45 Ridgeway Lane, Neath, Neath, West Glamorgan, SA10 6FY (Show me directions) Show Map
Monday to Sunday: Closed
Profile
Brilliant brass and woodwind tutor
My name is Neil Southgate and I am a freelance music teacher with brass specialism. I also teach clarinet, recorder, saxophone and flute lessons.
I have experience teaching individual, group, and whole class lessons for children of primary and secondary school age. I also run classes and a wind ensemble for adults.
I accept beginner to advanced levels in the study of the cornet, trumpet, baritone and trombone though would consider tutoring students on other high and low brass instruments. Woodwind lessons cater for beginner levels. My tuition extends to music theory and beginner piano.
I also offer schools Whole Class Ensemble Tuition (WCET) on trumpets and/ or recorder. I provide all materials, including the instruments, to deliver a 10 - 30 week scheme of work.
I believe in taking an active approach to music lessons. This means the tutee is very much an active participant. The tutee will not only learn in a traditional manner by sitting-down reading notation from a score in a teacher led activity but will be encouraged to move, play visual and sound games, compose, and explore the sound-world of the instrument in attempt for the tutee to construct an interest and passion for music as well as in their instrument of choice. I want to help develop creative musicians with strong musicianship and encourage individualism in addition to fostering effective communication and cooperation in pupils. The study of music develops many skills, transferable to many walks of life, and it is my role as a tutor to try and create a safe learning environment where these skills can germinate and grow.
Having a pupil play as soon as possible is always the best approach to music tuition. Teaching through exploration of different styles and music, through individual practice, playing directly with me or learning through demonstration will promote greater confidence.
Rhythm is the root of a lot of music and, although learning notes and theory is addressed from the very first lesson, a focus on musicality promotes individualism and self-confidence faster than being over-loaded with information too quickly. Once confidence and enthusiasm is gained through rhythms and intonation it is important to come-by pupil-focused (and achievable) goals. These might include direction through examinations or the desire to learn particular styles of music. Learning is progressive and based on individual needs.
Instruction may not always be on the instrument or might involve playing the instrument in a different way. There are various exercises I have my students complete (for enjoyment, variation and to improve technique) that are separate from playing on the instrument, such as mouth-, breathing- and tonguing- exercises. The student may play only on the mouthpiece or with certain parts of the instrument removed. Additionally, the student may be set listening, composition or improvisation tasks. These are not idle exercises and are based in brass and woodwind pedagogy, helping to develop a well-rounded musician.
Director at Hot House Music Ltd - Swansea (Sept, 2019 ongoing): I am now employed as the director of music for Swansea for the social-enterprise company, HHMusic Ltd. As well as running music lessons, I direct various ensembles for adults and children and organise concerts and tours for pupils.
Self Employed Peripatetic Teacher (Sept, 2014 on-going): I teach individual, group and whole class music lessons for children of primary and secondary school age. Content caters for beginner to advanced levels. I teach most woodwind and brass instruments. I have experience as a music co-ordinator within one primary school where I directed all music activities for one day a week, every week. Within this school, I taught Early Years Foundation Stage music and delivered Key Stage 1 and 2 materials. I also teach adults.
Brass Ensemble Tutor - Cheltenham (Oct, 2015 - Dec, 2019): I ran a secondary school brass ensemble and taught regular brass lessons for students.
County Music Group Tutor (with brass specialism) and Whole Class Ensemble Teacher (WCET) on brass - Gloucestershire (Sept, 2014 - Dec, 2019): As a staff member of Gloucestershire Music, I was involved in a range of music activities. As part of a music centre, I delivered the Gifted and Talented (formerly First Access) scheme for beginners of brass instruments, ran senior theory classes and the brass band. I also conducted a beginner adult wind band whose members - before joining the group - had never previously played wind instruments.
As a Whole Class Ensemble Tutor (WCET), I teach music and brass playing in a whole class setting. I take up to 34 trumpets into a classroom and deliver a 10 - 30 week unique scheme of work to children. The role requires strong organisation skills, appropriate classroom management and the ability to differentiate material effectively.
Testimonials
Neil is an excellent teacher...
Neil is an excellent teacher with a great sense of humour. He makes learning music lots of fun. I can really hear the improvement in my son's technical skills since he began lessons and he is always motivated to practise the pieces that Neil has set. He looks forward to his lessons. Neil sets very clear targets so my son always knows what to do to progress.
My daughter... is really enjoying...
My daughter has been having lessons with Neil for a couple of months now and is really enjoying them. She does cornet and trombone with Neil which works well and he is flexible about how the lessons are structured so sometimes they work on both instruments and sometimes they focus on just one, depending on what my daughter has been working on or wants to do that day. Trombone was a completely new instrument for her and she seems to be picking it up really well. She always comes away from the lesson enthusiastic and wanting to practice ready for the next week.
Testimonials are curated by Southgatebrass and are not independently reviewed or verified.