All of our tutors at TMA are highly experienced, professional and tailor their lessons to each individual pupil. All of our teachers are fully DBS checked in accordance with government guidelines. If you are interested in joining our team Please Contact Simon.
Simon Markland – BA (hons) PGCE
Simon Markland is a highly experienced tutor in piano, guitar (electric and acoustic) and singing. He began keyboard lessons at the age of 5, completing his grades by the age of 12. Simon then moved onto learning the piano, working his way up the practical and theory grades until he was 16. This experience made Simon realise that his passion is for music.
Wishing to learn a new instrument, Simon picked up the guitar at 14 and progressed quickly over the following few years. He regularly performs within groups and as a solo artist performing well known favourites and compositions of his own which are always greatly received and highly praised.
Over the last 12 years he has taught private music lessons to children and adults ensuring they achieve their grade ambitions or just the ability to enjoy playing their instruments. As a qualified teacher Simon is highly competent in planning creative, individual and correctly levelled lessons for any pupil.
Originally from Lancashire, Simon undertook a BA (hons) in Music Practice at the University of Central Lancashire and completed his P.G.C.E at Oxford Brookes university. He has since been teaching and providing support in primary schools alongside private musical tuition.
In September 2015 Simon realised his dream of opening a full time music academy in the Thame area of Oxfordshire. He aims to bring professional and creative music lessons to children and adults alike alongside getting involved with local community projects and performances. Simon will also be going into local schools to inspire children to get involved.
Luke Chapman
Luke Chapman is experienced in teaching both children and adults of any age; Piano, Saxophone, Clarinet and singing. He began music lessons from the age of 8 completing all the required grades. At college Luke studied and completed a BTEC in music, something which has given him the bedrock for his musical talents.
Luke has performed in touring shows such as West Side Story, Sweeney Todd musical, Cabaret musical and various pantomimes. He also appeared in the ensemble in the film Les Miserables! Luke recently toured around the world performing with Westlife and Take That.
Currently the Musical theatre Teacher/singing teacher at the Pauline Quirke Academy in Oxford Luke also enjoys teaching privately and can provide creative lessons tailored for each individual.
Rosalind Cox
Rosalind Cox is a freelance ‘cellist’ and ‘cello’ teacher. She began her career at the Royal College of Music where she studied with Amaryllis Fleming. She achieved a distinction for her performing diploma and obtained a music degree. Since then she has been a member of the Elysian Piano Trio and the Clifton String Quartet and was principal cello of the Western Sinfonia for ten years.
Rosalind is also an enthusiastic teacher of the ‘cello and enjoys teaching pupils of all ages from beginner to diploma standard. She has previously been a teacher at Guildford High School, Royal Grammar School, St Catherine’s Bramley, Surrey University and Kings College and Wellington School in Somerset.
Gareth Batson
Gareth started drumming at age 8 on his fathers kit and soon found he had a passion for music and rhythm. This resulted in him playing in numerous school bands & theatre productions.
Upon leaving school and through many casual jobs, his constant love of music and drumming continued. Because of this, at 23, he decided to make it his full time profession.
This was to lead to a 15 year career of studio sessions, touring, gigs & tutoring having played with/for/supported the following:
Simply Red, Feeder, Lisa Stansfield, Republica, Aztec Camera, Vex Red, Ross Robinson (producer Slipknot, Korn) Mark Waterman ( producer Elastica, Swervedriver), The Family Cat, Jack Adapter & Last Man Standing (amongst others) along with many other casual gigs with a number of top musicians.
More recently Gareth has been pursuing his other love of sport setting up a personal training business with his wife as well as becoming a cycling coach.
Gareth can provide outstanding, creative and professional drum tuition from beginner to expert.
Karl Demata
Karl is a music teacher, lecturer, touring and recording artist, composer and songwriter.
Born in Italy and relocated to the UK after a period of world travel, Karl has spent years playing, touring and recording with a wide range of bands.
Inspired by the sixties and seventies rock music Karl started playing in his early teens but soon expanded his musical horizons to include a wide variety of styles. In the early days it would not have been unusual to perform in a loud rock band at night, study musicology and music theory at the University of Bologna (DAMS course – Music Arts & Drama) in the morning and hone traditional rock, blues, country and folk guitar techniques in the afternoon. These days, he shares his schedule between solo projects, European and American tours with several rock and jazz bands, festivals and club appearances (including Glastonbury, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Bestival / Isle of Wight etc. ) and session work for many other bands and musicians. For his own solo Album in 2011, he received rave reviews from, amongst others, BBC Radio 2 and Total Guitar magazine.
