Testimonials
“Simon is an extraordinary musician, flutist and entrepreneur. He is an extremely sensitive and imaginative musician, and possesses a wonderful variety of colours and a formidable technique. His beautiful silvery tone, orchestral knowledge and awareness, and leadership skills are a joy to have in the orchestra.” Rebecca Miller -
“Simon is the complete teacher. Not only does he know instinctively what will work for you as a student, he is one of the most talented and proficient musicians across multiple fields of music -
“Inspiring, funny, passionate; all the qualities of a great teacher. Simon is passionate not only about music but about getting the best out of you. Other teachers may be about getting you through the grades, Simon is much more interested in developing you as a player as you work towards the next step in your musical journey. It is impossible to not love music and have a passion for it yourself when your teacher is so enthusiastic about everything related to music.”
“I have been taught the flute by Simon for over five years. He has the skill to nurture and develop strengths and to identify how to get the best out of a player. He has motivated and encouraged me to grow as a musician and to achieve outstanding results. I would highly recommend him as a teacher.”
“Simon is an enthusiastic, friendly piano teacher who has high standards for his pupils, but is immensely supportive and constructive in enabling them to achieve a real sense of musicality in their playing. He has always required my son to pay attention to detail and master technique whilst developing his confidence such that after only one term of lessons with him, my son volunteered to be part of a concert at his school. I couldn't be happier with the musical education my son received from Simon”
“Simon is very patient and kind with his students. He is very reliable and gives great feedback. He is happy to help out with issues and is flexible. He realises that not everyone can practise as much as they should. He gets his students involved, for example, in concerts. He is very good with communicating with parents and is responsive to them.”
“Having had piano lessons with Simon for over 8 years, and going from barely being able to play happy birthday to Grade 8, I can definitively say Simon is more than a safe pair of hands. If it wasn't for my lessons with Simon I definitely wouldn't have been able to (or be interested in) becoming a musician in my own right. He has a gift not only for playing (he is the only pianist I know who can actually read the music bars ahead of what he is playing consistently across a whole piece, and then remember what he has read rather than reading and playing at the same time, which is what us normal people have to do) but also for teaching. After a few lessons he will work out what works for you, and will teach you using those methods. I can with complete confidence say that you won't find a better piano teacher anywhere else.”
“Simon is the complete teacher. Not only does he know instinctively what will work for you as a student, he is one of the most talented and proficient musicians across multiple fields of music -
“My daughter was new to the flute when she was allocated Simon as her teacher at the start of Year 7. Right from the start his teaching method resulted in my daughter thoroughly enjoying playing and improving very quickly. His attention to detail and obvious passion for music are infectious and my daughter was soon playing in many group settings where she thrives. You will not regret choosing Simon to teach you, his vast experience as a professional musician and a teacher are the perfect combination.”
“Simon has been an excellent flute teacher for my son, who hasn’t always found playing an instrument easy. Without Simon, he would have given up a long time ago. Simon goes out of his way to help his students and encourages them to develop their skills in a gentle, but effective way. As a parent, it has been very easy to communicate with Simon and he is always willing to answer any questions from myself and my son.”
“Simon started teaching me the piano and accompanying me at the age of 9. We played together in many competitions across the country, notably the National Rotary Competition Final. He carried on accompanying me throughout my time at the Royal College of Music. I am grateful for his support and brilliant musical insight.”
“Simon is an incredible musician to work with. He is a highly sensitive accompanist, reacting to every detail of your performance in the most supportive way. In addition, he is extremely passionate about the works he accompanies and will give you very valuable advice, no matter if he has experience playing your instrument or not. As a clarinettist, I can easily say I have learnt about nuanced performance and felt I have gained insight about my own clarinet playing from Simon. He is the easiest accompanist to work with, with his general love for music giving you the comfort in your own performance. He will consistently make you feel prioritised in his schedule, happy to travel when required. He has accompanied me for many years now, always making me feel comfortable in high pressure situations such as orchestral auditions and competitions.”
“I have been hugely privileged to have performed with Simon as my accompanist in recitals since 2011.Simon is a highly competent and dependable accompanist, and a pleasure to work with due to his dedication and calm enthusiasm. There has been nothing too difficult to ask him to play, either for my FTCL exam, or beyond. He has a deep understanding of the flute repertoire from both the piano and flute viewpoint, which means he is able to support the flute sensitively and intelligently.”