Marçal Xirau

Guitar Teacher

Marçal Xirau is a passionate musician and educator with a diverse background in modern music, rock and jazz.

Marçal holds a Bachelor's degree from the Conservatori del Liceu in Barcelona and a Master's degree in Advanced Music Technology from the University of West London/London College of Music. His musical journey has taken me across international stages, from performances at IKLECTIK in London to the Map & Fold Festival in Frankfurt, and even the renowned Sónar 2020 in Barcelona, Spain.

Marçal has finished differents works with a solo project, releasing albums like "LLIBRE N.1," "Zero Nou Quaranta Nou," "Silence, While Everything Keeps Being The Same," "Vitamins For Sleeping," "What Would Happen If We Listen?," and most recently, "DOME" in 2023.

With a decade of teaching experience, Marçal offers a personalised approach to music education. His teaching philosophy revolves around a balanced blend of traditional and modern methods. Each session is crafted to cater to individual preferences and learning styles, breaking down complex concepts into manageable parts. He brings technology into the mix for interactive lessons, ensuring a dynamic and engaging learning experience tailored to unique needs.

Lawrence Solon

Piano Teacher

Lawrence has been tutoring the piano one-to-one for 15 years in the Hammersmith & Chiswick areas, and is known for his energy, enthusiasm, and lively approach to teaching. As well as working with students individually, Lawrence has also worked as a SEN music teacher at Westminster Kingsway College helping students with a range of mild to severe learning difficulties.

Lawrence picked up the piano when he was 11 and continued to teach himself until he was 18, when he started having professional guidance. Since then, he has been fortunate enough to study under several excellent piano teachers and has received a distinction in ARSM Piano Performance. He has also obtained DipABRSM in Music Teaching. The experience of learning with and without help contributes greatly to his understanding of the struggles and pitfalls of developing piano skills without proper direction.

Alongside his piano studies, Lawrence enjoys composition and music production. He believes these are an important and fulfilling way to learn and understand music theory, aural capabilities, and overall musical appreciation. He is always happy to incorporate composition into the technical studies of any of his students who are interested in creating their own music.

In his free time, Lawrence enjoys playing and rehearsing in a trio with two soprano singers. When time allows, he also creates piano tutorial videos for his YouTube channel. These are designed to support his day-to-day tuition, each one focusing on a specific issue.

Laila Arafah

Piano Teacher

Laila is a London based composer and pianist studying at the Royal Academy of Music on a Scholarship. She began playing the piano at the age of seven, followed by composition at Junior Trinity, where she was awarded the Junior Trinity Composition Prize twice, then joined the Purcell School for Young Musicians under the Music and Dance Scheme, where she was awarded the Tim Stevenson Award for Outstanding Composition, and attended Aldeburgh Young Musicians under the Leverhulme trust.

Laila enjoys performing, having received a Mark Evison Foundation Award for organising and performing in outdoor concerts for care homes during the Covid pandemic. She has performed as part of ensembles at South Bank Centre, St Albans Cathedral, the North London Festival, and Snape Maltings Britten Studio, and is currently on the London Symphony Orchestra Panufnik Scheme.

As a composer, she has written for ensembles including The London Sinfonietta, London Mozart Players, Roadrunner Trio, Carducci Quartet, CoMA Orchestra, Purcell Symphony Orchestra, Aldeburgh Festival Podcast, Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, ACA Orchestra.

With patience and encouragement, Laila’s aim is to create a positive, supportive learning environment where students can progress at their own pace and cultivate a lifelong passion for playing the piano.

Serena Sheane

Piano and Flute Teacher

Serena received her Postgraduate Certificate in Music Education and Performance from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2023 under the tutelage of Deniz Gelenbe and Tim Palmer. She completed the ISP Advanced Programme in the same institution with Mikhail Kazakevich in 2021. Serena was also awarded a first-class honours degree from the CIT Cork School of Music (now known as Munster Technological University) in 2020 and received three “Student of the Year” awards during the course of her studies. Specialisms in these multi-faceted programmes included Classroom Pedagogy, Piano and Flute Performance, Instrumental Teaching, Conducting, Music History and Repertory Studies.