Karl is extremely passionate about music and guitars. As a teacher he covers a wide range of subjects including Rock, Hard-Rock, Pop, Folk, Country & Bluegrass, Traditional & Contemporary Blues, Traditional and “Gypsy” Jazz and more.
He also teaches bass guitar, mandolin, ukulele, improvisation, composition & songwriting and music technology.
Andrew Hansford
Andrew Hansford BMus (Hons) BA (Hons) MA MMus(Perf) MMus (Cantab) PGCert (OU)
ARCM ARCO LRSM LGSM LTCL FLCM FRSA (CT ABRSM Mentor)
Andrew Hansford, born in Berkshire, UK, holds UK music-degrees from Surrey ((UniS), Guildford), Bristol and Cambridge (St Catharine’s College) universities, and with the Open University (OU) (BA (Hons) in Humanities with Music with First-Class Honours and a Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities with Music (PGCert (OU) with Distinction) in addition to an MMus(Perf) from Bath Spa University (BSU), UK with Distinction in which Andrew specialised in Performance as a piano accompanist, as well as the ARCM, ARCO, LRSM, LGSM, LTCL, FLCM music-diplomas (awarded mostly in piano accompaniment/performance) and the FRSA. A performing classical pianist, specialising in piano accompaniment relatively early on whilst at school, he is also an organist, a harpsichordist (focusing mainly on accompaniment in both these instruments as well) and a choral singer (tenor).
Andrew is an active international ABRSM Examiner (classical/jazz grades/ARSM diploma), a CT ABRSM Mentor (piano) and an active international BIFF Music Adjudicator. A committed and experienced piano/jazz piano tutor (at all ages/levels), he is a permanent Visiting Piano/Jazz Piano Tutor with part-time posts at two Oxfordshire independent schools, gives piano tuition privately on a consultative/occasional basis, and has more recently secured a part-time Visiting Music Tutor position (in various capacities) at a Music Academy in Oxfordshire, UK. Presently researching for a PhD (in Music) at St John’s College, University of Durham, UK in preparation for a UK university Music lecturing-post, Andrew continues to enjoy his (advanced) piano accompaniment studies (on occasion and externally) at the Royal College of Music (RCM), London, UK with Gordon Fergus-Thompson, international concert-pianist (as part of Andrew’s personal/professional development). Andrew has always had a real love of choral/vocal music, nurtured since beginning his musical upbringing as a UK Cathedral Choir School nine-year-old boy-chorister, and he continually takes special pleasure in accompanying choirs, choral-ensembles and singers. Andrew’s preferred choice of instrument for the art of piano accompaniment is Steinway Model D
Andrew is delighted to have been appointed as a part-time Visiting Music Tutor at the Thame Music Academy (TMA), Oxfordshire, UK and very much looks forward to collaborating with learners and staff within the TMA.
Ian Fawcett
Ian is a versatile and multi-faceted musician and teacher with over 30 years’ experience working with children young people and adults. He studied, worked and taught in London for many years and moved to Oxfordshire 15 years ago.
He is a Woodwind teacher of Flute to a high level and Clarinet and Saxophone to lower levels. He has performed in Orchestras in the UK and Spain. His first love is Chamber Music and engaging with musicians in smaller Groups or Ensembles. He has recorded 2 CDs with his Classical Guitar partner in Spain.
He is also a Singer-Tenor and has performed with many Choirs in London and the South East and is particularly interested in voices and techniques that need remedial care and
Tom Mear
Tom Mear is an experienced musician and producer who plays drums, piano and bass guitar. He started to learn the drums at age 12. Since then he has picked up his other musical skills such as playing piano and bass guitar, producing, songwriting and music theory. He is a very keen performer and has played in many bands over the years, mainly as the drummer, playing cover and originals in various band and playing in various different parts of the country. And he is a keen producer who has a great understanding of music software such as Logic and Pro Tools, as well as having a lot of recording and engineering experience.
During his schools years, he had joined the school swing band as the drummer, performed in various musical productions and ran the school’s drum club; where he taught many younger students how to play the drums.
