Some of my students play classical (nylon-string) guitar, others prefer to play acoustic (steel-string) guitar or electric guitar. Some aim to perform in public, some are interested in taking the grade exams. Some are happy to learn to accompany songs (examples of songs I've taught are listed below) or to play classic rock riffs, others simply find the process of learning a new skill rewarding in itself. Many have started as complete beginners, others are players with some experience looking for a structured way to further develop their technique and musicianship on the instrument. As well as composing and playing music I devote much of my regular working week to teaching, and there are currently vacancies for anyone who can get to the Tarrant Valley, a lovely area of North Dorset between Blandford Forum and Wimborne.

Lessons take place in the tranquility of the picturesque village of Tarrant Monkton, and are competitively priced at £19 for an hour, or £11 for half an hour. I hope you will find me to be a very dedicated and adaptable teacher who believes that every minute of every lesson is precious, but no more so than every minute my pupils can devote to practising at home! Anyone who learns the classical guitar with me can take advantage of regular opportunities to perform in Blandford (see below), and will receive all the support and advice necessary should they decide to take Grade exams (for which the Dorset Rural Music School in Blandford Forum is an ABRSM centre).

So please don't hesitate to enquire if you think this could be for you. After an introductory session I'll be able to recommend the type of lessons that will best suit your particular circumstances. My approach will depend to a large extent on how much time you can or want to devote to practice, and whether you have specific or more general goals in learning an instrument. I aim to strike the right atmosphere in my lessons for an activity that can be therapeutic, fun, academic, sociable or rewarding - ideally all at once! But it's important to establish what is realistic and possible right at the start.

Taking up the classical guitar will normally involve learning to read music, which allows you to explore the vast and varied repertoire of guitar music and to play with other guitarists; for those with steel-string or electric guitars, lessons often develop naturally from particular songs or pieces the student would like to play, inevitably involving work on general playing technique and understanding of rhythm, chords, scales etc. Also, if required, I can give songwriting and composition advice and make quality studio recordings of your performances.

I am steadily building a reputation in the area as an enthusiastic, encouraging and engaging teacher, drawing on my long and varied experience of composing, arranging, performing and recording, as a guitarist, singer/songwriter and also in duos, classical ensembles and rock bands. I've studied the classical guitar since 1998 and am a member (and regular contributor to the newsletter) of the Dorset Guitar Society. Also, on the third Thursday of each month you'll find me at the North Dorset Guitar Forum, an informal guitar evening I organise in Blandford Forum, North Dorset, at which classical guitar enthusiasts and players of all levels of ability are very welcome to listen or play. It's also a chance to hear some very skilful and experienced players each month. Guitarists from all over Dorset and beyond have found these events an excellent way to try out new repertoire or overcome performance nerves in a relaxed, sociable atmosphere. Please get in touch if you'd like to come along to one. Previous Guitar Forum sessions have included composers as diverse as Sor, Berkeley, Brouwer, Carulli, Bach, Torroba, Purcell, Granados, Lennon & McCartney, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Dowland, Villa-Lobos, Stoker, Scarlatti, Albeniz....and many more, including pieces for guitar duo, guitar duos with recorder, violin or clarinet, and even a guitar/cello/viola trio.

Read on if you'd like to know more about the kind of songs and music I've taught, studied or performed over the last few years:

Songs I have arranged and performed (singing, usually with solo acoustic guitar accompaniment): Can't Stand Losing You, Days (Kinks), Dear God (XTC), Don’t Dream It’s Over, Every Breath You Take, Fall At Your Feet, Fields of Gold, From Me To You, Glutton of Sympathy (Jellyfish), God Only Knows, Here Comes the Flood (Peter Gabriel), Hey Jude, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, I Saw Her Standing There, If I Ever Lose My Faith In You, In My Life, Jumping Jack Flash, Money (Pink Floyd), Moving (Supergrass), No Matter What (Badfinger), Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, Pulling Mussels, Real Love (David Gray), Senses Working Overtime (XTC), Shape of my Heart, Should I Stay Or Should I Go, Still Too Young to Remember (It Bites), Streets of London, Stupidly Happy (XTC), Tempted (Squeeze), The Long And Winding Road, This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both of Us (Sparks), Three of A Perfect Pair (King Crimson), Waterloo Sunset, Weather With You, When You’re Near Me I Have Difficulty (XTC), While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Wish You Were Here, Yesterday, You Were Right (Badly Drawn Boy), You Won't See Me.