Originally from Ireland, Serena started piano and flute at the age of six and nine respectively. Watching “The Sound of Music” on VHS sparked her interest in music education and she was soon travelling up to 585 miles a week for instrumental tuition! Serena received the “Pauline Cullinane Hicks” Award for outstanding performance in the 2013 Junior Certificate Music Examinations and was awarded a scholarship/high achievement award for every grade examination she sat in both instruments with the Cork School of Music and ETB CSM. She also received top marks in her Bachelor of Music Entrance Examination in 2016. She has participated in numerous music festivals and competitions in the UK and Ireland and relishes the opportunity to perform in solo and chamber capacities. Highlights of performing career include playing with the CSM Junior Orchestra in the National Concert Hall, accompanying Cantairí Mhuscraí in Teatro don Bosco and performing in the Irish Heritage Bursary Competition in Wigmore Hall. 

Serena has developed a strong reputation for teaching motivational, productive and enjoyable music lessons in Cork and London. The ages and standard of her pupils have ranged from 3 to 67, beginner to Grade 8. Serena has taught in schools and music institutions across South East London and has coached students toward ABRSM, Trinity and RIAM (Royal Irish Academy of Music) exams. Noteworthy examples include Rathfern Primary, Bromley Conservatoire and Orpington Music Studio. She recently completed Nicola Cantan’s “Creative Kickstart for Teens” and Paul Myatt’s “Whole Body Learning” courses alongside her teaching. 

Serena is looking forward to starting her new role with Pelican Music. She is eager to give her students a well-rounded education using a distinctive blend of activities, pieces and laughter in every lesson. Serena loves playing her piano and hopes she can inspire her students to do the same!

Rowan Jones

Clarinet and Piano Teacher

Rowan Jones is an award-winning London based clarinettist and music tutor with a wealth of orchestral, contemporary and chamber music experience. Her musical education began at the Walthamstow Music Service and continued through outreach projects led by Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning. She went on to study at the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she was awarded the Principal’s Prize in 2017, the Clarinet Prize in 2016 and 2017 and was a finalist in the Lutine Prize. Rowan has graduated with a Master’s of Performance from the Royal College of Music in 2023 and a Bachelor of Music with First Class from the Royal Academy of Music in 2021 as a scholarship holder. Rowan is a recipient of the RCM Musician’s Grant Fund Instrumental Award 2023, St Marylebone Educational Foundation Grant and UMUK Sound Foundation Instrumental Award 2022/23.

Rowan has enjoyed playing with the Orchestra of Opera North, English National Opera, Wild Arts’ opera run and tour of the Elixir of Love 2023 and recording with Shadwell Opera amongst others. As a founding member of Sylva Winds, Rowan has performed in recitals around London including at the Brazilian Embassy in London and in chamber music residencies with Ferrandou Musique and the Tunnell Trust. They have won numerous chamber music awards and recorded in Abbey Road Studios. Rowan’s versatile performance and instrumental skills have lead her to thrive in contemporary music settings too, having attained the 2023/24 clarinet place in the London Sinfonietta Academy and she has also recorded for Naxos. Rowan has taught clarinet, piano, saxophone and music theory lessons privately for 7+ years and is currently the Clarinet Tutor at HMDT Saturday Programme and a peripatetic teacher with WFMS and THAMES.

Matthew Nunn

Guitar Teacher

Matt is an experienced musician with a wide range of musical knowledge and professional experience. Having started out on the acoustic guitar and transitioned to the electric guitar in college, he frequently performs and teaches on both instruments. He studied music at Goldsmiths, University of London and is currently working full-time as a musician and music teacher.

He has taught students of all ages for 4 years, including introducing the instrument to many absolute beginners, along with a roster of adult learners. A core element of his lessons has always been a methodical approach, unique to the music that is enjoyable for the student, resulting in ability to play and understand the music.

Matt has performed across the globe in several different acts as a guitarist and continues to write and arrange pop and jazz commercially. Composition, which he studied extensively, is something which he encourages in students, along with introducing new music and styles.

Oran Johnson

Piano Teacher

Oran Johnson is a London-based composer, multi-instrumentalist, and teacher with an eclectic background, having trained as a classical pianist, played guitar in jazz and rock bands, and having created electronic music. He completed his master’s degree in composition at the Royal Academy of Music where he graduated with a distinction and was awarded a DipRAM.

As a teacher, Oran is committed to sharing his enthusiasm for music-making by providing engaging lessons that are tailored to the interests and goals of the student, whether that is supporting them in learning whatever music they want to play for fun, preparing for an exam, learning more about music theory, or creating their own pieces.

