Andrew Eales

Andrew Eales has a well-established reputation as one of the leading piano educators in the United Kingdom.

Andrew has run his successful teaching practice in Milton Keynes for three decades, working with adults and children, from beginners to diploma level. Many of his students have embraced a lifelong passion for piano playing, and several have pursued careers in music and education.

He now also shares his insight and advice with players internationally via his Online Feedback service.

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Widely known as a published composer and author, Andrew’s piano recordings have been streamed more than a million times. His original music has appeared in ABRSM and LCM syllabus publications, ABRSM’s Piano Star series, and Musica Ferrum’s Mosaic series.

Andrew was a member of the steering committee for A Common Approach, the instrumental curriculum widely adopted by instrumental teachers, schools, and Music Services since 2002. He has been a piano exam syllabus consultant, written for ABRSM, and contributed to the development of their popular Music Medals programme.

Andrew has led courses, classes, and presented at events throughout the UK, including for ABRSM, EPTA, The Piano Teachers’ Course UK, The Thinking Pianist, Chetham’s International Piano Summer School, and Finchcocks. He has also worked with educators in Poland, Africa and the USA.

Andrew’s critically acclaimed bestseller How to Practise Music was published internationally by Hal Leonard in British and US English versions in 2021.

He has also curated and edited several piano anthologies for major publishers, including music for elementary to advanced level players:

• The Joy of Graded Piano series (Yorktown Music)
• Three volumes of Graded Gillock (Willis Music)
• Naoko Ikeda: The Graded Collection (Willis Music)
• The Willis Student Recital Collection (Willis Music)
• with Jack Pepper: Music We Might Have Played (Hal Leonard)

Further underpinning his commitment to excellence in music education publishing, he helped to establish The Art of Piano Education Awards in 2023, and was President and Chair of the Awards in 2024 and 2025.

Andrew’s award-winning website Pianodao welcomes a quarter of a million visits a year from around 190 countries, confirming him as one of the most influential voices in piano education today.

At the heart of all his work, Andrew’s teaching practice and care for students’ musical development and wellbeing remains a continuing focus as he continues his exciting journey as writer, composer, pianist, and educator.

Andrew’s Story

Born in Surrey, UK in 1966, Andrew started piano lessons aged 9.

Aged 11, he was awarded a music scholarship to Oakham School. He later completed his schooling at Bedford Modern School, simultaneously taking up a place as a Junior Exhibitioner at the Guildhall School of Music in London.

Andrew went on to read Music at the University of Birmingham where he gained his honours B.Mus degree and won the University’s esteemed Roland Gregory Music Prize. He also took harpsichord lessons with David Ponsford, who nurtured his growing interest in historical performance practice.

Pursuing his newfound passion for Baroque and Classical keyboard music, Andrew went on to study as a postgraduate scholar at the Royal College of Music in London, taking harpsichord and fortepiano lessons with the internationally acclaimed performer and recording artist Robert Woolley.

At the Royal Cellege of Music, Andrew gained a Certificate of Advanced Study in Early Music, as well as taking his ARCM Diploma in harpsichord performance. He was also the recipient of the Raymond Russell Harpsichord Prize, then the UK’s most prestigious award in early keyboard performance.

Alongside this burgeoning specialism in early keyboard performance, Andrew also studied piano for two years with the Hungarian concert pianist Joseph Weingarten, a former student of Dohnányi. Joseph’s profound and inspiring teaching had a huge impact on Andrew as a musician.

After completing his music education, Andrew briefly worked in the sheet music department at Chappell of Bond Street, London, before accepting a position administering recording contracts for EMI Classics in London, where he spent the next four years.

Pursuing a career in education, Andrew began teaching privately in 1993. The following year, he also joined the piano and keyboard faculty for the Milton Keynes Music Service, which he went on to lead for around a decade, inspiring exponential growth and attracting wider national and international attention.

Alongside a busy schedule teaching in local schools, Andrew designed and wrote curriculum resources, became an established educational composer, provided teacher training around the U.K. and beyond, and supported for a growing team of teachers.

Andrew’s series of four Keyquest tuition books for electronic keyboard, initially devised and written to support his group teaching programme in schools, were adopted by teachers more widely, and went on to sell thousands of copies.

Andrew has subsequently focused on developing his private piano teaching practice, educational consultancy, and writing.

He has had the pleasure and privilege of working with students and players from beginners to professionals, mentoring teachers, and preparing advanced pianists for diploma qualifications. His specialism in historical and creative performing traditions, and love of a wide range of music remain at the heart of his work.

Drawing from the well of his professional training, performing experience, success as a composer and writer, and recognised expertise as a teacher, Andrew has emerged as a leading voice in the piano education and music publishing communities worldwide.

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Andrew has been happily married to Louise for more than 30 years.
She is an advanced nurse practitioner in mental health, specialising in neurodiversity, and a fully qualified acupuncturist. They have a son and a daughter, who are both adults.

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