Dunedin
Double Bass Lessons | Bass Guitar Lessons, Ukulele Lessons | Artist development, Aural Lessons, Ensemble Coaching, Song Writing Workshops, Theory Lessons, Composition Lessons, NCEA Music Tutoring, Online Lessons
Bio
Wellington-based composer and bass player Simon Eastwood has a diverse practice, including orchestral and chamber works, electronic pieces, and improvisation. He studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London and at the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington. Simon has a broad range of teaching experience, having taught double bass, bass guitar, and composition privately for almost 15 years, and has worked with students from a range of ages and backgrounds. During his time at the Royal Academy, he also completed an LRAM teaching diploma for composition, working with Junior Academy students. He has recently completed a Doctorate of Musical Arts at Victoria University of Wellington.
As a bass player, he regularly performs in a variety of contexts, playing in orchestras and chamber ensembles as well as rock, jazz and folk groups. As a composer, Simon has had works performed extensively around New Zealand, in the UK, Austria, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria,Turkey, Lithuania, and Korea, as well as in the United States. Education is an important aspect of Simon’s musical life, and he often combines this interest with his composing practice. In 2018 he was commissioned to write Infinity Mirror for Arohanui Strings together with Orchestra Wellington.
Teaching Info
As a teacher Simon draws on a number of teaching philosophies, particularly Paul Harris’ concept of ‘simultaneous learning’, with each lesson tailored to the individual student’s needs. Having performed and written music for a variety of contexts, he understands that there is not just one way to make music and believes in a holistic approach emphasising music as a communal activity. Formal elements like sight-reading, analysis and technique are taught in combination with improvisation, aural skills, and musicianship, providing providing a nuanced appreciation of musical style while also building fundamental skills which create a well-rounded musician.
Composition lessons focus on unlocking the student’s creative potential, beginning with short compositions for small groups, and eventually learning to compose and arrange for a full orchestra.