Songs I have taught (as solo acoustic guitar accompaniment for a vocal): Angels, Another Nail In My Heart (Squeeze), Beautiful Day (U2), Beautiful World (Take That), Before I Fall To Pieces (Razorlight), Bittersweet Symphony (The Verve), Black Dog, Blackbird, Breathe (Pink Floyd), Broken Strings, Brown Eyed Girl, Californication, Champagne Supernova, Come As You Are, Come Together, Comfortably Numb, Country House, Crazy (Seal), Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Desert Rose, Don’t Come The Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim (Kirsty MacColl), Don’t Panic (Coldplay), Driftwood, Eight Days A Week, Everything (Michael Buble), Fast Car, Fool On The Hill, Four Seasons In One Day, Free World (Kirsty McColl), From Me To You, Girl From Mars, Golden Touch, Good People, Hand In My Pocket, Help, Here There and Everywhere, Hotel California, House of the Rising Sun, How You Remind Me, I Am The Walrus, I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got, I Love Rock n Roll, I Predict A Riot, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Instant Karma, Is That Love (Squeeze), It’s Only Natural (Crowded House), Lady Madonna, Let It Be, Lithium, Love Me Do, Lucky Man, Message In A Bottle, Newborn (Elbow), Oh My God, Paradise City, Patience (Take That), Pinball Wizard, Plug in Baby, Purple Haze, Roll With It, Roxanne, Rule The World (Take That), Satisfaction, Seven Nation Army, Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Smells Like Teen Spirit, So Long Marianne, Somebody Told Me (Killers), Something, Start! (The Jam), Stop & Stare, Supersonic, Sweet Child o’ Mine, Synchronicity II, Talk Tonight, The Boxer, The Boys Are Back In Town, The Joker, The King Is Half Undressed (Jellyfish), The Riddle (Nik Kershaw), This Is A Low, Time (Pink Floyd), Under the Bridge, Voodoo Chile, Whistling For The Choir, Why Does It Always Rain On Me, Wild Thing, Wild Wood, Won’t Get Fooled Again, Yellow, You’re Beautiful... and probably many, many more!

If there is any song you particularly want to learn, let me know - these are just examples of the sort of songs people ask me to arrange for them, or those I have chosen to arrange myself.

When it comes to classical guitar instrumentals, I am happy to work through any piece of repertoire suggested by a pupil in order to help them learn it, but here are some examples of pieces I have worked on, learnt, performed or taught since 2004 (not including my own pieces, which you can read about here):

Anon - Romanza
Bach – Bourree (from Lute Suite in E minor)
Bach - Cello Suite No. 1 Prelude (Bream version)
Bach – Gavotte in A minor
Bach – Gavottes I & II (from 6th cello suite)
Bach – Lute Prelude BWV999
Bach – Sarabande (from 6th cello suite)
Barrios – La Catedral – Andante Religioso
Barrios – La Catedral – Preludio “Saudade”
Beatles - Norwegian Wood (arr. Washington)
Berkeley - Sonatina
Brouwer - Etude Simple No. 6
Carcassi - Etude No. 3
Carcassi - Etude No. 7
Giuliani - Andantino in C
Giuliani - Study in A minor
Lauro - El Negrito
Pernambuco – Sons de Carilhoes (Sounds of Bells)
Sor – Study in D Op35 No.17
Sor - Allegretto Moderato in D
Sor - Allegro in C (Segovia #2)
Sor - Andante in C
Sor - Andantino in Em
Sor - Etude No. 1
Sor - Moderato in C
Tarrega - Adelita
Tarrega - Lagrima
Tarrega – Capricho Arabe
Tarrega - Gran Vals in A
Tarrega - Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Villa-Lobos – Etude No. 1
Villa-Lobos - Etude No. 8
Villa-Lobos – Prelude No. 1
Villa-Lobos – Prelude No. 2
Villa-Lobos – Prelude No. 3
Villa-Lobos – Prelude No. 4
Villa-Lobos – Prelude No. 5