Chris was appointed Professor of Jazz Guitar at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2017. He teaches one-to-one principal study jazz guitar lessons to undergraduate and postgraduates. This role also involves coaching groups, improvisation and repertoire classes, transcription and analysis, academic studies, adjudication and auditions.
He has worked for numerous other conservatoires and music colleges including the Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Middlesex University, the Academy of Contemporary Music, London Centre of Contemporary Music amongst others.
Chris also teaches privately at home and online – email to enquire.
Overview of teaching approach:
Primarily a jazz guitarist Chris is a versatile musician and brings expertise into his teaching approach from years of performing and recording in genres including jazz, rock, pop and classical. Over the course of a great deal of teaching and of study he has developed and refined a structured method that really helps the student to address the important issues in their playing, with a tailored practice routine. This will take into account the student’s personal style and preferences and address improvisation, technique, exercises for improving rhythm/time-feel, harmony and theory (such as techniques for internalising and using melodic and harmonic minor, harmonic major and diminished harmony), methods to improve sight-reading, approaches to interpreting a chart, transcription, playing in different genres, approaches to accompaniment, how to function in different types of ensemble, approaches to composition.
It also takes a holistic view, encompassing techniques for addressing physical and mental tension and nerves associated with practice and/or performance, and methods for instilling long-term healthy approaches to playing, which can have a very positive effect musically, as well as guarding against injury and reducing tension/stress.
Conservatoire auditions or ABRSM, Trinity, Rockschool etc grades can be worked towards on request.
