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Making music is the activity about which I have been most passionate throughout my life, and since January 2000 I have discovered a similar enthusiasm for teaching. Although I have taught music on a one–to–one basis at various times in my life, it has been from 2000 that I have had the most interest and commitment, and this is reflected in the training I have undertaken for the profession in recent years. Additionally, I value highly the opportunity to contribute as a teacher to my local and neighbouring communities.

Teaching ‘Philosophies’

Teaching Approach

— Teaching Experience —

One–to–one Classroom/Group

Qualifications

Fee for Tuition

Biographical Info

To view a Personal Statement in support of any music teaching post application, click there or here (.pdf).

I was born in Los Angeles and lived there and in New York City before moving to London in 1996. I played various instruments in my childhood and adolescence (piano the longest), but in my teens decided on drums. As a drummer in my early twenties, I met and began many years of study with the legendary jazz tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh. I stopped playing drums around 1980 and committed to the piano a few years later, continuing with Marsh until his death in December 1987.

Marsh was an occasional performing colleague of the renowned bebop alto saxophonist Charlie Parker, though he performed more often with one of the few other original alto sax improvisers of the bebop era, Lee Konitz, usually in the quintet led by another "original", the pianist Lennie Tristano. Lennie was a peer of Parker’s who also became renowned as as music teacher and with whom for a time Warne and Lee studied as well as performed. He is probably the first teacher of jazz to progress his students’ (and his own) musicianship with methods based solely in jazz and the requirements of virtuoso improvising, e.g. devoid of all but the most basic of western classical music pedagogical traditions.

Lennie’s, and especially Warne’s, teaching vision, philosophy, methods and practical exercises form the basis of my own one–to–one teaching. However, details of the curricula and practical exercises I set for students are my own design, and my vision and variety of approaches have been enriched by the teacher training I have undertaken (see the Qualifications link above).

Since 2000, I have been performing in London as a jazz pianist, teaching music and other subjects in a variety of contexts including schools and colleges, and have gained a variety of teaching qualifications. In addition to performing, composing and teaching, I have created aids for learning in music and these include extensive practical guidelines for self–led musical development (as yet unpublished).

To support myself prior to 2000, I had a mix of professional careers. First, I trained and then worked for about ten years as a computer systems analyst, programmer and consultant in both Los Angeles and London. A few years before moving to London, I achieved the USA’s highest piano tuner-technician certification (RPT) and then managed my own such business for about five years, first in LA and then in London. After this, I trained and committed to teaching and performing.

I hope this has been helpful and encouraging. If you have any questions or wish to enquire about lessons, I would welcome your call (020 8558–6829).