Information About Steve - Glastonbury teacher -

(2 reviews)

Personal Description:

I was taught classical music as a child then went on to study jazz piano at Kingston University. I’ve been a professional musician and composer all my working life and have played in a wide variety of bands, giving me plenty of experience of the many styles of music.

Tutoring Experience:

I taught piano in Islington for 25 years but have just moved to Glastonbury. I have covered nearly every aspect of playing from classical music to jazz improvisation. When it comes to exams, I teach the ABRSM syllabus up to grade 8. I've also helped students with their GCSE and A level course work as well as teaching them music theory, so that they can go beyond grade 5.

Tutoring Approach:

I recognise that the best way to teach piano is to find out what music the student likes and look for tunes that would suit them. If there is a specific tune they would like to play, I will create an arrangement of the piece that fits their ability.
My lessons are informal and I’m flexible about how long and how often lessons are. It’s usual to have one 30 or 45 minute lesson a week, but some of the adults I teach are too busy, and so opt for every two weeks. Sometimes, especially when exams are looming, students choose to have two lessons a week, or increase the length of their lessons. If you can’t make a lesson for whatever reason, I will always try to accommodate you with any free time I may have.
If you would like to meet me first before committing to lessons, you'd be very welcome to come and say hello. That way you can get to know me a bit better and ask any questions you may have.
One of my specialities is improvising and I can help you if you want to improve your soloing skills if you play in a band. I’ve developed various exercises to help you understand chords and what scales work over them. If you decide to learn to play jazz and blues, then improvising is the obvious next step and I’ve found that the Tim Richards course books are the best to get you started.