Welcome to the page dedicated to my educational projects.
Here you’ll find information about:
New Online Course ‘Keys to Fulfillment in Piano Practice’
Online 1:1 Lessons
Video Analysis
Summer Master Classes
and all about my expertise, teaching approach, and testimonials from students.
You can explore further below, and don't hesitate to email me with any inquiries: contact@irinalankova.com
NEW ONLINE MASTER CLASS
“ Keys to fulfillment in piano practice”
Sign up anytime and enjoy at your own pace
10 online lectures, one-time purchase with unlimited viewing access
Unlock the full potential of your piano playing with this meticulously crafted series of online lectures by the renowned concert pianist Irina Lankova. Rather than being a step-by-step method for learning to play the piano from the beginning, it's an extensive collection of tools and strategies to enhance your piano practicing, draw inspiration from the experience of a concert pianist, deepen your relationship with music and bring meaning and joy to every note.
Who is this Master Class for?
This Master Class is designed for intermediate to advanced piano players of all ages who play for personal enjoyment and wish to improve their skills;
it is also valuable for beginners exploring future growth;
music enthusiasts curious about piano playing;
music teachers;
parents wishing to deepen their understanding;
it can also be helpful for professional piano students who are particularly looking to enhance their interpretation, sound, and mindset;
it can be a valuable resource for you or a thoughtful gift for someone you care about.
What will you experience in this Master Class?
The course consists of 10 online lectures, incorporating numerous musical examples, guiding you into a deep understanding of the core elements of piano practice. Discover the keys to staying motivated, setting achievable goals, and developing your technique and repertoire. Learn how to create a structured and sustainable piano practice routine and develop the mindset that will set you up for long-term success and fulfillment.
Chapter 1: Understanding the Meaning of Music
* Stylistic Periods
* Forms and Genres
* Composers’ Vocabulary
* Composer’s Idea and Artistic Representation
Chapter 2: Defining Your Interpretation
* Defining Musical Expression by Analysing All-Connected Musical Elements: Tonality, Harmony, Melody, Rhythm, Timbre, Register, Tempo, etc.
* Artistic Imaginative Thinking
Chapter 3: Working on the Sound
* What is a beautiful sound
* How to make the piano sing
* Achieving singing sound in various dynamic ranges
* Achieving full tone in f/ff/fff
* Phrasing
Chapter 4: Effective Practice Strategies
* Creating a Practice Schedule
* Focused Practicing, Playing with Automatisms and Mental Practice
* Breaking Down Complex Pieces
* Avoiding and correcting mistakes
* Using a Metronome
* Time for maturation
Chapter 5: Developing Piano Technique
* Posture and Hand Positioning
* Technical difficulties and solutions
* Speed
* Pedal
Chapter 6: Sight-Reading and Memorization
* Key Points for Improving Sight-Reading
* Memorisation Process
* Mental Practice
Chapter 7: Music Theory and Ear Training
* Basic Music Theory for Pianists
* Improving Relative Pitch
* Analysis of Pieces
* Developing musical taste
Chapter 8: Building Repertoire
* Selecting Appropriate Pieces
* Exploring Different Styles
* Keeping Old Pieces
Chapter 9: Overcoming Performance Anxiety
* Building Confidence Through Experience
* Managing Stage Fright
* Mental Preparation
* Focus on the Music
Chapter 10: Motivation and Attitude in Piano Practice
* Cultivating the joy of playing
* Setting Achievable Goals
* Staying Inspired
* Positive Attitude
How to use this course
After your subscription and payment, you will gain immediate and permanent access to all the chapters. You can watch them in order or select chapters individually, depending on what you need at the moment.
Some concepts are broad and can be applied immediately, while others may require more time and several viewings. The course is structured as a toolkit of strategies and techniques that can be applied to different areas of your piano practice. This flexibility allows you to engage with the material at your own pace and according to your needs. Feel free to revisit chapters or exercises as you encounter new challenges or wish to refine specific aspects of your practice.
