“Music, of course, is what I hear and something that I more or less live by. It's not an occupation or profession, it's a compulsion.”
-- Duke Ellington

I started learning piano at the age of 6 and still learn every day well into my late 40’s. During that time I experienced a wide range of personal, school, tertiary and post-grad teaching styles. In my own teaching, I implement patience and empathy and my main focus is to inspire musical growth and creativity.

10+ years of teaching experience, primarily at the Jazz Workshop in St Leonards and the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Surry Hills. I have conducted workshops on improvisation/jazz in Australia, Asia and Europe. I have mentored students who have gone on to become music industry professionals and also students who are interested in learning for inspiration and enjoyment sake alone.

I am available for teaching in the Sydney and Central Coast regions of NSW and for anywhere in the world.

Contact me via email or fill out the form below for more information.

Due to my professional experience and the kind of musical projects I work on, the musical areas I can help achieve the best outcomes are:

• Piano - technique, improvisation and jazz/contemporary tuition.

• All instruments - improvisation and theory.

• Composition and songwriting - mentoring and tuition. Understanding and utilising harmonic concepts.

• Music Production - skills in building and layering arrangements.

Student references:

"I was a complete beginner, riddled with performance anxiety and always getting more confused watching youtube videos. Maybe it comes back to his love of fjords and glaciers, but Gavin has an incredible way to calmly guide you back to what is essential, and where you need to be. It takes time, but he teaches you a language to connect with others and express something deeply personal from yourself." Dee

"Learning Jazz on the piano with Gavin is a pleasure. He explains the concepts clearly, points out good examples, and pitches the information at the appropriate level. " Tony

"Gavin helped me tremendously through HSC composition by always going above and beyond. He always made sure I understood the new concepts he was teaching me and taught me how to be more purposeful in my composition." Chiara

"Lessons with Gav are a highlight of my week. Even though he is an incredibly accomplished musician, he is able to break things down in a way that is easy for me to apply and tailored to what I'm interested in. It always feels like time well spent!" Andrea

"Writing this as I listen to Gav’s quartet play Fly Away Butterfly, I’m reminded what a great musician and ensemble player he is. The plus is: he’s also a dedicated and inspiring teacher. I have learned a lot about jazz ensemble playing from him, not to mention heaps of handy scales and ways of approaching the most fun music to play in the world! I’d recommend him to any aspiring jazz musician, whatever your instrument. " Patrick

"Gav is not a music teacher. He is an artist teaching music. Studying with Gav, is so many things. Gav is above all inspiring his passion to music and jazz shines through his lessons. His lessons are a gate to a great musical experience." Ghadi

Contact me via email or fill out the form below for more information.