Teaching

Jazz Guitar Retreat in Andalucia, Southern Spain

Mike taught a week long Jazz Guitar Master Class Retreat in Southern Spain in June 2008 and 2009. The class involved six days of intensive study and was specifically aimed at intermediate to advanced jazz guitar students. We are hoping to repeat the course in 2010. Watch this space for updates.

More information at http://www.andaluzjazz.com/

Teaching in Central Manchester

Mike and vocal teacher Helle Singsaas are now offering lessons from premises on Lower Ormand Street in central Manchester close to the Royal Northern College of Music and the Manchester Universities. Mike offers intermediate to advanced guitar lessons and improvisation, harmony and theory tuition for all instruments. The charge is£40 for a 1 hour lesson. Please contact Mike to book a lesson.

Helle offers beginner to advanced vocal tuition and charges £30 for a 1 hour lesson. Please email her at helle.singsaas@gmail.com or phone her on 07786 127820 to book a lesson.

See Google maps for directions to Lower Ormand Street.

Method

I've been teaching privately for 25 years. I have taught all levels from beginners to advanced. My teaching methods range from building a solid foundation of fundamentals i.e. fretboard knowledge through scales, arppegios, triads, chords etc. to more advanced techniques concerning theory, harmony, and improvisation. I also teach improvisation for any instrument, including vocals. Emphasis is always on the individual and their own personal voice.

I've been working on tackling problems of nervousness, lack of confidence, and negative self criticism. These often get in the way of a musician's ability to express themselves freely. To this end I have developed a number of techniques to better understand the causes of such problems so that they won't be as much of a barrier in the future.

I teach at my home in Haslingden, Rossendale. See the contact page for my address and directions to my home.

I charge £40 for a one hour lesson.

Colleges / University

Salford College of Music
Lecturer in guitar for various periods between 1988 & 2002. Also taught improvisation.

Leeds College of Music
Lecturer in guitar, 1993 – 1998. Artist in Residence, 2001/2

Leigh College of Music

Arden Centre, Manchester

Bretton College, Wakefield
Lecturer in guitar at Bretton, Leigh, and Arden Centre for various periods between 1990 & 1993. Duties also included arranging and carrying out workshops on time and rhythm, improvisation for any instrument, practice techniques, and ensemble playing.

Franz Liszt Hochschule, Weimar, Germany
Full time Professor of guitar. During the period 1998 – 2001, duties included teaching guitar on a one-to-one basis; giving classes on jazz improvisation for singers; ensemble playing (including running multi-instrumental workshops); jazz theory, and instruction in the practical aspects of teaching.

Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts
Teaching Fellow. One-to-one guitar tuition, and teaching of improvisation and ensemble playing. 2002 onwards.

Workshops / Summer Schools / Short courses, etc.

I have led a number of workshops, and also work in schools at primary and secondary levels, such as on behalf of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland.

I teach at many residential jazz Summer Schools including those organised in Birmingham, Manchester, London, Glasgow, and Burnley.