Information About Jake - Cambridge teacher -

(3 reviews)

Personal Description:

I am a friendly drum tutor with a wide playing experience from classical ensembles, orchestras, cuban big bands, jazz bands, ska bands, pop bands, tribute bands and klezmer bands along with my work as a studio session musician and of course an instrumental tutor. I have a music degree and have had priva**Contact Detail Removed**ssons with instrumental tutors for over 20 years. I am currently the peripatetic drum tutor at two large secondary schools alongside my private roster (totalling around 60 one-to-one lessons per week).

Tutoring Experience:

I have been teaching for over eight years, I also co-run a music activities week at one of the schools I teach at once per year, getting students to work with each other, develop their ensemble skills and then perform two concerts at the end. I have experience teaching SEN students and also those with dyslexia, I have developed extra resources to help those students enjoy and progress in music just as much! Over the years my interest in the challenges of playing have lead me to investigate very thoroughly the techniques and physical difficulties of playing which are numerous yet solvable when approached in an informed and calm manner. I use a variety of methods to improve pupil's understanding including mental images, structurally breaking the work down and demonstrations.

I have found that understanding the pupil is paramount, getting to know them as musicians and people is absolutely central to my teaching style. If I can find what motivates each student, and tap into it, then their work is a pleasure not a chore, they attend every lesson punctually, practice hard and make great progress (whatever their goals are).

My academic results are 100% merit to distinction rate on all exams taken by my students (Rockschool or Trinity) and I have created (and continue to develop) my own curriculum for beginners and those continuing outside of the graded system which both aims to equip them with the skills to start playing with others quickly and to motivate and engage them by changing the type of activity at very regular intervals.

Tutoring Approach:

First step is to engage, and motivate students, setting them up with the skills needed to play in bands and with others as soon as possible. Then working on further skills, grades, song playing.