Samantha Coates is an internationally regarded piano pedagogue and presenter. In addition to running an active teaching studio, she is the creator and publisher of BlitzBooks, the music education series that has brought laughter and creativity to music theory, sight reading, and piano repertoire. Samantha’s sense of humour and ability to connect with students through her books and online resources reflect her ongoing dedication to making all areas of music accessible, enjoyable and memorable.
Samantha’s passion is holistic music education. She embraces a repertoire-rich and multi-skilled approach to piano, prioritising the teaching of vital skills such as improvisation, composition and ensemble playing – all of which allow for recreational music making in the future.
In 2017 Samantha suffered with tendonitis in her left arm, which was the catalyst for an overhaul of her technical approach to piano playing and consequently that of all her students. Her involvement with the Taubman approach to piano technique inspired her to develop an entire repertoire series (roterepertoire.com) dedicated to help students learn to sight-read in the context of pianistically ergonomic, comfortable and satisfying repertoire.
Samantha holds a Bachelor of Music degree (Sydney Conservatorium) as well as several performance diplomas. She is well known for her entertaining presenting style, and is regularly invited to speak at conferences around the world on a wide range of pedagogical topics. Samantha has never lost touch with what students want; she has been running her piano studio in Sydney for over three decades and is passionate about helping students to work towards the goal of a lifetime association and love of music.
In her spare time Samantha enjoys giving volunteer recitals in nursing homes, power walking along coastlines, watching Disney movies with her grown-up children, and eating dark chocolate