Gareth Ross
Lesson Feesfrom $27.00 / 30 Minutes
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About
Hello, my name is Gareth and I am from South Africa. I am a passionate Music and English teacher with 14 years of experience teaching both online and in schools around the world including South Africa, Dubai, South Korea and Thailand. In addition to being a teacher I am also a concert pianist, music producer, songwriter and DJ. I have been taught by multiple world-renowned teachers including Joseph Banowetz, Carmen Piazzini, Joseph Stanford, Tamasz Ungar and Adam Wodnicki.
In 2013 I won the award for Outstanding Artistic Interpretation, the highest honour at the Radolfzell am Bodensee Summer Academy in Germany. In 2011 I performed in Italy and met Carmen Piazzini for the first time at the European Academy of Music and Performing Arts summer school. In 2009 I won second prize and two special prizes at the SAMRO (South African Music Rights Organisation) overseas scholarship competition. In 2008 I won the DJ Roode overseas scholarship for the top newly qualified music teacher in South Africa. In 2006 I won first prize at the Varna Symphonic Workshops concerto competition in Bulgaria which is also where I received masterclasses from excellent piano professors. That same year I won second prize and a special prize at the UNISA (University of South Africa) national scholarship competition, and in 2005 I won the piano category and multiple special prizes at the ABSA National Youth Music Competition in South Africa.
More recently I have been furthering my music skills in music production, having released my first single in 2021, "I Wish". I am currently working on a number of other tracks and an album which will be released soon. I have also taken to DJing and love creating mixes, working on effects and performing in front of an entirely different audience to classical music.
I am a gregarious, energetic and optimistic person who likes to infuse my personality and passion in the classroom to create a fun and effective learning environment. You can trust that in my classroom there will never be a dull moment. My lessons are highly interactive, humorous and engaging. The core principles of my teaching philosophy are rooted in a humanising pedagogy with a reconstructionism view focusing on social justice, equality, social change and empowerment. I can't wait to be teaching you soon!
In 2022 I graduated cum laude from my PGCE (postgraduate certificate in education) course at the Nelson Mandela University. I specialised in high school Music and Creative Arts.
In 2020 I obtained my Master's degree in music performance cum laude from the University of Pretoria playing JS Bach's monumental Goldberg Variations from memory - a dream come true. My dissertation was titled "Re-evaluating ornamentation in a piano performance of JS Bach's Goldberg Variations BWV 988".
In 2014 I received my UNISA (University of South Africa) Performer's Licentiate in piano cum laude. My performance programme was as follows: JS Bach Toccata in C minor; L van Beethoven Piano Sonata in A flat Op. 110; S Prokofiev Sonata in A minor Op. 28; J Brahms Four Piano Pieces Op. 119; F Liszt Mephisto Waltz no. 1.
In 2013 I received the special prize for Outstanding Artistic Interpretation at the Radolfzell Summer Academy. This was out of 21 international participants.
In 2009 I won second prize and a special prize at the SAMRO (South African Music Rights Organisation) overseas scholarship competition.
In 2008 I not only obtained my UNISA Teacher's Licentiate in Music cum laude, but was also awarded the DJ Roode Scholarship for the top newly-qualified music teacher in South Africa.
In 2008 I graduated cum laude from the University of Pretoria with my BMus degree (hons), specialising in piano performance, music theory and chamber music.
In 2006 I won first prize at the Varna Symphonic Workshops international concerto competition, playing Saint-Saens' 4th Piano Concerto. In the same year I won second prize and a special prize at the South African Music Scholarship Competition for Grade 8 candidates.
I teach a variety of music lessons including: 1:1 piano lessons, music theory (ABRSM & Trinity), iGCSE, A level, accompaniments, my own music history and appreciation course divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, and my unique course on Taylor Swift's latest album Midnights.