Piano/Keyboard/Improvisation/Composition & Music Theory Tuition With Edge Music

I’m a professional musician, tutor, composer and producer, who has been teaching privately, in colleges and in the community for over 15 years. Classically trained in piano from the age of 7, and later taking up clarinet and guitar as further instruments, it’s always been about music for me. I went to Surrey University and became a “Tonmeister” after completing the BMus (Hons) Music and Sound Recording degree there. I have played in various bands, from a jazz 3 piece, and a “cocktail” pianist in 5 star hotels, through to rock, hip-hop/soul, funk, and crossover electronic bands. I have also performed my own songs as a singer-songwriter, both solo acoustic concerts and band gigs. 

For more detailed background info plus qualifications etc, please see the "About" page, and the general "Tuition" page. 

I also offer guitar tuition and music production tuition, or a bespoke combination of any mix of skills the student wishes to learn/develop.

I am a passionate musician and teacher,  I have seen how positive playing an instrument can be, across a whole range of aspects, including improving focus and motivation at school or work, increasing confidence, and bringing out joy, creativity, to mention just a few. I love to get to know students, investing in the partnership, in order to support them in bringing out their potential with music making. Focussing on strengths and working from there, to develop the other areas. Most important is to spark and nurture a student’s natural desire to play. This gives them the drive they need to learn, progress and enjoy.  

When it comes to music theory, I adopt a "learn the rules and then choose to break them" approach. This ensures that there are no "gaps" in a students' knowledge, and he/she is equipped from first principles, to apply whatever is required for a given situation. I have studied for years, and absorbed a great deal of music theory, and, most importantly - applied it in real world circumstances. I share this deep understanding with students in a coherent and clear way, endowing them with the tools needed for a fuller, more satisfying expression of their musical ideas and vision.

I offer a “student-focussed”, intuitive and flexible teaching environment. This is my natural way, and I have found it be very effective over the years.  

I can incorporate the following areas into the lessons:   

• Posture and technique, knowledge of the instrument   

• Contemporary and/or classical styles or a fusion of both (there's NO pressure whatsoever to learn classical piano and/or take exams! 

• Specific keyboard skills plus composition tools for electronic musicians, and/or those working with computer music making 

• ABRSM/Trinity exam preparation if the student so desires - see note above ;-) 

• Working with songs chosen by the student. Often I devise a “bespoke” version of a song in order to make it accessible for a student’s current level   

• Providing personally graded songs covering different styles/techniques (chord based, vamping, jazz & blues left/right hand techniques, pop/rock, lead melody over chords, arpeggios etc) across varied genres of interest to the student   

• Accompaniment and lead instrument approaches, part writing for full productions, adapting to different instruments for layering for bands/DAWs etc 

• Improvisation and music theory, ear training and general musicianship, and it's application to composition and performance etc 

• Creation of a relaxed, friendly, focussed and fun environment  

 

I look forward to our first lesson!