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Musical Tutoring

Press

“How rare and beautiful that art is lived so holistically as with Ann-Helena. Between grand piano, pen and poetry, between giving concerts and proclaiming, whereby the between with her is precisely not an in-between, but a fusion.”

Prof. Dr. Peter Lampe, University of Heidelberg

Musical education, instrumental education, courses, workshops, masterclasses

Individual and group lessons; vocal pedagogy. 

“Artist and pedagogue in word and music.”

Hans Durau, SCM Verlag

“With her, concerts and improvisations are events and adventures.”

Ingrid Hausl, Musical Tutor, Leopold-Mozart-Zentrum Augsburg

“Her pupils won first prizes in the state competition Jugend musiziert and in the talent competition Würzburg and performed with confidence.”

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International courses for pianists, organists, musicians, students, teachers

What makes her special is her extraordinary connection and unity between scientific research, pedagogy and artistic international activity, already during her education: study of double major Magister musicology and scientific music pedagogy, University of Würzburg with Ulrich Konrad, Friedhelm Brusniak, Magistra Artium. In addition, Diploma Instrumental Pedagogy (Diploma HfMT Cologne) and Artistic Diploma, Master and Concert Exam Piano HfM Würzburg with Bernd Glemser. In addition, Master of Organ (Christoph Bossert, Pieter van Dijk). Academic studies with Alexander Lingas, USA, Elena Ungeheuer, Kai Köpp, Reinhard Flender, HfMT Hamburg. Doctoral studies in musicology with Helmut Loos at the University of Leipzig and doctoral studies in musical tutoring and musical education at the University Mozarteum Salzburg with Heike Henning and Silke Schmid, Freiburg. Her dissertation, an empirical study in music education and Bach mediation, bears the title BACH BERÜHREN (2021/22) (Touching Bach).

“Creating a connection and collaboration between the artistic profession, science and research is important.” (AHS)

  • Piano Technique and Virtuosity
  • Ways to independent interpretation
  • Improvisation in classical music
  • Improvisation in many styles
  • Confident memorization play
  • articulation
  • Posture on the instrument
  • Playing without notes and by ear, creativity
  • Private lessons and courses
  • How do I practise improvisation? Technique, craft
  • Song accompaniment, chorales, song sheets, songs
  • Music theory, harmony as a language, composition technique
  • Making music together (in groups)
  • Correpetition
  • Jazz, classical music crossover
  • Songwriting and lyric poetry
  • Play from sight training
  • Pulse, tempo, rhythm, agogic
  • Pedal playing organ
  • Training against stage fright, performance anxiety
  • Exam preparation
  • Creative, free improvisation, composition, interdisciplinary, artistic

What no storm can shake up any more: Piano lessons even for the little ones. Early music education classes, solo lessons at the music schools. She herself started playing the piano at the age of three.

Stadtmagazin Leipzig

Music education concerts: youth concerts at concert halls, schools, music schools with explanations of classical works. Workshops

Music and play, language and sound: a unity.

from: The prinicple of humbleness in Bach’s music and Bach tutoring,, Ann-Helena Schlüter

Her impressive teaching success, documented by the invariably above-average graduation rates of graduates, is based not only on her many years of relevant experience in the concert field and as a pedagogue with professional competence, but also on her personal interest in further education in interdisciplinary terms. In a short time, her skills attracted remarkable attention.

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Friedhelm Brusniak, University of Würzburg

At home in the field of lyrical, free improvisation, a broad musical personality, and outstanding qualities as a pianist.

Jazz-Prof. Hans Peter Salentin, HfM Würzburg

My teaching method for theory and lessons developed over the years, through my experiences in study and concert, in music education, through my studies, extensive, international university experience.

