rarely a single solution to a technical or interpretative problem, and an important part of my teaching is finding the approach that enables each individual student to progress. Online lessons are available throughout the UK and internationally. (c) Robert Ratcliffe 2026

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Rates

Rate

  • R984

Package rates

  • 5h: R4918
  • 10h: R9836

travel

  • + R5

free lesson

The free first lesson with Dr Robert allows you to get to know the tutor and discuss your needs and expectations.

  • 30min

online

  • R984/h

Details

Online lesson fees: £45 for an hour, £35 for 45 mins, £25 for 30 mins.
In-person lessons conducted at student's home (within a 2 mile radius) add + £5 for travel

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