Testimonials:
“The Keys to Fulfillment in Piano Practice Master Class is a transformative experience. It offers profound insights into the process of playing and learning. With Irina’s elegant guidance and inspiring musical examples, this class goes beyond technical advice, it’s a journey into the soul of artistry.”
““Your Master Class is incredibly interesting and beautifully crafted. The camera angles, the alternation between explanations and examples, and the way the music intertwines with your voice - just stunning! I absolutely love listening to and watching it, even though I don’t play myself. The content is so rich and well-structured. Impressive work, Irina, huge congratulations!””
““The Keys are packed with valuable information, practical tools, and ideas. Inspirational!””
““... even for non pianists they are a treasure!!!!””
““Dear Irina, as an amateur pianist, I found your Keys to Fulfillment course truly inspiring. Your approach to learning is fundamentally different from what l’m used to and I find it fascinating and really helpful.””
““Tous les secrets pianistiques dévoilés avec tant de générosité, de simplicité et illustrés par de nombreux exemples.””
““I got your Master Class a month ago and can’t thank you enough. Your generous insights and guidance have profoundly impacted my playing and transformed my piano practice approach. I now feel more confident both in my practice and when performing in front of others. Also, technically, some pieces that I’ve struggled with for years are now much more fluent. Thank you again for such a life-changing experience!””
Subscribe for instant access and transform your piano journey:
Immediate and unlimited access to a series of 10 exclusive online lectures
What will you experience in this Master Class?
Few words about Irina Lankova
Irina Lankova graduated with the highest honours from Gnessin College of Music in Moscow and the Brussels Royal Conservatory as a concert pianist and educator. She studied with great Russian School pianists such as Evgeny Moguilevsky, himself a pupil of Heinrich Neuhaus, Irina Temchenko, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and many others. Her performing career is established on main stages worldwide: Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, Salle Gaveau in Paris, Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and many international festivals. She is a passionate piano pedagogue with 25 years of experience.
Playing the piano brings tremendous personal growth and fulfillment for all of us. As a teacher with 25 years of experience, I’m committed to supporting my students and giving this special dimension to my lessons and Master Classes.
Online Lessons
Today’s technology allows me to achieve excellent results with online students worldwide. Online lessons can be a very effective option for anyone from the intermediate to advanced level, including advanced amateurs who wish to refine their skills. Maybe you have played for a lifetime and need some ideas and inspiration for the new repertoire or have particular technical issues or questions. Or you may return to the piano after a while or have started playing later in life and need professional guidance to progress. Don’t hesitate to ask for more details and availabilities.
Students feedback:
““I can definitely recommend online lessons. This has been new to me and is a very smooth process technically. Professionally, I’m finding my lessons with Irina very rewarding and full of insight into the type of music that I prefer to play. These pieces are technically challenging for me, but they always sound better after her coaching and my practice.” ”
““Irina Lankova opens doors - technically, musically, conceptually. She is a thoughtful and insightful teacher as well as an inspirational player. Working with her has been a game changer for me!” ”
Private Lessons in Belgium
One-to-one private sessions at my piano studio near Brussels for anyone from intermediate to professional level.
Currently, my schedule is full, but you can send your request via email, explaining your motivation, program, and availability. I will ensure to get back to you and will contact you when an opportunity becomes available.
Students feedback:
““Irina taught me to play pieces I had never imagined I could: Rachmaninov!She taught me to understand nuances, tonality and technicalities in music I had not imagined were there, thus making my listening to and playing music so much richer. She challenged me in a way that made me work harder - despite my busy work and travel schedule - and that was very rewarding and fun. I would highly recommend Irina as a teacher. I can assure you that it will be a most rewarding experience.” ”
Piano Video Analysis
I can help you to improve your playing by analysing a performance or a simple home recording that you submit in a video format and giving professional and detailed feedback on what to improve and how to do it.
Summer Master Classes in Belgium
for advanced amateur pianists
August 19-22, 2025 - fully booked
August 26-29, 2025 - Registrations are open
The Summer Master Class is typically fully booked within a few days of registration opening, with a 70% student return rate.
