Hello, my name’s Ian and I’m passionate about music. Making music has always been an essential part of my life. I love working with music and sound – playing the double bass and bass guitar, teaching, composing, sound engineering and producing. As well as being fascinated with music theory and how music works. I enjoy a varied professional life in all these fields. I wish to help others discover the wonders of music. To Learn, Explore and Create. I love learning about music and have a Masters Degree in Music, a BA degree in Music and I’m a graduate of Bass-Tech at the Guitar Institute, part of the London College of Music.

Biography: I have been in the music and sound profession for 25 years and was playing, composing and recording music for 10 years before that. My performances have been in a diverse range of genres – in bands, ensembles, orchestras and music theatre. I have worked on sound for many successful films, including Star Wars, and numerous music recordings. I began teaching professionally in 1997 and my qualifications include a MA degree in Music Performance, a BA degree in Music and a Diploma from the London College of Music.

All these elements of my life and career in music and sound are entwined and each element compliments the others. I feel so fortunate that I have had these amazing experiences and achieved all the wonderful things that I have done in life. I look forward to many more such experiences and in helping you achieve your best in making music and recording.

My teaching ethos: I passionately believe that we are all capable of learning music. I also firmly believe that we all learn in different ways. As a teacher it is my job to find out how each student best learns and teach them in this way. The most important thing is the student and I’m here to help them. I strongly feel that it is vital to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners, making the experience enjoyable for all. Furthermore, I teach my students how to teach themselves which empowers them to understand, not only how to play a musical instrument, but also to understand how music and the instrument works. The student can then, not only play specific pieces, but step into their creativity and express themselves through music.

Summary: Professional and friendly teacher, with 25 years teaching experience. Bass Guitar and Double Bass lessons for all ages and abilities. All styles of music, from jazz to rock and funk to classical. Now offering new classes in Music Theory, Composition, Sound Engineering and Production. MA degree in Music Performance, BA degree in Music and a Diploma from the London College of Music. Enhanced DBS check.

Music Qualifications & Achievements:

Education: MA in Music Performance from Kingston University. Commendation. Specialising in double bass and bass guitar, with dissertation on the music of Miles Davis from the late 50s to early 60s. BA (Hons) Music, class 2:1 from Chichester University. Music degree specialising in bass guitar, double bass and composition, with the dissertation on an original piece of composed music. Diploma of Higher Education in Popular Music Performance on bass guitar from London College of Music I have studied with some of the finest performers and educators on the double bass and bass guitar, including: David Heyes – internationally acclaimed soloist and educator Ana Cordova – principal bassist of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Rinat Ibragimov – principal bassist emeritus of LSO Dave Jones – bassist and educator Rob Burns – bassist and educator Andrew Clyndert – celebrated UK jazz bassist Peter Hodges – stalwart freelancer for London orchestras and past principal bassist of LSO and ENO

Continued Professional Development: City Lit: Audio production and mixing CPD workshop using Logic Pro X. City Lit: BBC Radiophonic and Music Concrete techniques CPD workshop using BERNA software. CELTA Westminster Kingsway: Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language, awarded by Cambridge University. Trinity Guildhall: Key Stage 2 Music CPD teacher training. Benslow Music Trust: Conducting and Rehearsal Techniques.

A Selection of Professional Experience and Musical Achievements: West Sussex Music Service. Peripatetic instrumental music teacher for double bass and bass guitar. Classroom teacher for Key Stage 2, delivering whole year group lessons on music and learning the guitar. Conducted and led a music ensemble for adults, arranging and composing a lot of the music used. Double bass with the National Musicians Symphony Orchestra culminating in a concert at the Barbican Centre.

Contemporary classical music ensemble for Trinity College of Music, performing double bass for concerts, culminating in one with the celebrated percussionist Evelyn Glennie.Double bass support for Junior Trinity and Lydian Orchestra’s Tour of Czech Republic.Double bass in several opera showcases, alongside my teacher, David Heyes, with his wife, the soprano, Sarah Poole.

Double bass in The Orpheus Jazz Trio, with pianist Nick Reynolds (Jazz Musician of the Year award nominee) and guitarist Lou Maggs.

I formed and led my own jazz groups and very active in performing.

Bass guitar in an alternative rock band, The Agents, gigging around the alternative London circuit and for private parties.

I have nine years of experience performing in pit bands for music theatre shows in Londonand Surrey, including the world premier of Deep Water with the W11 Children’s Opera, Guys and Dolls at the Rudolf Steiner concert hall in London and most of the musicals for 3 years at Rydens School, Surrey.

I am active as a composer and have composed several pieces of music for solo double bass for the publisher Recital Music.