Charles Hattrell

I have taught Music in Independent Schools for 27 years. For the last 24 years, I have been Director of Music at an independent school in the north of England. Here I do all the academic teaching, including GCSE and A Level Music. I am also responsible for all the extra-curricular music activities - choirs and instrumental ensembles - and I play the organ in the School Chapel. I teach the double bass to individual pupils (I play the bass guitar in the school swing band). Much of my time is spent coaching pianists and accompanying and coaching instrumental and singing pupils. I am retiring from my current position in August 2024.

I like to be flexible in my approach to teaching. If a student wants help with the rigours of Mozart and Beethoven's piano music, I am very happy to do that. Alternatively, I can teach the basics of a more chord-based contemporary style. Teaching harmony in the style of Bach's Chorales is a specialty, as is teaching music theory. Grade exams in instruments provide the structure of useful stepping-stones for gradual advancement but I am perfectly happy if a student doesn't want to take that route.