Information About Bruce - Hinckley teacher -

(13 reviews)

Personal Description:

Ex professional musician, privately tutored from age 6.
Multi-instrumentalist, including vocals, woodwind and percussion.
Teaching music professionally for 35 years.
CRB checked.
Part-time youth work for Leicestershire County Council for 22 years - music and outdoor pursuits (Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme expeditions instructor and assessor).

Tutoring Experience:

Teaching professionally (full time, self-employed) for 35 years. Offer one to one private tuition at home and travel to students homes within a reasonable distance. Beginner to advanced level, all ages and all styles. Normally use the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music for standard woodwind syllabus exams to Grade 8 and Jazz exams to Grade 5. For higher level Jazz woodwind exams (ABRSM does not go above Grade 5), drum kit and keyboard exams, use Trinity College London syllabuses. Examination results are good to excellent for students who wish to take exams. Other tutoring material is available for students who want to progress but not necessarily take exams. Have been teaching in schools on a peripatetic basis for 23 years. References available.

Tutoring Approach:

Professional, relaxed attitude. Excellent ability to communicate with all ages and at all levels. Normally teach some music theory as part of standard lesson. Standard lesson duration is 40 minutes and costs £20. Longer lessons are available if required.

Testimonial from Jack Lawton, student. 18th April 2019
5/5 rating
I have had lessons with Bruce for over 7 years now and during that time I have developed significantly as a musician. Bruce has given me the appropriate guidance to develop the tone of my instrument as well as the background to looking after it and upgrading it to produce the best sound quality suitable for me. He has also encouraged my development through suggesting background listening of different genres and artists suited to my instrument which I have found very useful and inspirational.
As a tutor, Bruce is punctual and always reliable. Being peripatetic is very handy for me to have my lesson at ease but it's also great I can go to him if needed. Sometimes I arrive to my lessons quite stressed and Bruce is great in allowing me to feel more relaxed and focused. Even when I haven't done a lot of practice he is still encouraging and patient which I appreciate and find motivating. His lessons I feel are very reasonably priced for the high standard of tuition received.
I enjoy my tuition with Bruce and look forward to it each week as it is always in a friendly but professional manner. I am confident when taking exams with Bruce because he makes sure you are ready for them and has a very high pupil exam success rate. He is someone I have a massive amount of respect for and I highly recommend him to anyone interested in musicianship and looking to start/advance their skills.
From Jack (Age 22)

Testimonial from Harry Palmer.
9th May 2019
5/5 rating

I have had Drum lessons with Bruce for over 9 years now after at first struggling to find a permanent tutor. In this time I have progressed through grades 1-7 and have got marks from pass to distinction in every exam (mainly distinctions). I am currently preparing for my grade 8 exam which I am again aiming for a distinction in. I also took BTEC music at A level which I got a distinction in under Bruce’s tuition. My ability as a musician had developed significantly over these 9 years because of Bruce’s guidance, advice and expert tuition. Bruce has also inspired and helped me to learn new instruments such as the Keyboard and Bass Guitar which I am enjoying just as much as the Drums.

Bruce has a great coaching approach to learning. He knows when to challenge me and when to offer additional support which has improved my musical ability across a wide genre. As a tutor Bruce has been patient with me when I have been struggling with certain techniques and difficult parts of songs for my exams and gives me good advice on how to improve. Bruce is also very reliable and flexible with his lessons. For example I started my lessons with Bruce at high school and once I finished there Bruce started coming to my house in order to carry on with my lessons. He also suggested a suitable quality upgrade for my Drum Kit and helped me tune it to get my desired sound and suggested high quality cymbals to go along with the kit as well as an upgrade to my Keyboard which I have been very pleased with. Bruce is also very professional, trustworthy, has an excellent temperament and a keen musical ear; all of these qualities have led me to producing high quality music which has been reflected in my examination results.

I feel that the lessons Bruce offers are very reasonably priced for such a high quality tutor and I can’t recommend Bruce more highly.

Harry Palmer - Age 20