The tutor
“…friendly, encouraging & skilled, always prompt & generous with his time…”
Matthew is a peripatetic music tutor with over 18 years of private teaching experience, specialising in guitar, both electric & acoustic, bass, ukulele, piano & drums. Guitar, bass & ukulele are the main focus – the other instruments are taught to a beginner and intermediate level. He has since become one of the highest rated & reviewed music tutors in & around the London area.
Working with individuals & group sessions, he has gained experience teaching people of all age groups & ability levels, specifically at Kemnal Technology College, Kent, filling the role as the school’s in-house Guitar tutor.
Lessons are always relaxed & informal. Topics are normally directed towards your own personal areas of interest, with an emphasis on teaching you practical applications of the techniques you learn, since the goal is to learn to play music, understand it & hopefully, have fun at the same time.
Matthew takes a lot of enjoyment from playing music & is always enthusiastic about teaching students how to have fun as well as improve their playing. As well as teaching instruments, it is his intention to try & give all students a greater understanding of how music works & therefore, a greater appreciation for it.
To coincide with lessons, a record of your progress is kept so that together, you can work towards improving your playing & not using lesson time just for practice.
Lessons last one hour, although Matthew teaches two-hour sessions regularly & sees a steeper learning curve with these tutees. Lesson times are flexible – mornings, afternoons & evenings – so they can fit around work, school or other commitments. Alongside instruments, Matthew teaches Music Theory, Music Production, Music Technology & Composition.
Many students feel that a weekly lesson arrangement does aid them to keep focused & progress steadily, although it is not necessarily essential. Whereas children will often benefit from frequent weekly rather than fortnightly lessons since the structure & constant support of these sessions help keep them on track.
Where he teaches
Matthew travels to students’ homes across South London – in Crystal Palace, West Norwood, Sydenham, Penge & South Norwood, and on to Streatham, Tooting, Beckenham, Bromley, Croydon, Clapham & Wallington. That takes in the boroughs of Lambeth, Lewisham, Bromley, Croydon, Wandsworth & Sutton.
He is also happy to travel further afield, and teaches online for anyone living beyond that.