Information About Sharon - Beckenham teacher -

(2 reviews)

Personal Description:

I am a pianist and violinist with extensive experience in music education. I did my undergraduate classical training at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and my postgraduate studies in jazz at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. I graduated from there with a Postgraduate Diploma in Jazz Performance.

I have been performing professionally as a pianist and violinist on the UK jazz and Latin scenes for a number of years. I have worked with many internationally recognized jazz musicians including Gary Crosby, Julian Siegel, Stan Schultzman, Omar Puente and Roland Perrin, and have performed at venues including The Spice Of Life, King's Place, The Royal Festival Hall, The Barbican, Notting Hill Arts Club, Passing Clouds and Floridita.

I am also a solo electronic artist and released my debut EP earlier this year. My first album is due out in October. I perform the music live, with violin and keys, and have performed alongside such distinguished artists as Si Begg and Digitonal.

Tutoring Experience:

I have several years experience teaching piano to children and young people across the age range from 5-18 yrs.
I have also worked extensively in community music and workshop settings with children in KS1 and KS2, and have led workshops for Early Years and Foundation Stages. This year I was awarded funding through the Sound Connections Innovate programme, to run a series of creative electronic music workshops for 8-11 year olds.

Tutoring Approach:

I have several years experience teaching piano to children and young people across the age range from 5-18 yrs. I teach all levels and abilities from absolute beginners to advanced levels.

My approach to teaching piano is child-centred. I nurture the children's musical ability and creativity through fun pieces, activities and games, which help them to develop a sense of pitch, rhythm and pulse and an overall love for music-making. The lessons also include lots of improvisation, and pupils are encouraged to come up with their own compositions and musical ideas, even in the first lesson.

All of this is built upon a solid technical foundation; good habits are reinforced from the very beginning, again through the use of playful pieces that invite the use of the imagination. This, in turn, allows the students to truly express themselves, and to explore the music to its fullest.

This approach is continued throughout the students' learning, with the focus always being on creativity, exploration and enjoyment.

My lessons are fun, stimulating and thoroughly enjoyable, and as students are all unique and have different motivations, goals and needs, I tailor lessons to suit each individual.

My main aim through teaching, is that the student discovers an enjoyment and appreciation of music making, has fun whilst learning, and that they connect with the innate musicality within themselves.