Ann-Helena Schlüter

Every child is an artist. The problem is to remain an artist when you grow up. (Picasso)

To remain an artist, creativity and improvisation are essential. Creativity needs to be nurtured, fed, inspired; this inner ‘stuff’, discovery, association, wonder, childishness, needs nourishment from outside, regularity, role models, encouragement, guidance and time. “In music, improvisation conveys in the most immediate way idea and deed, will and skill, urge and accomplishment.” (Jean Guillou)

What is creativity? Creativity, an important source of creative processes. The human being is self-active, interacts, processes, experiences.

habit, which is also necessary, for example, in practising and combining. Creativity… the impromptu invention of a melody, variations on it, improvisation, originality that seeks new solutions and much more… This is play, but also work: the recognition of techniques, harmonic scaffolding, basic musical concepts from jazz and from so-called old music like Bach, which could not be more alive. Creativity is not only called for when alternative solutions are sought, perhaps even remote, bold ones. New artistic dimensions of thinking are taken. Preparation is part of improvisation and creativity. They are not arbitrary, nothing amateurish, but the connection between interpretation, spiritual power and authenticity. Improvisation and its combinations and organisation are a principle in teaching.

Pianists and researchers of all nationalities from universities/colleges, conservatoires, music schools and private lessons are invited.

 What is improvisation? Creative improvisation involves the audience. Our ancestors went to the concert to hear Bach and Beethoven brilliantly improvise; today we have to go to the jazz basement for the pleasure of improvisation. Why is the improvisation of European music withering away? Improvisation is a sound gesture, symbolism, a sensual phenomenon.  

Playful improvisation, which Stravinsky and Haydn also emphasise, allows creativity, ideas, inventions and thoughts to mature. It is a technical exercise and serves to get to know material, to compose. Breath, singing improvisation, verses… Fantasising on the instrument is not a waste of time.

It is a sketching and probing. Sound words, experimentation, playfulness, originality, creative openness, intuitive outbursts, colour processes, uniqueness… imitation, stimulation to deal with sounds, solos, sense of time, destruction, design.

Order and chaos belong together, the spontaneous freshness, the precisely considered and the courage to move into bolder, new areas. Is music still understood as a game in the professional scene? Shouldn’t life be a game? Stimulating creativity in people is important because music is therapy. The experience of music is different when you play yourself than when you ‘only’ listen. However, the longings and urges are also active when listening. When people play themselves, the whole body is active: body and soul, outside and inside work together, from the toes to the fingers, a physical intimacy.

Improvisation in concert is not learning, teaching, practising, it is temperament, mastery, passion, mood, playful yet polished art. Improvisation has something to do with the atmosphere in the hall. This mood of the audience is transferred to the artist. To perceive this, is a decisive step in a concert, the dialogue between artist and audience. This dialogue makes a concert an event. 

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Sound thoughts: Our thoughts also have sound, even the unconscious ones. Sound influences people. The longing for music and for colours is a harmonisation of the soul, for a power beyond death.

Applicable concepts can help to go beyond perfect, professional playing. The communication between artist, music and audience is a gift and cannot be one hundred percent planned, retrieved, controlled, produced. Concerts are events. Adventures. The added value of music? And can improvisation be practised? Can music be trained?

The connection between playing and working, productivity and playing, listening to music (oneself) and making music, between will, ambition and mood, feeling often has a therapeutic effect (also for professional musicians): letting go, concentrating, being motivated and inspired, gifted with strength and joy of life. In making music actively, people can let go of gruelling thoughts. This even applies for professional artists, for whom hard work is part of the ‘therapy’, discipline, sensuality, patience and diligence are valuable and ‘therapeutic’ in relation to life. Music is holistic, the human being becomes part of it. Non-verbal experiences with music, being in music, onomatopoeia and playing with rhythm are used in music therapy to trigger emotional and communicative processes. In addition, there is the spoken word, the encouragement, the voice that guides, interrupts, imitates, accompanies, calms, inspires confidence. Often, the human voice alone is no longer sufficient, so music is particularly valuable. The combination with painting is a reinforcement of the touch with art, which can trigger dreaming and unconscious, creative states.

To verbalise feelings, to make music, to let memories come up, the desire to express oneself, to come out of withdrawal, repression, to perceive pain and stimuli, to give off energy, the desire for clarification, consolation and self-reflection (formative, symbolic, pictorial) – all this can be triggered in receptive and active music therapy up to intentional and conscious improvisation. Sounds and tones are not opposites.

People who no longer respond to being addressed, who cannot grieve, who do not experience themselves as free, who are depressed, blocked or obdurate, can be reached (in a perhaps slow process) with music. What is suppressed in the subconscious, can be touched by music, so strong is its effect. Instinctive, elemental things are heightened by music, but also the spirit of the person is awakened, who seeks, calculates, wants to be creative. Music therefore plays a major role in healing treatment. In its essence, it is science and therapy. However, in music therapy, interdisciplinary research, examination and cooperation are still to be carried out to a great extent.

