Michael Hegarty

I am an experienced and passionate piano teacher based in Dundee, Scotland. Whether you are a complete beginner or an advanced student of the piano, I can help you achieve your musical goals. I offer 30-minute or 1-hour piano lessons in-person in Dundee and online anywhere in the UK. The first lesson is free, so you can try out piano lessons without prior commitment.

While my background and training are classical in nature, my qualifications, interests and studies have all involved the study of classical music, I am happy to teach other styles such as pop and jazz music. What is most important, after all, is that the student find their piano studies interesting and engaging.

It is important to me to find the middle ground between what the student wants to learn and ensuring that the essential skills and techniques of piano playing are mastered. Therefore, all my lessons, though the subject matter may vary in terms of musical genre, follow the same structure. We study the mechanics of playing the piano, sight-reading, music theory, and repertoire to ensure a strong foundation. My aim is not to produce automata who can only play what they have been taught, but independent pianist and musicians who can select their own repertoire from their preferred genres and play them.

To this end, while my students do take exams, I do not teach solely to the exam syllabuses. I enter students when they are at that level of piano playing, not in order to bring them up to that level. The latter approach, in my experience, leads to a constant feeling of playing catch-up. It is better to achieve the level, and to take the exam merely as evidence of this.

I am happy to teach all ages and abilities. Both children and adults are welcome, beginners and more advanced players. I have taught all abilities and led students successfully through ABRSM, Trinity and MTB exams up to grade 8 and beyond. Contact me to try piano lessons today!