Information About Fallon - Cambridge teacher -

(2 reviews)

Personal Description:

I am a friendly, professional, teacher and performer looking for more students to teach and learn from. My aim in life has always been to help myself and others engage emotionally with the world through music, helping us overcome obstacles in both music and wider life with tools and a more positive outlook. I have found that almost all of my students lack confidence, this is a big area where music can help us look at a task we think will be difficult and then rather than shying away we just have a go and make it fun! Often, tasks completed in lessons relate directly to school work, such as presentations and structured work like essays and story writing.

I live in music; when I am not teaching, I am performing or working in recording studios. I have a varied accumulation of knowledge and experience outside of teaching which is often rare when it comes to instrument teachers.

Tutoring Experience:

I teach in four wonderful local primary schools near Cambridge, I also teach privately in the evenings and at weekends on the zoom video-calling service (once it is safe I will return to lessons in person at my home and at pupil's houses). I previously worked as a teaching assistant with SEN (special educational needs) pupils at Comberton VC, this feeds into my interest in music therapy after completing a module in this at university. I tailor the lesson experience to each pupil's needs and ways of working, after researching methods to help students who simply learn differently I have found that all is required is a calm and open minded approach to learning a topic, be that through mental pictures or alternative notations, or indeed no notation!

Tutoring Approach:

After nearly decades of practice, many hundreds of hours with private tutors and years of performance experience on stage and in the studio, I felt it was time to pass on some of the knowledge and expertise I had accumulated. I want to pass on my passion, knowledge and expertise in a less rigid format than the older style of teaching (which is thankfully now dying out in the industry). I want to give students the tools and guidance to pursue music as a passion, in their own direction and in relation to their own goals and ambitions. I also want to allow students who learn an instrument as a hobby to do so without necessitating the pressure of grades or 'getting somewhere' academically. And this is what I have been doing with nearly 60 pupils a week for the last three years.

Having had experience in many different genres and styles, I feel it important to pass this on and not just focus on one particular style - unless this is a complete requirement of the student. I believe skills such as; playing by ear, improvisation, composition, music theory learning passages from memory and the focus on many styles are extremely important and aim to include all aspects within my lessons. I do however begin with a classical technique routine to gain strength and flexibility which will then allow my student to continue down the avenue they wish to.