And in concert? There is an exchange of ideas between visitors, audience and artists, the creative spark jumps over. Particularly intense is the joint improvisation, in a duo, in an ensemble. A total work of art is created. And the audience? Musical reactions, closed eyes, inner encouragement to express their feelings in some way. 

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“Mäuschenstill war es im Saal.”

Martinsschule Hannover

 Improvisation concert pedagogy on piano and organ:


Previous teaching activities:

Magdeburg Conservatory, Jeunesse Musicals Germany, University of Music Würzburg, University of Würzburg, Zempleni-Festival Sarospatak/Hungary, Music School Schweinfurt, Music School Klangwerk Koblenz, Jazzhaus School Cologne, Performing Art Studio Scottsdale/Phoenix, Tonkünstlerverband Bayern, Talitha Kumi School Beit Jala and Arizona State University, USA


Her successes as a pianist and teacher prove her teaching concept right: piano technique, improvisation, composing in lessons and courses. Great demand and resonance.

Mathias Wiedemann, Mainpost Würzburg

Music makes you happy. Hence Concert Studies: Not every concert needs an introduction, needs preparation and follow-up, whereby contact with the audience is very important. Music in itself is educational, it doesn’t just touch the intellect.

Improvisation does not only belong to jazz. It can be integrated into every concert, opens doors, allows and invites the unexpected, the spontaneous, especially in classical music and recitals.

Bach was a master of improvisation and creativity. The effect of Bach’s music in first contact with young people is astonishing. After all, how can (post)millennials like something they have never met in person? The first live encounter is very important, and this in the everyday life of young people, without coercion, grades, performance. That is Bach tutoring.

Especially classical or art music does not have to be controlled or ‘checked’ first, but is allowed to show itself to the teenagers and young people.


The joy of playing was in the foreground. The two youngest pianists in Ann-Helena Schlüter’s piano class were just three years old. Four-year-old Felix could not separate himself from the piano. For most of them, this concert was their first performance.

Osthessen-Zeitung

Improvisation has to be learned: The pianist demonstrated courage, imagination and flow. The young people were enthusiastic. She was a lecturer at the Jazzhausschule Cologne and Klangwerk Koblenz, Backline School Würzburg and Teaching Assistant at ASU. The pianist, who has been praised as outstanding, links different art forms in an interdisciplinary way.

waz.de




“Exquisite pianistic suppleness, graceful playing.”


Selection of Pupil Prize Winners Piano

  • Valentin Schmid, 1st prize Jugend musiziert, piano solo
  • Felix Weinberger, 1st prize Jugend musiziert, piano solo
  • Laura Zeeb, 1st prize Jugend musiziert, piano solo
  • Alina Keil, 1st prize Jugend musiziert, piano solo
  • Lydia Schneller, 2nd prize Jugend musiziert, piano solo
  • Julia Schmid, 3rd prize Jugend musiziert, piano solo
  • Valentin and Julia Schmid, 2nd prize Jugend musiziert, piano four-hands
  • Matthis-Fynn Schewe, 2nd prize Jugend musiziert, piano solo
  • Lorena Dereser, 1st prize Jugend musiziert, piano solo
  • Sophie and Hannah Rauch, 1st prize Jugend musiziert, piano four-hands

Previous duo and guest musicians

• Senta Studer, Carola Thieme, Jazz-Gesang • Jason Carter, Harfe • Pia Douwes, Musical • Uwe Steinmetz, Saxofon • Nastasja Knittel, Kathrin Duschek, klassischer Gesang • Sean Clancy, Julian Soder, Gitarre • Martina Trumpp, Lena Wirth, Nina Osina, Palina Semianiuk, Violine • Philipp Hagemann, Cello • Sarah Grandpre, Amelie Himmelreich, Lillyamoungclouds, Bernie B. Free, Pop-Gesang • Torsten Laux, Orgel • Rafael Lukjanik, Percussion • Feng Wu, Stephan Beneking, Magdalena Galka, Carolin Krahn, Klavierduo • Hans-Peter Salentin, Tanno Michalke, Trompete, Flügelhorn • Matthias Lyding, Christian Busslinger, Querflöte