STUDENT FEEDBACK
I have been a student of David's for about a year. I always look forward to our lessons. David has a way of breaking things down and making learning a pleasure. I will be returning to the US soon, but I look forward to continuing our lessons via Zoom for a long time to come.
AJ (Piano student since 2020)
Davids Klavierstunden sind exzellent. Er erklärt - auch für Anfänger - die Theorie sehr gut und erarbeitet schwierige Passagen in sinnvollen kleinen Schritten, so dass man rasch Fortschritte machen kann. David ist sehr geduldig und motivierend, ich freue mich jede Woche sehr auf die Klavierstunde mit ihm.
David’s piano lessons are excellent. He explains music theory very well – even for beginners – and works out difficult passages in useful little steps, so that one can make progress very quickly. David is very patient and motivating – I look forward very much to my online piano lessons with him every week.
Kerstin Büscher, M.A. (Piano student since 2020)
I started online lessons with David after a roughly 10 year break in my piano practice. David has been very attentive and adjusted the lessons to suit my particular situation and level.
I have to mention a few aspects which are of particular importance to me. Firstly, I mentioned to David that I'd love to focus particularly on Jazz techniques. David organised our lessons in a way that I can continue to increase the breadth and depth of my skills at the same time. We normally spend some time on general techniques such as scales and music theory before focusing on two pieces: one shorter, one longer. This approach allows me to move quickly through shorter tunes, familiarising myself with a variety of techniques while also mastering a longer and more involved piece. Second, David has a great aptitude for explaining the drier aspects of music theory in a very clear and entertaining manner.
David's guidance and coaching have been keeping me motivated from the very first lesson. I'm delighted to say that I keep observing a significant and steady progress in my piano skills.
Igor Chornous (Piano student since 2020)
I asked David to help me learn some of the new choral pieces in our programme, and he did a great job. His teaching skill, professional music knowledge, excellent piano playing, patience and encouragement all gave me significant help to accelerate my learning. My practice lessons with him not only helped my singing, but boosted my confidence. I can thoroughly recommend him.
John Cohen OBE (Theory student in 2017)
Returning to the piano after many years off, David has made getting back into learn the instrument not only easy, but fun and enjoyable.
Adam Cunningham (Piano student since 2020)
David has been teaching me music theory since 2019, both online and in person. He’s provided an excellent service and is calm, patient and structured. As a parent, and working full time, it is difficult to find the time to study, but David’s flexibility and drive has pushed me forwards and we’re on course to achieve everything I wanted to achieve.
Ben Davies, Hiscox UK (Theory student since 2019)
I recently returned to playing the piano after a long, long break. In the short time I've been taking lessons with David I've enjoyed his teaching approach. He's very friendly, intuitive, understands what I want to learn and teaches in a way that I feel challenged but not under pressure. Thanks David!
Ian (Piano student in 2020)
I've just started learning the piano at the age of 30. It was something that I thought was too late for me to take up, but a friend recommended David to me and it was the best decision I've made. He is an incredibly patient tutor, full of knowledge and always trying to find the best way for me to achieve my goals. I'm currently working on the ABRSM Grade 1 syllabus and I just got to play my favourite piece from the current exam book for my family - a very proud moment!
Daniel Edwards (Piano student since 2021)
I started online lessons with David at the beginning of the pandemic. At age 64 I wasn't sure if I could gain a new instrument, but I have learnt so much from this informative, friendly and approachable tutor. I always look forward to my next lesson, and the homework set is always challenging but achievable.
Richard (Piano student since 2020)
David is a very thorough and attentive tutor, flexible when adjusting to different learning styles, and very supportive.
Stephanie (Theory student in 2019)
After having played the accordion for some years as a child, I always regretted that I never made the transition to the piano. It's been a dream of mine for many years and it took another lockdown to finally be proactive about it.
David has adapted extremely well to teaching remotely with a double-camera set up which allows his students to see both him and his hands on the keyboard. From the very beginning I was impressed with his empathic and passionate approach and his willingness to adjust his lessons to my needs and goals. David offers the perfect combination of music theory and practice and his tips and suggestions for tackling any challenges are invaluable.
Dennis Girodo, M.A. (Piano student since 2021)
David helped me reconnect with my previous piano studies in a very natural way. He is also good at explaining music theory (which I had struggled with before). I can recommend David as an inspiring and sensitive teacher.
Maxim Ilyashenko (Piano student since 2020)
David is a friendly, skilled and very knowledgeable piano tutor. He is very patient, always positive and puts me at ease, which means I learn a lot from him, especially about technique. This is vital in getting the timing and flow of the music right. David develops a deep understanding of what my needs are and is committed to progress. The written notes he provides after each lesson are invaluable. An excellent tutor, thoroughly recommended.
Dr Satinder Kumar (Piano student in 2018)
David is a great teacher and my technique has improved significantly since he started teaching me. His musicality and insight has also helped me to think about bringing the music I play to life. Crucially, he adapted our lessons to what I wanted to play, while still providing structure and guidance, which is rare in a music teacher. Even with scales and arpeggios, he suggested more interesting ways of practising which I had never encountered before. During the lockdown he was able to teach online while still keeping the lessons engaging and useful.
Leon Matthias, UBS (Piano student since 2020)
David is compassionate, taking time to understand your requirements and executing various 'routes to market' so that students can achieve well-rounded performance.
Anthony P (Piano student since 2020)
I started to learn the piano at Morley College but the scheduling of the courses changed such that it made attendance unviable. So that meant finding a private tutor. I have to admit the task did not fill me with joy, but I struck gold on my first attempt.
David is the ideal teacher. He is patient, engaging and is very skilled at putting me at ease through his encouragement. My lessons are always structured with each building on from what was taught and discussed previously. Also, I receive clear written guidance notes after each lesson, which is extremely useful as it helps me structure my own private practice.
David is also responsive to my interests. My primary goal is working on the ABRSM piano grades, however, if I turn up with a piece of music that I want to learn I know that David will take the time to help me with it. If you are looking for a piano tutor that you can engage with and have fun with whilst learning, then David is for you.
Anonymous (Piano student since 2019)
After spending hours trying to find fitting music for one of my YouTube videos, it occurred to me to commission the music. So I turned to David, provided a short brief and received exactly what I had been searching for. I wish I had thought of it earlier because it could have saved me so much time. Thanks to David, I now have a piece of background music much more fitting for my content than anything I could find online.
Andy Roberts (YouTube: Lunartic)
I always wanted to learn to play piano but hadn't gone through with it. By coincidence I found David, so I decided to give it a try with him as a tutor. I'm not young any more and thought it was going to be difficult to learn, but he made everything easy. My partner learned piano when they were younger and knows how difficult it can be, but they are surprised that after only a few weeks I know how to read music and play short songs. I'm very happy with the online lessons: they are well-structured, giving time for theory, homework reviews, tips to improve my weaknesses and flexibility to progress with my strengths. David is also very polite, kind and cheerful.
César Sepulveda (Piano student in 2020)
I have been wanting to get back into playing the piano for years but something always got in the way. David's passionate and flexible approach to teaching gave me the motivation I needed to dedicate more time to the instrument.
Max Voloshin, Masters student (Piano student in 2018)
My son has been a student of David's for about a year. During this time his knowledge of music and ability to play have come leaps and bounds. David is very calm, patient and positive. He is able to tailor the lessons according to individual learning styles. He kept lessons fun and engaging, but still made sure every lesson was productive and structured. He also provided detailed feedback after each lesson, so we knew how my son was progressing and what he needed to work on.