Aisha Goodman

Violin and Viola Teacher

Aisha Goodman is currently studying a Master of Performance degree at the Royal College of Music, London as an awarded ‘RCM Scholar’, under tutelage of Nathan Braude. Aisha was also awarded as a Tait Memorial Fund Scholar in 2023. She recently completed her Bachelor of Music Performance Honours degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Roger Benedict. She is a scholarship recipient of the Greenberg-Gurney-Jensen Fund from The University of Sydney. Aisha was selected to be part of the BBC Symphony Orchestral Scheme and has performed multiple concert programs with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra as part of their Young Mentorship Program. She has held positions as principal violist with various Sydney Conservatorium of Music ensembles, The Sydney Youth Orchestra and has been involved in various Australian Youth Orchestra programs and Ensemble Apex. Through her orchestral programs, she has been given opportunities to perform and undertake workshops on overseas music tours across Europe, the UK and Asia. Aisha has also participated in masterclasses with Shunske Sato, Wilifred Strehle, Joachim Greiner, Sheila Browne, Wayne Foster-Smith, the Brodsky Quartet and the Calder Quartet. Alongside her classical experience, she has performed with artists such as Michael Buble, Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian, Gang of Youths and Jessica Mauboy.

Scarlett Foley

Violin, Piano and Clubs Teacher

Scarlett has grown up around music for a long time. She has recently graduated from the London College of Music with a BA Hons in Actor Musicianship, which involves her singing, acting and of course playing lots of instruments. She plays the violin, piano and ukulele as well as singing too! She has also made her professional debut in a children's theatre show 'The Extraordinary Adventures of Little Lily' where she composed music and played the role of Lily, in a one woman show. Scarlett is thrilled to be teaching for Pelican Music as she loves sharing her joy of music with everyone.

Yasemin Gezer

Singing Teacher

Yasemin is a versatile vocalist, extensively trained in Musical Theatre, Pop, Classical, and Jazz. She studied Music at the University of Bristol where she achieved one of the highest marks of her cohort in the final year recital, and since then has been performing and teaching regularly.

As a singing teacher, Yasemin fosters a supportive and personalised environment, blending advanced vocal techniques with a relaxed, fun atmosphere to empower her students. She customises lessons to meet each student's unique needs and learning style, leading to remarkable transformations. With an emphasis on acting and stage presence, she helps her students establish deep connections with the music, resulting in confident, authentic performances. Above all, Yasemin is dedicated to creating a positive and enjoyable environment in all her lessons, so that students find the joy that will fuel their motivation to improve.

Dan Coulthurst

Trumpet and Piano Teacher

Birmingham raised trumpet player and composer Dan Coulthurst is one of the young rising stars of the British music scene. Born into a musical family, Dan quickly found his passion for the subject and wasted no time in getting involved in the thriving Birmingham music scene.

Since graduating from Leeds College of Music in 2018, Dan has played with internationally acclaimed artists such as Jean Toussaint, Hermeto Pascal, Reginald D Hunter and Nikki Iles. Some gig highlights include performing with the Ronnie Scotts Big Band, Simon Spillet Big band, touring with China Moses as well as being a chair holder in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Dan has also released 2 EPs with his nu-soul band Mamilah. Most recently he received a scholarship to study a Masters at Trinity Laban. 

Babyteeth is Dan’s debut album and explores themes such as love, racism, anxiety and self-acceptance.

Mathew Follis

Guitar Teacher

Mathew Follis primarily works as a jazz and free improvising musician outside of his tutoring work, playing in multiple ensemble of a contemporary and experimental nature. Mathew has taught privately for the past two years, during his undergraduate and current part time postgraduate study at Goldsmiths University of London. Within his practice, Mathew’s core values stem from research in performance ecology and philosophy. Mathew tries to apply these approaches to his teaching in a suitable and context specific manner.

Matilde Freiria

Guitar and Piano Teacher

Matilde Freiria began her guitar studies at age six at Conservatório de Música S.José da Guarda under the orientation of Hugo Simões and Egar Petejo. Matilde began learning piano as a secondary instrument, which soon became a key aspect of her musical development. Over time, her passion for the piano grew, not only as a tool for personal expression but also as something she enjoys sharing with others.

In 2017, she began her Bachelor degree at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, in London, where she is currently doing a Masters degree with Robert Brightmore.

Over the years she has taken part in a vast number of masterclasses with renowned guitarists like Margarita Escarpa, Dejan Ivanovic Costas Kotsiolis, Carlo Marchione, among others. Furthermore, she has received many prizes in international competitions.

Matilde is regularly invited to play solo or as part of an ensemble. She has participated in many music festivals where she had the opportunity to premiere commissioned pieces.

