My teaching is not the product of novelty or pedagogical fashion, but of more than a decade spent in the disciplined company of performance itself. Twelve years as both educator and musician (moving between historical practice, the demands of contemporary repertoire, and the rigours of improvisation) have taught me that technique is not an end in itself, but a means to understanding. I offer individual lessons grounded in clarity, exactitude, and informed curiosity, guiding students toward a relationship with their instrument that is not merely competent, but articulate, expressive, and independent.

A central principle of my teaching is that technique, left to itself, is a barren accomplishment. Listening must be cultivated with equal seriousness; the body must be persuaded into intelligence; the imagination must be given licence. Whether the material in question belongs to the early repertory or to the modern canon is, in this respect, almost incidental. What matters is that the student comes to understand why something works musically, rather than merely learning how to replicate it. That distinction (between comprehension and imitation) has a habit of altering everything that follows.

What We Work On

Good wind playing, when stripped of mystification, rests on a remarkably small number of fundamentals: posture, breathing, embouchure, articulation, movement. Almost every technical difficulty, however elaborately disguised, can be traced back to a failure or misunderstanding at one of these points. From this groundwork, lessons proceed toward a technique that remains alert and conscious, rather than sinking into the stupor of habit. Only then does technique fulfil its proper purpose, opening outward into musical freedom.

For those students inclined to look beneath the surface of the instrument (to enquire into its acoustics, its resonances, the behaviour of overtones, and the true nature of what occurs when one ventures into the upper register) such knowledge proves transformative. It alters the approach to tone production, clarifies the logic of extended techniques, and replaces guesswork with comprehension. What emerges is not pedantry, but a more intimate and authoritative command of the instrument itself.

Who I Teach

I work with students at all stages, from those finding their footing on the instrument for the first time to experienced players wanting to refine, expand, or rethink their playing. My background covers recorder, flute, and a range of early and traditional wind instruments, which gives me the perspective to help you either deepen your specialism or broaden your musical language.

If you play more than one wind instrument, lessons can draw across them, the principles of breath, resonance, and articulation connect in ways that most teaching treats as separate.

Lessons

All lessons are available online or in person, and can be taken as individual sessions or as part of a regular programme of study. Get in touch to talk about what you're working on and what you'd like to develop.