Matt

I am a working composer and musician with 10 years professional experience. I compose music for documentaries made for the BBC and Channel 4, score films that have won at the Grierson Awards and Tribeca Film Festival, devise family theatre musicals for young people up and down the country, play in a band and run a record label. In short, a make music in lots of different settings and styles, but always in collaborative ways. I hold a First Class BA (Hons) degree from the University of Oxford. I am able to teach piano, guitar and trombone, music technology and production, as well as GCSE and A Level music, music theory, musical thought and scholarship, composition, and most importantly general musicality - so hopefully I can help you have fun developing your skills in whatever way works best for you.

Tutoring Experience

I have 4 years' experience teaching a range of musical skills and ideas in private, one-to-one settings. I have also led music workshops in groups for organisations like the National Youth Theatre and the National Theatre (youth programme). Both these experiences have allowed me to develop how I communicate musical concepts, develop bonds of respect with students, and respond to how each student has different needs.

Tutoring Approach

I think learning music is most rewarding when all the aspects are linked up - knowing why you're learning a particular scale or piece, understanding the background of the music you're playing, getting to grips with the theory behind it, and most importantly engaging with music that moves you and that you like and want to listen to again and again. A holistic approach to teaching can deliver this, and I think empower students to become better musicians under their own steam. My approach therefore is to try to grow students' musicianship in as broad a way as possible, and to do so in a way that is fun, fulfilling, and based in engaging with music the student likes.