TEACHING
Michael is now offering online lessons in composition, orchestration, score study, theory and analysis via Skype, Zoom, or Google Hangouts.
Michael has extensive experience with teaching in many different situations, both in person, and online. He has taught young composers from high school age through to Masters level. At the Bowdoin Music Festival in 2018, he gave regular lessons to the very gifted students who were composing music for the festival’s musicians. For two years he served as Senior Music Theory Tutor at the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University, where he guided over 60 students through a course of musical fundamentals.
Michael teaching a virtual class on Boulez’s Notations in April 2020
From 2019-2020, Michael developed and taught his own high-school level composition class at BASIS International School, Shenzhen, and taught a class of very gifted students. In addition to learning to compose their own works for piano, and choir, the class was also introduced to key 20th Century composers, as well as theory and analysis. The class culminated with a workshop with Fenella Humphreys who performed their solo violin works.
Michael believes in an open and encouraging style of teaching which can make difficult subject matter more accessible. He has a keen eye and a wide knowledge of different kinds of musical repertoire, and believes in helping students to discover their own ideas through music they didn’t know they already loved.
For more information about Michael’s teaching credentials, and his full resume, please see the About Me page
FEES
As composers, our teaching relationship can be hugely influential, and so we need to select a tutor with whom we get on well. To this end, my first lessons will be free.
Initial consultation lesson: Free
Further lessons (Aged under 18): £40
Further lessons (Aged over 18): £60
Lesson Sign-up form
Please sign up here in order to set up a lesson with Dr. Small