Information About Mark - Cambridge teacher

Personal Description:

I didn't like my first piano teacher. Mrs ‘crotchety’ talked down to me. The pieces she gave me to play were boring ('look! There’s a squirrel.') and even if I had played well she made me repeat my learning if I had the wrong fingering.

I passed my grade 1 with distinction and then gave up straight away.

Or rather, I stopped having lessons, but I didn't stop playing the piano. With a lot of help from my older brother, I started to learn to play by ear. We would find tunes we liked on records and figure out how to play them. Sometimes by slowing the recordings write down. I learnt how chords worked and how to read rock music written using them. I also learnt how to improvise and just muck around on the piano.

When I was 14, by accident, I met my second piano teacher. Mr ‘crescendo’ was completely different. He was interested in what I was doing already but introduced me to classical music which I now love. I learnt to play the organ as well and in four years got a place to study music at Cambridge University with an organ scholarship.

After graduating I did a variety of jobs in London and North America: playing the piano and organ in theatres, clubs, churches et cetera.

Because of physical disability, I no longer play in public. However, I love teaching and still do it very effectively, as my students testify.

You can see their comments at **Web Address Removed**

If you think I’m the right teacher for you, then please do get in touch.

I have full DBS disclosure and child protection training and liability insurance.

Tutoring Experience:

I have been teaching for 25 years and have taught students from ages 4-70.

Tutoring Approach:

I try to tailor every lesson to the individual student and give them enthusiasm and enjoyment from playing. I teach classical music up to Grade 8 but also improvisation, playing by ear, rock and jazz. If you want to figure out how to play some tunes you have heard on the radio then I can help you.