Dr Vanissa Law

I am an experienced piano, singing and music theory teacher, composer and choir director based in Northern Ireland. I teach children, teenagers and adults of all levels, from complete beginners taking their first steps in music to more experienced students working towards graded examinations or developing their skills for personal enjoyment.

I hold a PhD in Music from Hong Kong Baptist University and have many years of experience teaching music in both private and educational settings. Before moving to Northern Ireland, I taught music at university level in Hong Kong, including at the University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. My wider professional work includes composition, choral directing, community music and contemporary music, giving me a broad musical background that I bring into my teaching.

Piano Lessons

My piano lessons are tailored to each student’s age, level, interests and goals. I teach beginners as well as students working at intermediate and advanced levels, and I am happy to work towards ABRSM or Trinity graded examinations where appropriate.

Lessons can include repertoire, technique, sight-reading, aural skills, music theory and general musicianship. I believe that learning the piano should involve more than simply preparing pieces for an examination. I encourage students to understand how music works, listen carefully to their own playing and gradually develop the skills and confidence to learn more independently.

For students who do want to take graded exams, I can provide structured preparation while keeping lessons musically engaging rather than making the examination the sole focus of learning.

Singing Lessons

I offer individual singing lessons for adults and young people, including complete beginners and people who may have sung in choirs but have never had formal vocal training.

Singing lessons can cover healthy vocal technique, breathing, posture, tone production, pitch, range, resonance, musical expression and confidence. Lessons are adapted to the individual voice rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.

As a choir director, I also work regularly with singers of different levels of experience. This gives me a practical understanding of the challenges singers often encounter in choirs, such as holding a harmony part, reading a vocal score, improving intonation and becoming more confident singing independently.

Music Theory and Musicianship

I also teach music theory, either as a standalone subject or alongside instrumental lessons. This can include preparation for ABRSM Music Theory examinations as well as general theory, harmony, score reading, ear training and musicianship.

As a composer with a PhD in Music, I particularly enjoy helping students understand the ideas behind the notes rather than simply memorising rules. Theory can become much easier when students can connect it directly with music they play, sing and hear.

My Approach to Teaching

Every student learns differently, so I adapt my teaching to the individual rather than expecting everyone to progress in exactly the same way. Some students enjoy working towards examinations and clearly defined goals, while others simply want to learn music for enjoyment. Both approaches are equally welcome.

For beginners, my priority is to establish good foundations while making lessons enjoyable and encouraging. For more experienced students, lessons can become increasingly independent and exploratory, with greater attention to interpretation, technique and musicianship.

Adult beginners and returning musicians are particularly welcome. You do not need any previous musical experience to start lessons, and there is no requirement to take examinations.

I am an experienced piano, singing and music theory teacher, composer and choir director based in Northern Ireland. I teach children, teenagers and adults of all levels, from complete beginners taking their first steps in music to more experienced students working towards graded examinations or developing their skills for personal enjoyment.

I hold a PhD in Music from Hong Kong Baptist University and have many years of experience teaching music in both private and educational settings. Before moving to Northern Ireland, I taught music at university level in Hong Kong, including at the University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. My wider professional work includes composition, choral directing, community music and contemporary music, giving me a broad musical background that I bring into my teaching.

Piano Lessons

My piano lessons are tailored to each student’s age, level, interests and goals. I teach beginners as well as students working at intermediate and advanced levels, and I am happy to work towards ABRSM or Trinity graded examinations where appropriate.

Lessons can include repertoire, technique, sight-reading, aural skills, music theory and general musicianship. I believe that learning the piano should involve more than simply preparing pieces for an examination. I encourage students to understand how music works, listen carefully to their own playing and gradually develop the skills and confidence to learn more independently.

For students who do want to take graded exams, I can provide structured preparation while keeping lessons musically engaging rather than making the examination the sole focus of learning.

Singing Lessons

I offer individual singing lessons for adults and young people, including complete beginners and people who may have sung in choirs but have never had formal vocal training.

Singing lessons can cover healthy vocal technique, breathing, posture, tone production, pitch, range, resonance, musical expression and confidence. Lessons are adapted to the individual voice rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.

As a choir director, I also work regularly with singers of different levels of experience. This gives me a practical understanding of the challenges singers often encounter in choirs, such as holding a harmony part, reading a vocal score, improving intonation and becoming more confident singing independently.

Music Theory and Musicianship

I also teach music theory, either as a standalone subject or alongside instrumental lessons. This can include preparation for ABRSM Music Theory examinations as well as general theory, harmony, score reading, ear training and musicianship.

As a composer with a PhD in Music, I particularly enjoy helping students understand the ideas behind the notes rather than simply memorising rules. Theory can become much easier when students can connect it directly with music they play, sing and hear.

My Approach to Teaching

Every student learns differently, so I adapt my teaching to the individual rather than expecting everyone to progress in exactly the same way. Some students enjoy working towards examinations and clearly defined goals, while others simply want to learn music for enjoyment. Both approaches are equally welcome.

For beginners, my priority is to establish good foundations while making lessons enjoyable and encouraging. For more experienced students, lessons can become increasingly independent and exploratory, with greater attention to interpretation, technique and musicianship.

Adult beginners and returning musicians are particularly welcome. You do not need any previous musical experience to start lessons, and there is no requirement to take examinations.

Whether your goal is to learn piano from scratch, improve your singing, prepare for a graded music examination, develop your music theory, return to music after many years away, or simply enjoy making music, lessons can be shaped around what you would like to achieve.Whether your goal is to learn piano from scratch, improve your singing, prepare for a graded music examination, develop your music theory, return to music after many years away, or simply enjoy making music, lessons can be shaped around what you would like to achieve.