Information About Alex - St. Albans teacher

Personal Description:

I am a passionate composer and multi-instrumentalist.

I began learning the clarinet when I was 10 years old, and very quickly got into composing music, using the notation software Sibelius. I started teaching myself guitar when I was 12, which is when my musical journey really took off. By age 14 I was recording my own music and putting it on the internet. I then studied Music at the University of Leeds, majoring in composition. During this time, I released my first EP and album, under the name Mr Tumnus. Since graduating in 2012, I have continued to release singles under this name.

I studied avant-garde classical and electroacoustic composition at university, as well as classical music theory, which has greatly informed my composition practice, however I feel most at home in the popular domain, working within and combining genres such as folk, progressive rock, post-rock, ambient, indie, electronic, etc. Most people who consider themselves “serious artists” operate within popular music these days, rather than classical music.

I would therefore be most comfortable tutoring composers who are interesting in writing popular music. That said, I may be able to help students looking to compose classical music. I do understand the rudiments of classical music, but I haven’t studied orchestration and therefore would be unable to teach someone how to write for an orchestra. I do not understand jazz on a technical level, so would be unable to teach this. I also am not a confident lyricist, so wouldn’t be able to teach songwriting as such. I would, however, be able to teach instrumental composers who want to work with songwriters, and I could help songwriters who want to take the musical aspects of their songwriting to the next level, in terms of impact and sophistication.

I can also offer basic tuition in music technology and music production.

You can hear some examples of my work here:
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Tutoring Experience:

I have some experience teaching guitar and basic music technology. As yet, I have no experience teaching composition, hence the low prices.

Tutoring Approach:

I can teach in person or via Zoom. I am happy to travel a reasonable distance from St Albans, if the cost of travel is provided. I can also teach at my home.

I would work with students on their own terms, rather than imposing my own views on them. What are your goals? If you are writing music already, where do YOU think you could improve? What would you like to do better? We can look at artists you would like to emulate, what it is you like about their work, and analyse what exactly they are doing to achieve that. That said, I would encourage all students to learn music theory, as it can be quite difficult to understand and communicate musical ideas without it. I am a passionate music theorist and have studied theory to degree level, so would of course help with this. Composition these days is often integrated with music production, so I would help students with this, as well as teaching composition via notation and "by ear" instrumental composition.

I can also teach my own idiosyncratic approach to composition, which is strongly influenced by Brian Eno, relying a lot on improvisation, spontaneity and happy accidents.

Get in touch to arrange a free phone or Zoom call to see whether I would be the right fit.