During my lessons I focus entirely on what the student needs. Usually that our focus is musical, but I have also been trained to give emotional and psychological support and have extensive experience in this area.

We will explore music that you’re interested in—I take requests!—and while I’ll certainly introduce you to music that I love, I’ll never force you to learn something you find dull. Genre-wise, I teach classical, pop, soundtrack and jazz music.

Some students want to learn to play music by a specific composer, others want to learn to create their own music. I teach improvisation, composition and piano performance, and will give you a mixture of the three, depending on your own interests. I would love to have more improvisers and composers to my studio, so if you’re interested, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

I love working with a diverse range of students. I currently teach students from more than ten countries on three different continents and I enjoy exploring the music from their home. I am also an immigrant and recognise the joys and challenges that this brings.

LGBTQI+ people are especially welcome here. I have had long-term relationships with both men and women and am now happily married to my partner Anna. This is only one aspect of my personality so you won’t necessarily hear me talk about it much, but if you are an LGBTQI+ person you can rely on me to be a fiercely kind ally.

Many students benefit from taking formal examinations, as I have. I offer all students the option to do this if appropriate. I have an excellent track record at preparing students for ABRSM and MTB examinations.

All my students are invited to perform at my annual student recital, which is a famously happy and supportive event. As someone who has overcome problems with serious stage fright, I understand the difficulties many people experience when performing for an audience. I have a good understanding of performance psychology, which I share with my students through a series of enjoyable activities. No-one is obliged to perform, but for many students the recital has become an important annual event.

With children from the age of seven, I focus on having fun at the piano and developing your technique and knowledge in a fun way. We will play games, be creative, and have lots of fun. On top of that, your progress will be rewarded with stickers!

During your teenage years I’ll encourage you to share your musical taste with me, while I’ll continue to develop your technique and knowledge. I’ll regularly ask you what you’re listening to at home or what you’re watching, and we’ll work together to find pieces that are relevant for you. I’ll also show you music that I really love: there’ll be jazz, classical, soundtrack and pop.

I particularly enjoy teaching adults because it is very stimulating to figure out how to best use the many experiences from your lives to fill the gaps in your knowledge and technique. Whether you had lessons as a child or are a complete beginner, I will work collaboratively with you to help you progress. Most of my adults want to fit music into their busy lives and I am flexible and adaptable.

There is one exception to my “all ages” approach: if your child is younger than seven years old then I would recommend looking for a teacher who specialises in teaching young learners. I enjoy working with younger children but I have not trained in this area and you would therefore be better served by a teacher who has the specialist knowledge required.