Get to know our growing team of professional music teachers, which will give you an insight into the high standards we deploy throughout our classes and workshops. All of our teachers are DBS cleared.
Ana Ortiz
Curtis
(Acoustic and Electric Guitar)
Curtis has played lead guitar for a variety of bands and projects and is known to gig relentlessly around Europe. He’s also afounder member of the new party band ‘CandyAmp’Having played in an act signed to Island Records, he has enjoyed supporting the likes of Katy B, Aloe Blacc and TheBlockheads. He has played at venues as prestigious as Somerset House, Liverpool Echo Arena, Teatro alle Tesse (Venice,Italy), Portsmouth Guildhall, Milton Keynes stadium and the Park Lane hotel.Aside from making noise in bands. Curtis also has experience of pit-work for musicals and has written and produced jinglesNick Grimshaw’s BBC Radio 1 show ‘Switch’.When he isn’t out gigging with Candyamp, you’ll find Curtis teaching guitar and leading his popular ‘School Of Rock’ sessionsin London schools.
ZLATINA
(Violin, Piano)
A Bulgarian violinist Zlatina began learning the violin at the age of four. She is currently studying MA Teaching Musician in Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She graduated BMus (Hons) Performance in The University of West London – London College of Music. She also graduated Instrumental Musician – Violinist from The National School of Music and Dance Arts “Dobrin Petkov” in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Zlatina has performed in the graduation ceremony concert as a soloist with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra. Also, she has performed at the Golden Hall in Musikverein, Wien as part of the Summer Cum Laude Youth Music Festival; Menorca (Spain), Ponte de Piave (Italy) and UK.
Zlatina has participated in several masterclasses with Dina Shnaiderman (Sweden), Emil Kamilarov (Bulgaria), Kevork Mardirossian (USA), Eugeniy Chevkenov (Austria), Prof. Devorina Gamalova (UK-Bulgaria), Stephane Tran Ngoc (UK), John Mills (UK), and also music festivals, and competitions across Europe. In March 2016 she has been awarded The William Brake Bursary.
She started teaching violin in 2013 – preparing pupils for ABRSM exams, performances, examinations, auditions and festivals. She has an experience working with little children from age of 3 to adults.
GEORGE
(Drums)
George is a London based multi-instrumentalist, session musician, composer and teacher. Beginning to learn the drums at the age of ten, George quickly developed the skills to play with other musicians, regularly gigging and touring around the UK. Firstly in a local swing band, and later joining many other rock, funk and soul bands.
In his early teens George found a strong interest in the melodic side of music, taking up the clarinet, guitar and bass.
ENRIQUE
(Bass/Double Bass/Guitar)
Enrique is a versatile Musician and Music Tutor with more than 20 years of experience. He has performed a wide variety of orchestral and chamber repertorie as well as popular music like Tango and Rock. He began playing the Double Bass when he was 15 and by the age of 20 he had already won a place in the Orquesta Sinfonica de Bahia Blanca where he played for several years. In 1999 he travelled to London to study at Trinity College of Music where he won the Vernon Elliot Prize for Double Bass and graduated in 2007. Whilst still a student at Trinity College of Music Enrique played as principal double bass in the String ensemble, Wren ensemble, Contemporary music group and Symphony Orchestra. He had master classes with Rinat Ibraguimov, Alex Henery and Corrado Canonici. In 2005 Enrique founded the Tango quintet “Del Plata” who focus on Astor Piazzolla’s “Tango Nuevo” Since then he has playedwith almost all groups and soloists of tango in uk, the musicals: “Tango in the City”, “Flamenka” as well as colaborating with groups in France and Argentina. At present he works as a freelance classical player with orquestras in London and UK and he is also part of “The London Tango Orchestra” (First Orquesta Tipica in the UK)
Sebastian
(Drums)
Sebastian is an experienced British Drummer, Sessional Player, Composer and Drum Tutor.
He began to learn the Drums at the age of 6 and went on to complete Trinity Guildhall Drums (Grades 1-8) and holds a Grade 1 in ABRSM Music Theory.
