INTRODUCTION
I enjoy teaching and with over twenty years professional experience, as both a teacher and performer of the classical guitar, I look to offer my students the opportunity to learn to play well and to inspire them to go further than perhaps they might have thought possible. There is a great deal of beautiful music written for the guitar just waiting to be played.
As a peripatetic instrumental tutor for Gloucestershire Education Authority I taught at both junior and senior schools throughout the county. I also taught at St Mary’s Teacher Training College in Cheltenham and as a private guitar tutor at Wycliffe College.
I had my own debut as a soloist in 1978 at The Festival Theatre, Malvern and have given recitals and concerts throughout the UK.
My own compositions for the guitar have been recorded by virtuoso guitarists Craig Ogden and Agustin Maruri and are regularly featured on Classic FM Radio.
GUITAR LESSONS
Some Informative Notes To Help You Decide
Technique
Learning to move the fingers accurately and fluently is a matter of regular practice. Without correct tuition, regardless of persistence, all that will happen is that bad habits and technique will become even more difficult to address. It is in the students’ best interest to find a teacher who can show them how to use their hands and fingers in order to achieve a sound and fluent technique.
Younger students (ages 9 – 15)
Encouraging younger students to want to dedicate their free time to regular practice isn’t always the easiest of tasks. A carefully selected programme of interesting and enjoyable pieces of music to play is essential. However these pieces must also be technically helpful to ensure progress, therefore finding a teacher with a sound knowledge of the guitar repertoire is important.
Students (ages 16+)
Generally older students will have their own agenda regarding the choice and style of music they wish to play. Again, professional tuition is essential if they wish to go beyond a basic technique and achieve the level of play they are seeking.
Established players
Many established players can be hesitant about approaching a new teacher as often they are concerned that conflicting advice may be ‘off putting’. I am always very keen to work with players who simply wish to ‘brush up’ on a specific technique or who would like to learn to play a new piece to add to their existing repertoire. Often these only need to be infrequent sessions of variable duration. I am always happy to discuss any enquiries in this regard.