Phil’s background is rooted in both technical musicianship and musical performance.

Prices from £20/half hour

He learned classical piano from the age of 6 to grade 8 standard (ABRSM) under the tutelage of Tim Carey in Chelmsford, Essex.

Saxophone, he learned from the age of 14 under the tutelage of Melanie Smith (Chelmsford).

In his late teens the saxophone and keyboard / synthesiser techniques gave Phil an avenue into live performance. Initially throwing himself into punk bands he then ‘graduated’ to more sophisticated funk, country, jazz, soul & reggae outfits. As a multi instrumentalist, with vocals, guitar, trombone and violin to add to his repertoire Phil is prevalent on the UK live music circuit having played with many prominent touring bands up and down the country most especially in the ‘3rd wave ska’ scene. He is also a prolific live and studio audio engineer having produced dozens of studio albums and EPs.

Phil has plenty of experience teaching all age brackets. He generally has a more laid back approach to the learning experience than most but his high pass rates for both ABRSM and Trinity exam syllabuses clearly indicate that his students will know when it’s time to ‘get serious’. He always endeavours to understand the motivations of all students and tailor lessons accordingly, thereby providing a guiding path toward, flexible, short and longer term goals.

Phil is a great choice for tutor if you are interested in classical technique, grade goals, performance & composition.