What instruments do you teach?
In Summary:
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Flute and Saxophone: up to Grade 8
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Electronic Keyboard to Grade 5
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Clarinet to Grade 6
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Recorder to Grade 2
In Detail:
Flute – Having gained my Grade 8 at the age of 16 this was my principal study during my degree in Music at the University of Liverpool, I also studied under the guidance of Ruth Morley at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly RSAMD) as part of their Continuing Education programme.
Electronic Keyboard – this was the first instrument that I had lessons in. I took exams through the Victoria College of Music and was awarded a Fellowship Diploma in teaching from this college aged 17. As a teacher I now prefer to enter my own students for examinations through the Trinity Guildhall School of music as I feel their syllabus is better at preparing students for the transition from Keyboard to piano.
Flute – Having gained my Grade 8 at the age of 16 this was my principal study during my degree in Music at the University of Liverpool, I also studied under the tutelage of Ruth Morley at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly RSAMD) as part of their Continuing Education programme. I teach the flute to Grade 8.
Electronic Keyboard – this was the first instrument that I had lessons in and is a fantastic and accessible alternative to learning Piano. The main difference being that we utilise more straightforward chords in the left hand and make use of auto accompaniments making for a more enjoyable learning experience. I teach Keyboard to Grade 5.
Saxophone – Way back in 2005 when my first recorder pupil decided that she would like to progress to Saxophone I took up the challenge of teaching myself the instrument ensuring that I was always at least a couple of pages ahead in the tutor book. That pupil went on to continue her studies at the Saturday Morning Junior School of the Royal Conservatoire of Music in Scotland, so my lessons can’t have been all that bad! Since then I continued to teach myself, gaining a distinction in Grade 8 in spring term of 2012 whilst 5 months pregnant with my son. Earlier the same year I played the most prestigious gig of my life in the horn section of 80’s Ska Legends Bad Manners. I also regularly “depped” on the saxophone for Edinburgh based Ska Band Pork Pie, my biggest gig with them being the party to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Forth Road Bridge, a gig attending by around 5000 people. These days I am proud to be a member of the Dep Collection for local Sheffield Band Soul Battalion. I teach alto and tenor saxophone to Grade 8.
Clarinet – I started learning the clarinet around 2008 and am still learning to this day. My long term ambition is to become a professional theatre musician and as such I have started taking lessons with Mark Brown of Horne Section fame. It's been an eye opener to realise how different flute technique is to that needed for single reed instruments. It also helps me understand what it feels like to be a pupil again which helps me to be a better teacher. I teach Clarinet to Grade 6.
