WHAT TO EXPECT
Following your interest in music and embarking on your musical journey can be an exciting and satisfying step forward, but it can also seem a little daunting at times, especially at the beginning. It’s very important that you find a teacher who can meet your needs and with whom you feel comfortable. What follows gives you a flavour of my teaching style. If it stimulates more questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me by telephone or email.
Firstly, I encourage my pupils to believe in themselves and be brave enough to try out new approaches to learning.
I usually spend a little time chatting to prospective pupils (or to the parents of pupils) over the phone to find out the sort of teacher they’re looking for. I then arrange for a half hour consultation lesson, after which pupils are able to decide if they wish to continue with lessons.
It is often said that practice makes perfect. However, this isn’t quite true.
In fact, it would be more accurate to say that perfect practice makes perfect!
My objective is to show you or your child how to practise to get the most from your lessons and stay motivated as we explore new repertoire. I am a classically trained musician but I am also happy to explore jazz and popular music with my pupils.
My top tip for rapid learning is to always practise within twenty-fours after your lesson.
This will consolidate what you’ve learned in the lesson and help you to plan your practice for the rest of the week.
I like to introduce all of my young pupils to music theory from the early stages as this helps them to make sense of what they are learning to play. A sound knowledge of music theory empowers pupils to speak confidently about their pieces. Adult pupils can choose how much or how little theory they would like to undertake.
Technique is a critical area of musical development. If you want your fingers to do as they’re told, then you need to train them! I believe that technical exercises should be both fun and rewarding and can suggest a range of studies to suit different personalities.
Developing listening skills, known as ‘aural skills’, also features large in my tuition. I teach it discreetly in preparation for exams and also implicitly as pupils get to know and understand new pieces.
Every pupil is unique and so is every lesson! I aim to help you with many aspects of your musicianship so that working together we can bring your musical ambitions to life!