Feel free to email us to be the first to receive information about the next edition in 2025.
This Master Class is primarily destined for adult non-professional pianists from intermediate to advanced levels.
Maybe you have played for a lifetime and need some ideas and inspiration for the new repertoire or have particular issues or questions. Or you may return to the instrument (or even have started) later in life and need extra support and motivation. It takes courage and determination to learn and improve one’s skills (especially as an adult), but playing the piano brings tremendous personal growth and fulfilment for all of us. As a teacher, I’m committed to supporting you and bringing this special dimension to my lessons and Master Classes.
In the inspiring setting of a charming country estate, 30 minutes from Brussels and 20 minutes from the international airport, with a Steinway concert piano, the possibility to practice between lessons and to share time with other individuals passionate about the piano.
Students feedback:
““I still am stunned from my experiences and impressions of this masterclass! Thanks a million Irina for your wonderful way of sharing your knowledge of and love for music and piano playing with all of us! You are not only an exceptional artist, but also a great teacher, who brought us a giant step forward with a huge amount of experience, with empathy, human warmth and a lot of appreciation. We were not only able to take part in your open lessons, but also received interesting tips in your workshops. And not to forget the time around! During these four days, the group, whose participants came from all corners of the earth, grew together with you into one big family. My most sincere thanks to you for this outstanding wonderful time.” ”
““Thank you Irina for the wonderful 4 days! Your sharing of knowledge, your experience and your passion to help us improve while providing a very encouraging environment are all precious learnings for all of us! Moreover, the opportunity to meet people from such wide diversity is a rare gem experience. Looking forward to the next learning from you!” ”
““I really can’t quite believe what a truly exceptional and life-changing experience the last four days have been. I have learnt so much this week, which I will do my utmost to translate into my future playing.” ”
““It has been a pleasure taking part in your Master Class this year. You are a great pianist, teacher and person. The individual lessons and the workshops were very interesting and encouraging. I’m really looking forward to put all that learning into practice. It was also lovely to meet the rest of the group and listen to each other’s repertoire. We went from complete strangers in day 1 to a big family in day 4. A really wonderful experience. Thank you!” ”
““An absolutely wonderful experience, fantastic people to share music with and all under the expert eyes of Irina who drove everyone to the next level and beyond” ”
““I am deeply grateful for this whole week with you and our musical journey together. Irina, you are truly a wonderful teacher and a glorious pianist.” ”
““It was just an amazing experience; I’ve learned so much during this master class, I recommend it for 100%” ”
Teaching is one of the professional activities I have enjoyed for more than 25 years after obtaining my piano performance and pedagogy diplomas at Gnessin’s College and Royal Brussels Conservatory. Sharing my professional experience and the knowledge that I received from distinguished teachers during my education is a very interesting and rewarding process, which I also take with a profound sense of responsibility.
How to convey emotions on the piano
If music is the language of the heart, we have to be able to convey the emotions that the composer expressed in the composition. Many aspects can help to play with more expressivity: giving inner experience to the dynamics, emphasizing certain intervals and shaping the melody, analyzing the succession of harmonies, adapting the appropriate touch that directly affects the sound, and many more.
How to make the piano sing
I attach the greatest importance to the singing quality of piano tone and phrasing; for me, the piano is not a percussive instrument but rather a human voice that expresses what is beyond words. Making the piano sing is a skill that I learned first with my teachers in the Russian musical tradition and then with years of playing the instrument.
The aesthetics of singing sound, phrasing with a natural lead, and technical precision at the service of meaningful interpretations are at the heart of my personal pianistic aspiration and in my teaching.
How to achieve technical freedom
The piano technique is a complex skill that we can build up with the right practice and discipline. It’s important to choose a progressive set of technical exercises and etudes but also have a correct and relaxed posture.
How to make the piano sing? 🎶🎹 with examples of music by Sergei Rachmaninov