The 2027 France Summer Institutes will take place in two sessions:
Both full or partial attendance are possible for either session. You may also attend both sessions in their entirety, or combine partial attendance between the two.
The institute takes place at Wienerissimo, a wonderful 17th century mansion in Ahun, a medieval town in central France easily accessible by rail or car.
Participants will gather for
You will love life at Wienerissimo , an elegant musician's retreat situated in a medieval town filled with ancient churches, Including a 10th century Benedictine monastery with a 17th-century wood-carved rood screen that is renowned throughout France. Numerous practice pianos are to be found throughout the house. Ahun - the main salon where all lessons are given
Do you feel are not advanced enough to attend? Not well-enough prepared? Don't worry; Alan welcomes you no matter what your ability, no matter what the state of your program. The Institute really is open to all interested pianists:
There is no limit to improvement!
Alan Fraser teaches in French or English as you prefer.
The institute is a mixture of
Alan composes the ATPMs each day according to the technical issues raised in that day's individual lessons.
Before the first full teaching day, we meet in the evening to introduce ourselves and discuss our goals for the week. The morning after the last full teaching day we hold a closing "debriefing" session.
Partial attendance is acceptable, as is combining passive and active days. Even if you attend the institute, you are not obliged to take a lesson every day. You can tailor-make your participation to your own needs at registration.
The following proposed schedule may be modified according to the needs of the group:
Lessons are 45 minutes with a few minutes at the end for Q & A, and a short break. You are free to observe the lessons for the entire day, or take a break to do a little bit of practicing or just rest. Video recordings of all sessions are made available to participants for an ongoing enriched learning experience.
In addition to Institute participants, the concert is generally attended by a small group of the local villagers, music lovers who are more wont to enjoy than criticize. It's not so much a concert performance as a chance to try out the new techniques you've been investigating all week, a chance to spread your wings for the first time among friends.
BY CAR
BY TRAIN
The train from Paris Austerlitz to La Souterraine takes under 3 hours; from there take a bus directly to Ahun, unless we can arrange to pick you up by car.
From the Ahun bus stop it is just a few minutes' walk to:
All participants live in residence at Wienerissimo, with full board. Elisa has generously offered us all the student rate, making the cost very reasonable. For overflow participants, there is a cottage at our disposal, as well as several bed & breakfasts nearby.
Wienerissimo offers three levels of lodging quality:
Please contact Christophe Rind to reserve your room and discuss your lodging needs.
Lodging and meal fees are paid directly to Wienerissimo on site; they are separate from and in addition to the Institute registration fee.
MEALS
Elisa's establishment offers us all meals:
Register for the Ahun institute by clicking on the link immediately below the table. The payment table is no longer responsive; this price list is purely informative.
INSTITUTE LESSON RECORDINGS
All lessons are video recorded (unless the participant requests otherwise), and are stored at our pianist's version of Netflix:
To watch your lessons, you must first subscribe to PianoTechniqe.org if you are not already an active member. We run our piano somatics video library more or less on the Netflix model. Your initial subscription fee gives you automatic access to
Access to the Ahun 2027 institute recordings and to all further subscription benefits is included in the initial pt.org subscription fee, which is separate from your institute registration fee.
ALAN FRASER
Canadian pianist Alan Fraser gives master classes and recitals worldwide and conducts ongoing research and refinement on the ideas put forth in his books:
ELISA WIENER
Elisa Wiener is an excellent classical pianist who had a long and influential career in France as a teacher and Conservatoire director. She has known many of France's most eminent pianists, singers, instrumental musicians, actors, poets and painters, and is a treasure trove of stories about, and insights into, France's unique culture of a certain epoch. We often spend evenings playing piano four hands, six hands or even eight hands with Elisa, digging into her vast collection of pianistic memorabilia.
Visit the medieval lanes and byways of AHUN, a 13th century village with its special charm and churches dating from the 13th-16th centuries. This village feels as if it has been untouched by time, and Elisa with her insights into 20th century pianism combined with a wonderful elan in the kitchen, offers unbeatable hospitality.
Cancellation Policy
If you must cancel your registration, reimbursement will be as follows: Cancellations more than two months before Institute opening date: 100% reimbursement. Cancellations more than one month before Institute opening date: 75% reimbursement. Cancellations more than two weeks before Institute opening date: 50% reimbursement. Cancellations more than one week before Institute opening date: 25% reimbursement. Cancellations less than one week before Institute opening date: no reimbursement. We reserve the right to cancel the institute due to insufficient enrolment; in this event, all registration fees are fully refundable.
Find an Institute near you.
Photo albums from past Institutes.
Become a Craft of Piano certified piano teacher.
Extensive data base of Alan Fraser teaching videos
