Piano/keyboards 1E

Gisela is a multi-skilled musician: She works as a pianist, piano accompanist, classical soprano, cellist and teacher. Following undergraduate studies in Frankfurt-am-Main and a postgraduate diploma (piano) in Weimar, Gisela obtained a MMus in Accompaniment at the Guildhall School for Music and Drama. She has also studied singing privately with Jessica Cash, focussing primarily on oratorio and art songs. Gisela performs regularly in recitals as a soloist (as pianist or singer) and also sings and plays in a variety of chamber ensembles. In her freelance work she accompanies concerts, exams and recitals for professionals, students of various music colleges and Grade exam canditates. She is a consultant for Islington Sixth Form college, with her roles ranging from accompaniment and teaching to the conducting of exams and auditions. Gisela has taught at City Lit since 2001. Presently, she teaches Chamber music (Advanced and Intermediate) and Piano.

Early signs of musical activity indicated David’s future path, and after taking grades on both piano and viola, he obtained a first-class honours degree in music at Leeds University, studying both instruments. He subsequently completed a postgraduate jazz course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying piano with Simon Purcell, where he obtained an LGSM. He obtained an MMus in composition with Merit at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, with support from the Trinity College London scholarship, studying with Deirdre Gribbin, Gwyn Pritchard and Paul Newland. David is passionate about teaching, and teaches adult piano students at City Lit, as well as piano to individuals in his private practice and to young learners for Richmond Music Trust. He also performs from time to time as a jazz and classical pianist and undertakes practical music examining work for ABRSM jazz and classical syllabuses both in the UK and abroad. David also enjoys playing chamber music on viola.

Cheslav has performed internationally as a pianist at renowned venues, on radio and television in many different contexts, playing everything from Beethoven to free jazz. Since 2011, he has been actively involved in contemporary classical music, having co- founded the audiovisual group a=b=x=y. As s composer he has written in genres ranging from solo pieces to works for symphony orchestra. He is also the co-founder of Our 'PL'ace Foundation, through which, among other activities, he co-curates an annual International Audiovisual Art Festival. As an educator, he is the author of two academic courses on music appreciation, based on the methodology set out by Dr Craig White of Yale University. Cheslav remains active in searching for extended playing techniques on the border between acoustic and electronic music, plays the organ, has a keen interest in tuning systems and is an active student and researcher of Gurba¯n?i¯ San?gi¯ta, having had the immense fortune of being able to work with and for its foremost exponent Bhai Baldeep Singh since 2013.

Lucía is a pianist and music educator based in London. Originally from Spain, she specialised in piano performance and chamber music before completing a Master's degree at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Always interested in collaborating with other musicians, she has developed her career as a soloist (playing at venues like St Martin-In-the-Fields and Royal Festival Hall),as a chamber musician, and has taken part in different ensembles, accompanying singers or other instrumentalists. She also collaborates with colleagues from other fields, like dancers and actors. She has also worked as a repetiteur, orchestral musician and taken part in a samba group playing percussion. Lucía won the piano place for the London Philharmonic Orchestra's Foyle Future Firsts Programme in 2015 and a position for the Chamber Tots Scheme at the Wigmore Hall in 2018. Lucía has extensive experience teaching piano to children and adults in different institutions in and around London. She is passionate about motivating the students to enjoy playing the piano and learning a musical instrument, finding an efficient and engaging way to practise while making it fun and inspiring.