Benjamin Perry
About
Hello! I am a British violin, guitar and piano teacher who grew up in Belgium. I recently moved to the beautiful island of Oahu in Hawaii. I studied Music at Southampton University, specializing in classical violin, but also spent lots of time in the jazz department accompanying singers on guitar/piano and bass. After graduating I moved to Bahrain where I taught at an independent music school, then the British School of Bahrain. After that I moved back to the UK for a year, lived in Spain for 6 months, then found a job working for a US non-profit music school based at an international school in Arusha, Tanzania. Everywhere I went I got involved in the local music scene, playing in orchestras, jazz bands, with singer songwriters, rock and folk bands, introducing my favorite style of gypsy music to the people I played with. I'm passionate about lots of different kinds of music, as long as it's played by people with musical instruments!
Teaching Style
In addition to being a classically trained multi-instrumentalist, I have lots of experience playing in bands making lots of different kinds of music. As well as the instrument itself, I can teach music theory, composition, and improvising. I teach violin, viola, and guitar (electric and bass) to advanced level, piano, cello, and drums to intermediate. With my experience living in the Middle East and Africa, I can offer my students a unique view into world music and culture that extends beyond traditional western styles. I also believe that versatility and a vast general knowledge of every aspect of music produces more than just well-trained performers, it gives students the tools they need to become truly great musicians.
I also believe that teaching is more than attaining proficiency on an instrument, but about instilling a strong work ethic, strong sense of self-esteem, and learning to effectively set and achieve goals. As a teacher, I am always making an effort to be a motivational and positive force in the lives of each of my students. Furthermore, I strongly believe that it is my responsibility as an educator to learn as much as I can about each student in order to tailor my approach and teach more effectively. I seek not only to teach children to read and play classical music, but to encourage them to be all-round good musicians, which involves training their ear as well as inviting them to bring what excites them about music into our lessons.
Curriculum
The method I have the most experience with is the Suzuki Method (also the method I learned with as a child!). I also have lots of experience teaching, accompanying and getting students to pass ABRSM grades. Most importantly, I am interested in what you want to learn. Often what the student wants to learn and what the parents expect them to learn is different, and I have been told many times that I do a great job of satisfying both.