She is currently a member of the Miragaia-Freiria duo and a co-founder of OpusPausa.

Joana Praca

Violin teacher

Joana Praça was awarded the prestigious position of Junior Fellow at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she currently studies with Ofer Falk and Stephanie Gonley.

Joana’s solo debut was in her hometown, Setubal (Portugal) with Sinfonietta de Lisboa (Lisbon’s Sinfonietta), in 2017. Joana regularly performs with Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa (Portuguese Symphony Orchestra), Orquestra de Câmara Portuguesa (Portuguese Chamber Orchestra) and Sinfonietta de Lisboa (Lisbon Sinfonietta). Joana has performed in major Concert Halls throughout Europe such as Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Romanian Athenaeum, Cadogan Hall. Joana has also been part of Ensemble Juvenil de Setúbal (Setúbal’s Youth Ensemble) – an inclusive ensemble that joins classical musicians, people with disabilities and from underprivileged backgrounds.

A keen chamber musician, Joana was a finalist with the Kenley Piano Quartet, at the Ivan Sutton Chamber Prize (2019) at the Guildhall School. The Kenley Quartet enjoyed multiple engagements including a performance at the Milton Court Concert Hall – London – on the same year. The quartet also collaborated with Carnegie Hall’s affiliate ensemble - the Decoda Ensemble from New York, in producing education workshops which were then delivered in schools around London; as well as having enjoyed a Mini-Residency in Taunton (2019) where it delivered both concerts and workshops. Joana has received the second prize in the National Competition of Montijo (Portugal) in 2016. In 2020/2021 Joana was involved in the organization of Setubal’s Camerata for Setubal’s Music Festival, Portugal.

Very enthusiastic about sharing music through teaching, Joana has been involved in multiple educational projects in the UK and Portugal. These projects have included leading and assisting with general musicianship workshops for children and toddlers from 1 to 18 years- old, as well as teaching the violin and viola privately.

Agnes Hamilton

Director

Violin/Viola

Agnes started her musical education at the age of 4 under her mother’s violin tuition on their houseboat in Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex UK.

Showing a great passion for musicianship at a young age, she gained a music scholarship in 1997 and was soon leading school orchestras and quartets. Agnes made her concert debut at the age of nine, performing the Bach A minor concerto with orchestra.

Having started the piano at 5 years old, at the age of 9 she also began Harpsichord lessons with Maggie Cole, and continued to study 3 instruments as a triple major until her undergraduate programme. However, violin being her clear passion throughout, Agnes continued this alone into her undergraduate programme, under professor Lutsia Ibragimova.

Inspired by her involvement as a volunteer teacher in the El Sistema project in Venezuela. Agnes has been a dedicated teacher and campaigner for arts funding and support for over 10 years, working closely in her community to help young under-privileged children follow and realise their dreams.

In 2009 Agnes started teaching violin and piano to a small group of children at St Stephen’s CoE primary school in Shepherd’s Bush. In 2011 after demand for music lessons increased dramatically, she formed a complete music department of 7 different teachers, and 10 different instruments. The school now has an uptake of individual music lessons for half the students in the school.

From this Pelican Music was born.

Agnes' mission is to work with multiple schools across London and to champion quality music education for all.

Studied at: Royal College of Music
Primary Instrument: Violin
Started Aged: 4
Other Instruments: Viola, Piano, Harpsichord
Favourite Piece: Stravinsky's Violin Concerto in D

Robert Pennel

Drum TEACHER

Rob is an experienced teacher, having taught drums for 15 years. He studied music at Trinity College of Music, London and then at Middlesex University; where he studied Jazz with Nikki Ilses, Stuart Hall and Martin France. As a freelance musician Rob has performed at festivals across Europe; such as the London Hyde Park Calling, the Electric Picnic Festival in Dublin, and the Seixial Jazz Festival in Portugal, most notably with Australian folk duo "Angus and Julia Stone''. He has experience recording drums in some London's top studios such as Rak and Angel studios and gigs regularly with a number of Professional bands across the UK. The Union Chapel, Ronnie Scotts, Pizza Express Dean Street, the Vortex and Cafe Oto are to name but a few of the London venues he has performed in.