He then studied music for 4 years in college. 2 years of music performance and 2 years of music technology. During that time he has achieved a student of the year award, gigged with bands and has become a producer. He has produced various work of people since learning his skills, including songs, voice overs and sound effects. He achieved very high marks in both courses (performance: Distinction* Distinction, Distinctio. Technology: Distinction* Distinction*, Distinction*) both are diplomas. He will also be taking his drum grade 8 exam soon.
He is now the drummer in a progressive rock band called ‘The Mighty Bard’ who has appeared in ‘Prog Magazine’ and performed around the country. Tom is someone who wants to gain as much musical experience as possible, whether it be performing, teaching or producing. His musical styles include Rock, Jazz, Pop, Blues and Funk.
Cliff Sadler
Music has always been a passion of mine.
I started playing cornet in the junior band at the City of Oxford Silver Band in the late 1960’s, then went on to have a very successful time with championship section bands including Halls Oxford Concert Brass and Hanwell, which included several appearances at the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall.
I spent 25 years in the Territorial Army playing for the Royal Green Jackets Waterloo Band and Bugles. During my time with the band, I progressed to Colour Sargent, running the brass quintet and deputising for the musical director when needed. I played principal euphonium and regularly performed solos with the band at our many formal concerts. I also took part in many marching displays including sounding the retreat at Horse Guards parade and have performed at many prestigious venues around the world.
I am the Musical Director of a local band, Jubilee brass band, and as well as conducting the band at some very successful concerts I have also, following winning and becoming the 4th section area champions, achieved promotion with them from the fourth to the third section.
I have taught Brass for 15 years and have entered many children into the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music examinations with a 100% pass rate.
I have a very calm approach to teaching and the pupils I have taught in the past have responded well to me.
I am a highly motivated and hardworking individual who will always strive to get the best out of the people I work with.
Rupert Wilson
Rupert has been a full time musician and guitar tutor for the past 8 years. Playing since he was 12 years old, he mixes his time between touring with covers and originals bands and teaching the guitar to people of all ages. From Oxfordshire, he has toured all over the UK to thousands of people at corporate events, holiday parks and some of the countries most respected venues and festivals.
Rupert’s aim is to share the enjoyment of playing the guitar to other people and to help them progress in every aspect of their guitar journey, whether you’re a complete beginner, want to take grades or just want to learn for fun, his lessons are individually tailored to suit you.
Michael Wilkins BA(hons) MMus
Michael is a versatile and experienced musician, who has been teaching saxophone, clarinet, music theory and improvisation, for saxophone as well as other instruments, since 2006. He has maintained a regular performing schedule since then, which has included playing at Glastonbury, Bestival, major venues in London, touring France with the Glen Miller Memorial Orchestra and many other appearances in the UK and beyond.
Michael’s first degree was in Jazz Studies which he undertook at Leeds College of Music. This also involved studying Indian classical music, playing in a South African townships jazz band and performing in big bands, alongside regularly working in smaller jazz groups. Since then, Michael has continued to play in jazz groups in addition to playing in ska bands, soul bands, funk bands, orchestras for stage musicals, giving classical recitals, directing big bands, as well as writing arrangements for them. Michael’s students have presented him with an equally varied repertoire, with some of them learning the sax solos from their favourite pop records, others studying jazz, and many taking graded exams. Michael has experience of all the grades in the jazz and the classical syllabus of both Trinity and ABRSM exam boards, with students having successfully passed the highest grade in each. He directs a soul band at one of the schools where he teaches and also leads and writes the music for a wind band at another.
Michael holds a Master’s Degree in Performance from Birmingham Conservatoire and has either studied with or attended masterclasses by, many of England and America’s top saxophone artists. He has amassed a wealth of information about technique, harmony, jazz history, vintage saxophones and more, which he enjoys sharing with students of all ages and abilities.
Gill Fuller
Susan Briscoe
Having been born into a family of violinists in Dublin, Susan was quickly recognised as having a special sound on the instrument that needed nurturing. She won a scholarship to study with Jaroslev Vanacek at the Royal College of Music in London, then further study in Amsterdam with Davina van Wely. This set her onto a successful career joining the English Chamber Orchestra in 1987. She was also in demand elsewhere at the Royal Opera House, BBC Symphony, London Philharmonic and Philharmonia Orchestras. She has performed as soloist and leader with the National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin and as has toured as a recitalist in Ireland, Holland and Austria.
Alongside this, Susan has always enjoyed and valued the importance of teaching. She has a successful private practise teaching all levels and ages in Brighton and will be joining the team at TMA as our new violin tutor from January 2020.