Saxophone lessons online and in-person
With over 15 years of experience teaching the saxophone to students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, I can provide you with all the knowledge and support you need to get the most out of your saxophone.
Lessons to help you:
Avoid bad habits
Take your first steps
Progress quickly and easily
Learn to improvise
Hello, and welcome to my website. I'm Jonny, and I believe that great teaching only comes with experience.
A teaching career spanning 15 years has found me teaching privately, in-schools, to community groups and bands, and for prestigious institutions such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Trinity College of Music and Blackheath Halls. By choosing to learn the saxophone with me you will be tapping into 15 years worth of knowledge, experience and expertise that has already allowed me to help 100s of students achieve their musical goals. But don't take my word for it, click here to read my testimonials and hear what my students say.
Lessons for students at all levels
My online and in-person lessons are tailored to the individual needs of every student. Whether you are learning your first few notes, looking to develop your improvisation or just want to be able to play your favourite tune, I’ve got you covered. A few of the most popular areas I cater for are described below.
Complete beginners
Maybe you've decided to take up a new hobby or perhaps you've decided to fulfil a lifelong ambition to learn the saxophone.
It's never too late to learn, and developing a sound technique from day one will help you progress faster over the long term. From assembling the saxophone to making a sound and playing your first notes, I can help you take your first steps and make sure you don't pick up any bad habits along the way.
Playing for fun
Perhaps you've been playing for a while and would like to build the confidence to join a band, maybe you've been learning via online resources and want to make sure you aren't picking up any bad habits, or you might just enjoy playing a few tunes in your living room.
I can help you develop a sound technique, overcome barriers preventing you from progressing and help you make playing the saxophone an even more enjoyable experience in the process.
Learning to improvise
Learning to improvise can be daunting. First-time improvisers are confronted with lots of complicated chords, scales and exercises, making it difficult to know where to begin.
Over 15 years of teaching I have developed a method for teaching improvisation that dispenses with the mental gymnastics required of the traditional chord/ scale approach and instead focuses on melody and helping students to realise the music they hear internally. My method is also extremely beneficial for getting more experienced improvisers 'out of their own head' and helping them rediscover the joys of authentic improvisation. See my Jazz and Improvisation page for more information.
Preparing for an exam
I have a wealth of experience preparing students for both classical and jazz graded exams of all levels, and have a 100% pass rate.
I can help you prepare for all aspects of the your exam (pieces, aural, scales and the dreaded sight reading) and give you plenty of tips and pointers to help you maximise your marks.
Testimonials
Claire
Jonny really understands the psychology of playing an instrument. As a result of my lessons I have gained the confidence to join a band and play in public.
Christian
Jonny is great music educator. Inclusive and engaging and with the musical chops to back it up, you are in safe hands! I really appreciated being introduced to jazz in the non-judgmental atmosphere he creates.
Wendy
Jonny was able to understand my learning needs and target lessons accordingly, so I always left his lessons feeling more confident as a musician. He made learning enjoyable, unstressful and productive. I have no hesitation in recommending this skilled and creative teacher and bandleader.
If you have any questions about lessons or my teaching in general feel free to get in touch via my contact form.
About me
A graduate of the prestigious Trinity Laban College of Music and Dance, for the past 15 years I have been teaching the saxophone privately, in schools and for prestigious institutions such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Blackheath Halls.
In my private teaching practice, I have taught students across a whole range of abilities with varying needs and aspirations. This has given me a depth of experience that enables me to quickly get to the heart of a student's relationship with the saxophone and help them get the most out of the instrument.
For eight years I led the Meantime Jazz Orchestra, a community band based in at Blackheath Halls London, and for the past ten years, I taught at and then managed the Royal Greenwich Music Centre, a Saturday morning music school for the children and young people of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Over the course of my teaching career, I have developed an approach that aims to bring out the innate musicality of students. Playing a musical instrument should be a rewarding experience, and whether my students are working on their first scale or learning to improvise over a difficult chord progression, I aspire to make sure they do so in a relaxed, musical and enjoyable way.
As a performing saxophonist I have played with bands and groups across the UK and beyond. Highlights have included performing at the 606 club and Ronnie Scott's in London and at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam.
