Information About Carl - Mitcham teacher -

(4 reviews)

Personal Description:

CJ is an experienced, passionate, and committed piano teacher, who has developed a total fascination for and devotion to the instrument ever since his studies as a child. His talent and enthusiasm for the piano developed surprisingly quickly from its initial stages, which started at the relatively late age of 11. He was self-taught at first for a few years, though later recognised the need to be guided under a tutor, and went to study under a local teacher. In the space of under three years, he passed grade 5-8 examinations with Distinction, as well as a Diploma in Piano Performance from the London College of Music (Dip.LCM), which attained a 95% result. His alma mater include the prestigious junior department of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (piano, composition) and the University of Manchester (MusB Hons Music, First Class Honours; MusM Musicology, Distinction). He has had the privilege to study under eminent concert pianists Stephen Coombs and Andrew Wilde. His bachelor degree studies were consistently characterised by the very high standard of his performances, his participation in masterclasses, and success in competition environments. He has performed some of the most challenging repertoire in the piano literature, including concertos, and has experience performing at the harpsichord both in solo and orchestral contexts.

Tutoring Experience:

I have experience in teaching a range of abilities. This has included absolute beginners, intermediate, and advanced students, young and mature, and everything in between. I have taught classes of children, and helped to prepare students studying on GCSE and A Level Music courses (all exam boards). I am happy to cater to a student's particular musical interests, and equally comfortable guiding individuals through graded examinations (which includes very high distinction results). I also particularly welcome those preparing for auditions to study at conservatoire.

Tutoring Approach:

My approach is, by necessity, tailored to each individual student, their own musical interests, and their needs; no two approaches to my teaching are the same. I place importance on calm and focus, but also on fun and enjoyment, since I believe an appropriate balance of these qualities yields the greatest long-term success for the piano. It is incredibly important for me to develop your 'musical' ear alongside the manual dexterity of the fingers, and to encourage your musical curiosities through the music we learn and study. These were the key components to my own rapid development and success at the piano, and with enough discipline and determination from the student, I believe there is no reason why they cannot achieve similar results. While I am a classically-trained pianist, I am very happy to teach other styles, including jazz and popular song, of which I also have experience.