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About Steven C. S.
Qualifications: B Mus (with Distinction) in Trombone Performance and Pedagogy - University of Victoria, Canada, Licentiate of the Guildhall School of Music (LGSM), Cert Ed-Music - University of Kent.
Genre/Style(s): All styles.
The fundamentals of brass playing are crucial in all types of playing, regardless of style.
Ability Levels: Beginners to Advanced
Experience:
With 45 years of experience as a brass educator, teaching for me is a vocation as well as a career. I served for a number of years as the Faculty Head of Brass and Percussion at Kent Music School. My aim is to enable every student to realise their full potential as a player through regular lessons that are fun and rigorous.
My current pupils range in age from 8 to 68 and I welcome beginners and 'returners' of all ages. Pupils have gone on to all the major London music conservatoires, as well as the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and to careers as military musicians. Several are prize-winners and a former pupil is now a bass trombonist in the Royal Air Force Central Band.
Ten years as a specialist brass examiner with the Guildhall School of Music & Drama gave me crucial experience in preparing my own students, and exam candidates have a record of high Passes, Merits and Distinctions. However, I do not require nor necessarily encourage students to sit exams - this is a matter for the player: grade exams, though certainly useful and popular, are not necessarily for everyone.
I teach through Kent Music (formerly Kent Music School) in schools and music centres and at home.
Experience, expertise and effectiveness typify my work - contact me using the send message button on my profile!
Former students - Update February 2022:
- After 3 years in the trombone section of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, EH continues trombone studies at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department, and has received full scholarship offers from all four London conservatoires.
- VS has left the Kent County Youth Orchestra (KCYO) and the Junior Department of London's Guildhall School of Music & Drama to read Music at Cambridge, and now plays Principal Trombone in the University Symphony Orchestra.
- Having depped regularly while studying cornet and trumpet at the Royal Northern College of
Music with the Brighouse, Black Dyke and Fodens bands, LB joined the Grimethorpe band on cornet. He has however now left for a career in the Army as a trumpet / cornet player.
- TH continues his trombone and studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama's Junior Department.
- AS continues in his post as bass trombonist in the RAF Central Band.
- DL is a bass trombone-playing Sergeant of the Band of the Irish Guards.
- DP continues as a trombonist in the Kent County Youth Orchestra.
- TB is a busy pro hornist in London.
- Tubist AZ was offered places at Trinity Laban London and the Royal College of Music in London - he accepted the full scholarship to Trinity where he's now studying with the renown, prize-winning tubist Les Neish.
Current students -
- Adult KC, having taken up tenor horn as a beginner several years ago, is now loving playing in Medway Concert Brass (MCB).
- Returner AC is now playing in MCB and the Invicta Jazz Orchestra.
- Brothers JB and AB are in the Tuba and Euphonium sections respectively of MCB.
- School-aged JK, TB and EC are members of the French horn section of the Kent Youth Wind Orchestra.