Paul Lennon
Musician
Guitar
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Violin

Teaching

Piano - I teach from beginners to advanced – classical and jazz trained and can prepare the student for both classical and jazz piano grades as they are at the moment : classical grades I – VIII and jazz grades I – V.  All this accompanied by thorough teaching of theory both classical and jazz – a natural prerequisite for the student who wants a sure grounding in strong musical skills.  Keyboard harmony and ear training are also an important area covered for all-round development.  I’m experienced in many styles of music so for those pianists who want to play blues, rock and pop I can accommodate you as well.

Classical Guitar- I’ve studied classical, rock and jazz guitar.  In classical guitar I use books like Frederick Noad’s  Solo Guitar Playing and Hector Quine’s Introduction To The Guitar which cover the basics of classical guitar technique in a clear and fun way.  The duet aspect of the Noad book is particularly good for the beginning player as it gives clear indication of progress.  For the more advanced player Bach’s Lute Suiters, the guitar music of Villa Lobos, Sor, Guiliani, etc. and more modern composers like Leo Brouwer,  Gerald Garcia, Llobet, Cardoso form as essential part of modern classical guitar study.

Pick Guitar - William Leavitt wrote a fine series of books for pick guitar called A Modern Method For Guitar and I’ve found them extremely useful for teaching a backbone technique along with reading skills for many aspiring rock and jazz guitar students.  Leavitt’s jazz sensibilities fall very much in line with own ideas in jazz and rock improvisation.  I take into account the musical experience of my students and encourage them to bring their own choice into the material they learn.  My own experience of rock and jazz of the last thirty years helps to form a rounded appreciation of recent musical history and it’s relevance in the music of today all of which I try to convey to my students.

Violin - From beginners to advanced level I teach with experience from teachers like Michael Rennie, Michael Gatward and others who have all taught me to use rational thought in the teaching of an often confusing instrument with even more confusing teaching styles! With the use of the works by both Michaels and O’Sevcik and later the studies of Kayser, Mazas and Kreutzer I seek to encourage the student to develop true intonation and good musicality.  The music of the great composers forms the core of my violin teaching – Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and more.  My experience in jazz also provides an insight into improvisation for the student who wishes to move into the music of such violinists as Stephane Grappelli, Didier Lockwood, Joe Venuti, Jean-Luc Ponty et al. 

Electric Bass - From the rock bass of the 60s through funk and punk bass of the 70s and back to walking bass of the jazz swing era I have much experience to share for aspiring bass players.  I’ve studied fretted and fretless bass including slap bass using material from Rufus Reid, Chuck Cher, Valda Hammick and Tony Oppenheim among others.  All this as well as many years playing bass with a modern jazz big band – EPJ and writing an hours’ material for that particular eleven-piece line-up.

Theory of Music - An essential area covered along with all my instrumental and vocal teaching and preparation for the Associated Board theory grades is provided whenever needed.

Keyboard Harmony - Using material which includes the books by Dorothy Pilling I find keyboard harmony to be a very useful skill for real musical development.  On the jazz side the books by Phil de Greg, Dan Haerle and Mike Tracey provide a huge resource for the pianist and non-pianist to develop skills that can be used in any musical situation.

If you are interested in tuition in the Beckenham (UK) area, Paul Lennon L.T.C.L. is a full ISM member.

Contact Paul direct on paul@paullennon.com

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