experienced teacher – piano, singing, composition

You could come in person to my studio or we could meet online. My focus is teaching musicianship—to generate genuine fluency in the language of music. As a pianist, singer and composer myself, I naturally teach others in those disciplines, but I'm happy to teach musicianship skills to all kinds of musicians.

I don't offer trial lessons, but an initial chat or email exchange before the first lesson is recommended. My approach is not the conventional one, so you need to be sure it really is what you're looking for. If you would like to discuss learning with me, please get in touch.

Music as language—a way of expressing, feeling, and communicating

My teaching comes from this way of perceiving music. If you like the idea of building a strong connection with musical "vocabulary and syntax", I'd love to teach you, whether you are just beginning your musical journey, returning after a long break, or working at a professional level. I love to help people release their expressive fears and inhibitions to develop a genuinely natural, confident relationship with music as a means of self-expression.

My approach is initially completely non‑denominational, genre‑wise. The underlying principles of musical fluency that I teach – mental clarity and deep inner awareness of rhythmic and tonal elements and expressive intention – apply equally to all genres—classical, jazz, and pop. Whatever genre(s) you might ultimately aim to play, sing or compose, my goal is always the same: for you to understand how music works from the inside out, so that making music is a fluent, expressive, and profoundly enjoyable experience.

My materials for fluent piano skills are available at PlayPianoFluently.com

 

Are you ready? Zen-like focus on a simple model whilst letting go of external results is required...

The central part of my teaching is a simple, elegant, common-sense model of rhythm and tonality. It cuts through the dense complexity that often surrounds technique and theory, giving students a clear framework that they can rely on. This model gives people somethings truly useful to focus on in the moment. Then by letting go of all the ego's other concerns, making music can feel intuitive, grounded, and meaningful.

Letting go does require courage—we can have old habits that we think keep us safe but actually just get in the way. And free expression of inner feelings in an almost childlike, self-indulgent way is also a significant challenge sometimes. But once you find the willingness to let go of external results, paradoxically, they appear naturally as a byproduct of solid focus whilst letting go into genuine expressive freedom.

 

One model for different musical purposes

People come to me seeking fluency in the language of music from many different backgrounds and motivations. Some just want a rigorous but gentle and unpressured way to develop their skills. Others are drawn more to the reflective, meditative qualities of organised sound. Many of my students are experienced musicians seeking to reconnect with their original passion for music, and to gain powerful fluent musicianship skills.

Many people long for greater expressive freedom when making music. The conventional approach often causes people's music-making to become stiff and unnatural. When there are long‑standing blockages, my coaching is almost like therapy, guiding people to understand how their past experiences have hampered their natural inner musicianship. Whilst everyone's needs are different, the underlying principles that I teach are always the same: simplicity, clarity, attention, and a direct connection to musical meaning.

Over time, as students focus and let go, they learn to rely on the model and express freely. They can develop a grounded sense of rhythm and tonality, which fosters a relaxed technique without needing to work on it, and a deeper understanding of musical structure, that connects to their inner musical "ear" without needing to resort to theory. They will begin to express music with greater confidence, freedom, and expressive intention, whatever their level, background, or preferred style of learning.