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Personal Message

I am a freelance professional bassoon and contra player in London and teach at the London Oratory School, The City of London School for boys, Sutton Music Service Saturday School as well as privately.

Interview

Which subject(s) do you teach?
I teach the bassoon, contra bassoon, mini bassoon, tenoroon and reed making from beginner through diploma. I am particularly interested in advanced pupils with a view to helping them with specific areas of technique as described on my website.

Tell me about your qualifications.
I graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and did a post graduate diploma in orchestral playing at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies

What kind of experience do you have?
I have taught beginners right through to advanced pupils. I aim to make all lessons constructive and fun and help a pupil work out their goals and purposes for learning and give them the tools to achieve this.I believe in encouragement and finding a pupil's strengths and do not get involved in destructive criticism.

How much do you charge?
My rates are currently £40 per hour teaching from my house in West Kensington but I travel to some of my pupil's houses. For children I suggest a 30 minute lesson at £25 per half hour. Rates are negotiable based on travel distance and circumstances.

Where do you teach?
Currently I am teaching in Sutton, Teddington, Kingston, Fulham, Twickenham , but I prefer to keep within a few miles of West Kensington where I live if possible.

When are you available?
My schedule is flexible and I will make a time that works for all concerned. For regular lessons the day may change based on concerts and rehearsals that I have but the lesson time will be made at a convenient time for both ends during the same week.

Which ages and levels do you teach?
My youngest pupil is 8 (at Sutton Music Service) but he is a strong lad and can hold a full sized bassoon. With the mini bassoon pupils are starting at 8 on the whole and moving to Tenoroon for 9/10 year olds. As soon as they are big enough to hold a bassoon or short reach bassoon (with third finger left hand covered) I move them to the real thing as it is not possible to go beyond Grade 3 comfortably on the mini bassoon or tenoroon with the current requirements of Trinity/Guildhall and ABRSM exams.

Which qualifications do you prepare your students for?
All grades from 1-8. I am happy to coach theory to Grade V and the aural they need for their exams though if this can be done at school and one on one as separate to the bassoon lesson time this helps so that lessons can concentrate on bassooning and not theory!

Do you have an up-to-date CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) disclosure certificate?
Yes I am fully CRB checked for all three of my teaching positions.

Describe your arrangements for online tutoring.
I have skype set up on my computer and for help on specific issues (e.g. reed adjusting, help with a particular passage on the bassoon) this works well. It is not a substitute for a live lesson but can compliment live lessons or work in cases where travel distance is prohibitive. I did get one enquiry for this from Dubai and another from Korea so am intrigued to see how it can work in different time zones without waking the neighbours.

Do you belong to any professional organisations?
Yes, I am a member of the Musicians Union.

Do you have a personal message for students?
The bassoon is a fun instrument! You can see just how much fun from the website for my bassoon quartet Reed Rage. You get to sit at the back of the orchestra and listen to everyone else but still get enough tunes to keep you interested (whilst the trombones are reading magazines). Whilst it is not as "endangered" as it was thanks to many dedicated bassoon teachers in schools it is still a rare instrument compared to the flute or clarinet, yet every orchestra needs the same number of bassoons as flutes and clarinets! And it's never too late to take up the bassoon.