Beginner Groups

Zach is an enthusiastic tutor with experience working with learners of a variety of ages and abilities. Graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with a BMus degree, he also worked to gain his DipABRSM Teaching Diploma. He will soon be graduating from the Royal Academy of Music with a Master of Arts Postgraduate degree.

While living in Scotland, he helped to co-found and lead the tutoring of a percussion academy through his local brass band in Irvine and Dreghorn. Since moving to London, he spends his spare time assisting with the City Lit Percussion Orchestra, educating older students with learning disabilities. Zach has also worked as an assistant tutor with the Stewarton Percussion Ensemble and the Orchestras for All Modulo Scheme.

Zach mainly works as a freelance orchestral percussionist and timpanist. He has had the opportunity to perform Star Wars music live with the Royal Northern Sinfonia as well as closing the Edinburgh Festival as 2^nd Timpanist for the RSNO. As well as this, he has been involved with CD recording sessions with Ryan Wigglesworth, symphony orchestra projects with a variety of famous conductors, musical theatre and opera pit work.

Zach’s experience as a drum kit player extends beyond his orchestral studies. He was the drummer in a ‘Commitments’ tribute band that performed at evening events. He has also worked in pantomimes, cabaret premiers of new musical theatre works and even entertained audiences on a cruise ship as a drummer.

Martina is a versatile flute player and enthusiastic teacher from the Czech Republic. She trained in Classical Flute and Jazz Flute Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has freelanced with orchestras, touring the UK with Czech National Symphony Orchestra, or Scandinavia with City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and playing flute and piccolo in theatre pits in ballet and opera productions. Exploring her interest in groove and improvising, she is currently specialising in Brazilian music, performing with Rhythms of the City samba band as a percussionist and with Offbeat Collective as a flautist.

She has taught students of different levels and ages, helping them achieve their musical goals and discover their creative potential. She has lead creative music workshops for The Music FunDation in Prague and taught a seminar on Creativity in Music at the Teplice Conservatoire.

I am a professional musical director and composer, specialising primarily in tonal music and soundscape design. My works are rather eclectic, in that there is no commonly occurring theme amongst them in terms of style or genre. Having had the opportunity to gain plenty of experience from working in my specialist field whilst studying for my bachelors degree, I have rapidly acquired a vast amount of skills and music-related knowledge, particularly from a creative and performance-related perspective.

Primarily a skilled pianist, I have been fortunate enough to tour with various ensembles, performing in countries across Europe and the Caribbean, on renowned stages such as the Royal Albert Hall and ITV's “The X Factor”.

With an advanced understanding of the capabilities of varying instruments, I am capable of operating within any musical genre to a high level of proficiency, as well as directing performers and ensembles in the same manner.

Thanks to years of experience in learning to operate music production software such as Logic Pro (and Pro Tools), I am fully adept at autonomously carrying out the recording process by way of digital production, an invaluable skill in this modern age of music. My experience in teaching and tutoring various students has greatly aided my ability to communicate ideas in a clear, comprehensible manner, a skill which further qualifies me as a capable director, along with my immediate work history in musical theatre.

www.nelsonmusic.co.uk 

Martina was born in Sardinia, Italy, where she started her music path as self-taught guitarist, eventually exploring the topic in varied ways through the years.

In 2016, Martina achieved a milestone, earning her bachelor's degree in Jazz guitar from Pierluigi da Palestrina's Music Conservatory. Her thesis delved into the mesmerising world of Django Reinhardt and his European swing, a testament to her dedication and passion for music. Remarkably, she stands as the lone female guitarist to have completed this rigorous academic program, under the tutelage of esteemed mentors like Massimo Ferra, Stefano D'Anna, and Alessandro Di Liberto.

In 2020, Martina's pursuit of excellence led her to the prestigious Film Scoring Academy of Europe, where she embarked on a transformative master's program in Film Scoring. With her thesis titled "Mind Over Body," she explored the profound impact of voice and its psychological resonance in cinematic compositions, a testament to her innovative approach to music. Under the mentorship of luminaries like Andy Hill, Derek Gleeson, and Norman Ludwin, Martina emerged from the program in September 2021, equipped with a wealth of knowledge and a boundless passion for creating immersive musical experiences for the silver screen.

Martina is actually based in London and, in addition to her successful music career, she also enjoys teaching and has taught students of all levels and ages. Her teaching philosophy is centred around cultivating a love for music while also developing strong technical skills. Using students’ interests as a goal, Martina’s method tailors lessons towards their achievements and ambitions, never forgetting the shared passion for the subject and to have fun through it.