As a professional educator, I am currently a member of the specialist teaching team on the Young Musicians Programme (Centre for Advanced Training) based at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead, UK, The Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin, Ireland, and freelance peripatetic tutor across the North East. I specialise in jazz guitar (both plectrum and finger-style techniques) and theoretical and practical approaches to improvisation. I have taught in a variety of settings: from primary education, to further and higher education, through to adult education, and feel comfortable working across the full range of jazz, classical, folk, popular, rock and commercial music styles. Furthermore, I have also led multi-instrumental workshops on jazz and improvisation.
From 2014 - 2019 I was part of the tutor team on the ‘Rick Taylor Ensemble Week’ based on the Isle Of Skye, which took place annually during the Easter period. The course content covers a variety of styles from classical, folk, blues, to jazz / improvisation.
My PGCE teaching placement took place on the BMus degree programme at The Glasshouse ICM (Sage Gateshead) where I taught Advanced Jazz Theory and Practical Skills (including Improvisation and directed the BMus Guitar Ensemble).
At the 2017 Gateshead International Jazz Festival, I delivered an improvisation workshop with world leading tutors of jazz, Nikki Iles and Stan Sulzmann, as part of The Globe's Jazz Coorperative Play Jazz sessions based at Sage Gateshead. I have also led Jazz Cooperative Play Jazz workshops on topics such: ‘Rhythm Changes' and 'Easing The Flow Of Improvisation' - developing learners' improvisation skills and enhancing their musicianship skills.
An Individual Development Programme can be developed at a personal level to help and enhance the student’s musicianship skills in areas such as: Sight-Reading; Aural Skills; Technique; Improvisation; Repertoire; Performance; Enhancement of Personal Performance (i.e., Effortless Mastery). With carefully structured lessons I can provide fun and friendly teaching in a relaxed environment. I can also help prepare students for graded exams, or entry into Further and Higher Education.
I am fully DBS checked too. For any more information regarding teaching for workshops / ensemble work, please do get in touch.