Sebastian’s versatility ranges from Rock, to Funk, to Jazz and to Classical. During his secondary school era, Sebastian attended classes at C.Y.M. (Centre for Young Musicians)
consisting of Percussion Ensembles, Symphony Orchestras, Jazz Bands and Music Technology. Additionally, he was a member of B.Y.W.O. (Barnet Youth Wind Orchestra) and N.Y.J.O. (National Youth Jazz Orchestra).
Whilst taking a Higher Diploma in Music Performance and ultimately a BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance Degree at I.C.M.P. (The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance) in London, Sebastian has been teaching Drums to beginner and intermediate students (Privately, in Groups and Virtually). Furthermore, Sebastian has taught Percussion to pupils with disabilities at the Leonard Cheshire Archive Centre.
Since graduating, Sebastian has continued to extend his musical journey by simultaneously giving Drum Lessons, permanently joining original acts, performing all over the UK and Europe with numerous artists and function bands, participating in Music Videos and working in the studio with various musicians, producers and songwriters.
orpheus
(Violin)
Orpheus performs as a soloist, leader of the Orfeas String Quartet and is the artistic director of the Music of the Spheres Ensemble. His performances have taken him to Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Orpheus studied at the Royal Academy of Music who awarded him a scholarship to further his solo studies with Carmel Kaine in Australia. His musical mentors include Norbert Brainin and Michael Bochmann. He won first prize in the Concerto Competition at the Richmond Music Festival playing the Sibelius Violin Concerto and the Silver Medal at the Marlow Music Festival.High points include performing Mozart Violin Concerto No 5 with the Music of the Spheres Ensemble at St Martin in the Fields, Vivaldi Four Seasons in the UK, Greece, Austria and China. Solo performances of violin concertos by Beethoven, Bruch, Mendelssohn and the World Premier of A Greek in New York by Denise Mangiardi, written for Orpheus. Solo tango violinist with the Balletboyz in the Queen Elizabeth Hall South Bank Centre, playing with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic, leading London Early Opera and The Musicians of London in the Cadogan Hall, recital tours to China and Europe and performing for her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace.He has appeared on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Cypriot National Television and recorded for BBC Radio.In 2019 his debut CD as a soloist ‘Colours of Europe’ came out, with works by Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Dinicu, Sadikova and Sarasate.
Orpheus’s student successes include first prizes at Festivals and Distinctions in ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall examinations. On recital tours in China Orpheus has given masterclasses in Nanning, Guangzhou and Beihai. He has also given masterclasses in Athens, Greece and in Lithuania.
JON
(Bass and Guitar)
ANCA
(Flute, Recorder, Piano)
Anca is an extremely talented and devoted musician and teacher. She holds a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree as a Flute specialist from the University of Timisoara / Romania.
VICKY
(Bass, Acoustic Guitar)
Vicky is a talented bass player and songwriter. Alongside making a career as a bass guitarist, Vicky has always taught bass and guitar to a range of people. She graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Music in Popular Music Performance from the London College of Music/Tech Music Schools. She since has worked with a variety of people including Guy Chambers, Tinashé, Josh Kumra, Gabrielle Aplin and pop-production house Xenomania. She also has appeared on television with Cee Lo Green, Craig David, Vanessa Amorosi, Joe McElderry and during the X Factor series. All the skills Vicky has learnt in her career as a live and recording musician, and also as a songwriter can be applied practically to a lesson plan with each student. Vicky has been playing bass for 13 years and teaches all abilities for bass guitar, and beginner to intermediate in electric/acoustic guitar. She can cater for each student’s needs; whether they want to learn sight-reading and music theory, or just to take it up as a hobby. Whatever the case, the lesson will always be fun and will always focus on songs the student wants to learn.
Nikolina
(Piano)
Nikolina was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. She started playing the piano at the age of 6 years. She began piano lessons at a music academy for classical and folklore music. Later Nikolina continued her education at a music school: “The National School for Music and Dance Arts “Dobrin Petkov” – Plovdiv, Bulgaria (September 2004 – May 2013) with a piano teacher Svetlana Koseva (Bulgaria).Nikolina continued her professional growing as a musician and pianist at University of West London, London College of Music, London, United Kingdom (September 2013 – May 2016) with a piano teacher Natasa Sarcevic (Serbia).
Nikolina is currently finishing her higher education in University of West London, London College of Music, with a Master degree – MMus in Performance, specialty piano with piano teacher Natasa Sarcevic (Serbia).