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Hi, I’m Tom, and I’m a professional trumpet player. For me, nothing is more joyous than sharing what I have learned as a musician with others. Teaching music is a process unique to every single student-teacher duo, and I hold this fact at the heart of my teaching method. The variety of people that I’ve met through teaching brass instruments is enormous, and because I believe that absolutely anyone can learn to play the trumpet or cornet, that variety of people (along with their potential!) is limitless. My youngest student is 4 and my oldest is 78, with my current students ranging from complete beginners all the way up to full-time professionals.
I offer lessons on either a regular weekly basis, ad hoc for busy lifestyles, or here-and-there for professional players. I teach throughout the year, including school holidays. All lessons take place in my home studio in Streatham; however, I can travel locally in some circumstances. At home, I teach from 10:30-8:30 on weekdays, and 11-5 on weekends. I hold an up-to-date enhanced DBS certificate. Read on to learn about what’s on offer, or skip down to the contact section to get straight in touch. |
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A little more about who I am
I’m an alumnus of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and, before that, Wells Cathedral School. As a performer, I specialise in the commercial side of music – mainly musical theatre and lead trumpet playing – and also the magnificent world of baroque music. My interest in authentic performance has more recently brought me to playing jazz music of the ‘20s and ‘30s – a welcome addition to my portfolio.
You can find out more about me by visiting my performing website at www.trumpettom.com
You can find out more about me by visiting my performing website at www.trumpettom.com
Where to begin
How long a lesson should I have?Lessons are 1 hour as standard, or 30 minutes for primary school children. 45 minute lessons are offered for any kids with a longer attention span or who want to cover that bit extra.
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What should I bring to my first lesson?If you are a beginner, all you need is a trumpet or cornet (except for try-one-out lessons, for which you just need yourself!). For everyone else, I suggest bringing along a piece that you’ve been playing or something you’ve been working on – if it’s only in your head, that’s fine too!
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What will we cover in lessons?Each lesson is completely tailored to the student, but there are universal principles such as finding the most enjoyable state of playing; perfecting technique; and developing a broad, instinctual understanding of music. Discovery is everything.
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Try-One-Out
Is your son or daughter not sure what brass instrument they want to learn? In my music room, I have a few trumpets, a cornet and a trombone. Bring them along for a 30 minute lesson on these three instruments to help them find their perfect fit.
Trumpet or cornet?The difference between these two instruments at a professional level is quite marked. Trumpets are heard in orchestras, on pop tracks, in big bands and on jazz records, for example. Cornets are found in brass bands, early jazz and joining orchestras in some works from the nineteenth century. They actually evolved in very different ways – cornets from the hunting horn and trumpets from a common predecessor of the trombone. However, they are played almost exactly the same way, with the same valves and in the same key, so the only real difference between them at a beginner level is that the cornet, shorter than the trumpet, offers a more comfortable playing position for the little ones. You could even consider a pocket trumpet for an even more compact experience.
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I want to buy an instrument. What would you recommend?Although it can be possible to get lucky with an eBay purchase of a bashed-up old horn, there are certain brands which are much less of a gamble. Yamaha is guaranteed to make decent instruments, well-worth the money in all price brackets. John Packer and Jupiter make excellent quality entry level instruments, John Packer being the cheapest for beginners at £140 for a trumpet and £170 for a cornet or pocket trumpet. Vincent Bach (who also make Elkhart instruments) are also good quality at all price points. All of these brands will last well into intermediate level. Do avoid pTrumpets and pCornets at all costs, but I do recommend Tromba plastic instruments, which are much more playable, especially if you get a metal mouthpiece to accompany it. Be aware that plastic instruments won’t be much use past beginner level. Brands like Sonata and Rosetti are also in this beginner-only bracket and often don’t work very smoothly. Anything for less than £100 new is definitely not worth the money!
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What mouthpiece should I play on?The perfect mouthpiece is such a personal thing, varying enormously, but a 7C for kids and a 3C for teenagers and adults is a good general rule of thumb. Up to an intermediate level, the brand doesn’t matter much – you could pick up something good enough on eBay for roughly £20, and I recommend getting metal rather than plastic to begin with.
When you get into the advanced levels (Grade 8+), the world of mouthpieces suddenly becomes enormous. Many professional players stick with a Vincent Bach 3C or 1¼C and need never look elsewhere. Warburton is also a common brand to use (I play these, including my Croven, which is a copy of a Warburton), as is GR and often Monette. But even these are just the tip of a very large iceberg... 
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How much practice should I be doing?This is such a student-specific topic, but a certain level of commitment is expected.
Beginner – as much as possible! 5-10 minutes a day, 4-7 days a week. Intermediate – 10-30 minutes a day, 5-7 days a week. Advanced – 30-40 minutes per day, every day if you can. Expert – 40-60 minutes a day, every day. Professional – you shouldn’t even be reading this! |
How do I practice?An area shrouded in mystery! The most important thing for any level of trumpet player is exploration and experimentation. Beginners: play as much as possible and see what new things you can find out for yourself – with or away from the instrument. You can spend a lot of time simply repeating what you play in lessons. More advanced students: take time to get to know your playing from a tactile perspective and play around in different ways with the things we cover in lessons. Be creative.
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Do you do grades?As a general rule, I take school-age learners through grade exams when they are ready, and find that my adult students don’t tend to want to take these exams. Anyone can take grade exams and no-one is pushed to.
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Do you teach group lessons?Music is an especially wonderful thing when shared among a family. Although I don’t offer shared lessons due to their inefficiency, I am very keen to get families playing together, so siblings can have two half-hour lessons together for the price of one one-hour lesson. Other combinations can also be arranged.
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Can I try out a flugelhorn – or a piccolo trumpet?Of course! I have loads of instruments which my students love to try out when they are at a suitable stage in their playing.
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Prices
From January 2019
1 hour |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
Try-One-Out (30 minutes) |
£42 |
£37 |
£32 |
£42 |
The first lesson is always free of charge (excluding Try-One-Out). After the first lesson, if the student decides to continue with lessons, they can pay in advance for a series of lessons. A series can be any length, but 5 or 10 lessons are most common.
I also offer lessons exclusively on the baroque trumpet. These are suggested for older teenagers with an interest in pursuing music; students; and professional trumpet players. Please enquire for further details.
