Education:Graduate of the Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Northern College of Music and was the winner of the RNCM Alan Rawsthorne Composition Prize in 2005.

Experience:As a Conservatoire student, he has worked as a Resident Pianist at various Birmingham hotels and bars. His compositions have been performed on BBC Radio 3 and around the UK and abroad. His compositions have been performed at venues including the Bridgewater Hall, Royal Swedish Opera – Kungliga Operan, the Italian Culture Institute Stockholm, King’s Place London, Brighton Corn Exchange, Regent Hall London and the Adrian Boult Hall to name a few. In 2015 he was proudly awarded Honorary Membership (HonBC) of Birmingham Conservatoire for services to the music profession in the 10 years following graduation.

Education: Graduate of Birmingham Conservatoire where he studied saxophone on the Jazz course.

Experience: His own quartet has played in venues around Birmingham, most recently as part of Birmingham’s Jazz Legends festival, and he works around the west midlands as a freelance musician.

Robbie has experience of teaching woodwind instruments to all ages and abilities from complete beginner to advanced student. He can help students through their music exams and is also qualified to assess ABRSM Music exams (pre-grade 1 exams). Robbie tailors lessons to his student’s interests and learning objectives, and enjoys teaching with patience and understanding.

Education: She is currently studying at Birmingham Conservatoire.

Experience: Olga is involved in many orchestras and chamber ensembles. As a member of the Continental Quartet she performed at Wigmore Hall, Windsor Castle and Cheltenham Town Hall.

She is friendly and experienced teacher and from 2017 she became a student mentor in Junior Conservatoire.

Jack has played with a multitude of artists in styles ranging from Folk, Funk, Rock, Blues, Electro, Hip Hop to experimental Prog Rock.

Education:Initially self-taught, he developed his own style and skills over the years, later taking lessons from local drummers while gaining a Performing Musician’s diploma.

Experience: With a wealth of experience both in live performance and studio recording, Jack’s developed a feel-based style, drawing from drummers such as John Bonham and Benny Greb and always aims to instil that energy and personality into his and his students’ drumming.

professional touring musician and a private piano tutor.

Education: Studied Music at Wolverhampton University.

Experience:He has had the pleasure of working, recording and playing with many notable music industry figures such as Gregory Porter, Aynsley Lister, Julie Dexter, and Omar. He has also performed at many notable events including the 2018 commonwealth games in Australia, the annual sky sports world badminton opening ceremony and the regular BBC Introducing artist sessions. In addition, he has organised ensembles and community classes for Birmingham’s youth. His passion for education and empowering young people has led him to receive awards for youth excellence, through managing ensemble groups, directing youth choirs and leading community workshop.

ukulele for numerous years.

Education: Self-taught from the age of eight years old. Stephen can teach all graded exams with ABRSM or Rock School exam boards.

Experience: Stephen has experience of teaching acoustic and electric guitar as well as teaching the ukulele and song writing. He has been a member of the Shades Music family since 2010, tailoring his lessons to suit each students needs.

of playing live in London and Birmingham.

Education:Graduated from The University College London and gained a Masters Degree at Birmingham University.

Experience:Dominic’s compositions have been featured on BBC West Midlands and BBC Introducing and used by the NOMAD Drama theatre company. He currently supports local songwriter Anne-Marie Allen, and plays at a range of pubs and clubs across the West Midlands as a performer in his own right. His influences include John Martyn, Taj Mahal and Joni Mitchell.

of knowledge in performance, technique and music reading.

Education: BA Honours Degree in Music Production

Experience:After gaining a BA Honours Degree in Music Production, Alisdair aligned his focus towards drumming. Since then, his drumming success has seen him recording, mixing and creating drum pieces for successful music artists.

His music projects have been picked up by several independent record labels internationally and have been aired on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC WM and Triple J to name a few.

Throughout his drumming career, Alisdair has sought to inject a feel-good sense of groove into his drumming and also into his students.

He teaches a range of styles such as Rock, Blues, Classical, jazz and finger style.

Education: Self taught and mentored by Uli Jon Roth.

Experience:Ali has toured the US and Europe with a range of artists such as Uli Jon Roth and with his own original projects. He has years of teaching experience, with a “no fail” record for his students across ABRSM and Rock School exam boards.Ali will help you achieve any musical goals you want to tackle, whether its instrumentation, songwriting or theory practice.

She then went on to study Sound Engineering and Production whilst continuing her application of guitar. Since then she leads a double life split between both teaching music and teaching sound.

Education: Sound Engineering and Production BSc (Hons)

Experience: After gaining a degree in Sound Engineering, Hazel aligned her focus towards guitar. She has been apart of numerous bands that are usually all under (but not limited to) the style of rock. For a number of years she has taught for Yamaha and various other Music Hubs. Alongside setting up for live sound events and recording numerous bands.

Olivia is patient, understanding and always puts the student’s interests first.

Education:In the final year of undergraduate study at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, majoring in jazz saxophone. She is the winner of the 2018 RBC jazz composition prize for jazz orchestra.

Experience:Olivia has performed across the U.K and Europe and is a regular player in the Birmingham jazz scene. She has recently returned from studying for a term at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague in the Netherlands. She has vast experience playing in RBC’s Ellington Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra and Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, as well as smaller ensembles and her own projects which regularly performs her own music. Olivia has four Grade 8s in jazz saxophone, jazz clarinet, classical clarinet and classical piano and so can teach all ages and abilities from beginner to advanced, as well as flute, composition and theory tuition.