Rob is passionate about teaching the Drums and as well as teaching for Pelican and has a successful private teaching practice across west London where he teaches at schools, students homes and online from his home studio. Rob's approach to learning the drums focuses heavily on getting students to read rhythms from musical notation straight away from their first lesson. He treats reading rhythms the same as learning your phonics as you would learning any other language. Children quickly remember what the basic rhythms sound like by singing them and carefully over time become fluent in singing the rhythms straight off the page. The great thing about this approach is you don't even need a pair of sticks to get started let alone a drum kit. He is experienced in teaching children who don't have access to drums at home and has gotten some of his students up to grade 1 standard who do not own a set. Rob also plays guitar, bass, and piano and will often accompany students in their lessons to give them a musical context and develop their musicianship skills further.

Tamsin Reed

Woodwind and Clubs TEACHER

Tamsin Reed began her musical journey playing the recorder aged 7, and quickly took up the flute thereafter. She immediately found her love for music, and competed for many years in the Wansbeck Music Festival where she achieved much success, where she was awarded a scholarship to the European Youth Summer Music school 2 years in a row. She was also a member of the National Children’s Orchestra in 2015.

Tamsin studied for 3 years at the Sage Gateshead Young Musicians Programme, achieving a distinction in her ARSM Diploma aged 15. Shortly after this she was awarded a place to study at Chetham’s School of Music for sixth form, taught by Fiona Fulton. During her time at Chetham’s she also worked with many world-renowned flautists in masterclasses, including Adam Walker and Andrea Olivia. 

Tamsin is currently studying towards her masters degree in Classical Flute at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, under the tutelage of Sarah Newbold, and is excited to pass on her passion for music to her students, as a teacher for Pelican Music.

Nino Russell

Piano and Singing Teacher

Nino with a Doctorate in Composition (DMus) at the Royal College of Music under the supervision of Alison Kay and Christina Guillaumier. Recipient of the Frank Bridge Studentship and the Kit and John Gander Award, his research arises out of modular, generative and reactive systems within a series of new works, Constellations.

Nino also holds a Master of Composition (MComp) with Distinction from the RCM,
and a Bachelor of Music in Composition (BMus) with First Class Honours from the
London College of Music, supported by the Nina Williams Scholarship. His diverse portfolio includes concert and media music, which has been broadcast on Amazon Prime Video and ITV. Performances of his work have been given by CBSO NEXT artists Laura Farré Rozada and Iris van den Bos, sopranos Charlotte Hoather and Kathleen Anne Greene, the RCM Film Orchestra, and the Arcus Quartet, at the CBSO Centre, Leeds Lieder Festival, Royal College of Music and the Ealing Music Festival.

Nino has taught piano, music theory and composition both privately and in schools across London for over six years.

Christian Miller

Guitar TEACHER

Christian started on classical guitar, but his interests quickly expanded to include rock, blues and eventually jazz. Now, he performs chiefly as a jazz guitarist in groups such as the Hot Club of Jupiter and Balagan Café Band, and his career has taken him from the stages of Ronnie Scott's and the Elgar Room to international jazz festivals. He has also performed in modern operas, big bands, rock bands, classical groups, and even Middle Eastern ensembles.

He would describe his early influences on the guitar as including Julian Bream, Django Reinhardt, Jimi Hendrix, Peter Green, Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery. These days he finds it much harder to choose!

He has been teaching guitar for over a decade including classical, modern electric, jazz and acoustic from students ranging from absolute beginner to postgraduate and syllabus ranging from ABRSM to Trinity Rockschool. He maintains an international teaching practice online, with students in the US, Hong Kong, India and elsewhere and his 'Jazz Guitar Scrapbook' YouTube channel has more than 6K subscribers.

Daniel Chappell

Piano TEACHER

Daniel Lee Chappell is a pianist and composer, who has worked across the UK, US, and Europe including at Mariinsky II Theatre, Cadogan Hall, St Petersburg Philharmonia Hall, Three Choirs Festival, and ENO Lillian Baylis House. He was mentored by acclaimed pianist Andrew Wilde through the sponsorship of the North West Arts Trust, before moving to London in 2015 to take up a Robert McFadzean Whyte scholarship at the Royal College of Music.

A passionate performer of contemporary music, and alumnus of the London Sinfonietta Academy, he has performed with ensembles including Asyla Ensemble, Melos Sinfonia and Illini Modern Ensemble, and worked as an accompanist and repetiteur with Opera Holland Park, Helios Collective, and Bloomsbury Opera.

Recent engagements have included performing the Schoenberg Piano Concerto at the Waterloo Festival, a residency with the Cohan Collective writing new music for dance, and talking about his work with interdisciplinary collective Spectra Ensemble at the Tate Modern.

He is also a teacher and animateur, and previously lectured on Creative Learning through the Arts at Reading University.