Ladywood Community School of usic

We currently run classes on the Saxophone, Violin, Piano/Keyboards, Guitar and Drums as well as running Band development workshops during the Summer Holiday period and in the run-up to a performance. We can also teach Trumpet and Flute.

Classes are between 6 and 7 on Thursday evenings, priced £2.50(concession) or £3.50(full). Find out about our Tutors below:

GUITAR - Tutor: Paul Foad

Paul is the Guitarist in Andy Hamilton and the Blue Notes. He is a highly experienced tutor and has written a successful book on learning guitar by the caged method. He is an excellent Jazz guitarist, but in his younger days Paul was in a Punk band called the Au Pairs!

PIANO/KEYS - Tutor: Henry Newman

Henry Newman is a highly experienced Jazz pianist who has played with many bands across the West Midlands including Andy Hamilton and The blue Notes. His own band, which plays a regular set at Bournville Social Club, features former Black Voices singer Janice Williamson.

SAXOPHONE - Tutor: Avtar Kalsi Singh

Avtar started playing the Saxophone at the Music School under the tutorship of Andy Hamilton. Now a student on the high powered Jazz BA course at the Birmingham Conservatoire Avtar has returned to the Music School as tutor.

VIOLIN - Tutor: Rochelle Belnavis

Rochelle is a Granddaughter of our patron Andy Hamilton and a classical violinist.

DRUMS - Tutor: Romarna Campbell

Romarna started playing drums for the Notebenders Big Band around a decade ago as a bit of a child prodigy and is currently enrolled on the excellent Jazz course at the Birmingham Conservatoire.

Having come through the Notebenders, the appointment of Romarna continues the Andy Hamilton legacy, and we hope she will go on to be an inspiration to all our students.

SAXOPHONE - Patron & former Tutor: Andy Hamilton MBE MA Fellow of the Birmingham Conservatoire

Andy was of course our fist Sax tutor and still remains the school's Patron. Over the years Andy's contribution to musical education has been immense and this was recognised with an MBE in the 2008 New Years Honours. Alvin Davis, our current Sax tutor, started out in the Blue Pearls, a big band project put together by Andy.

DRUMS - Tutor: Wayne Scott

Wayne is an excellent local drummer who's played in many Jazz, R&B, Reggae and Ska bands including Andy Hamilton & THe Blue Notes. He is an excellent tutor with the ability to connect instantly with his students. Wayne has recently gone full-time as a musician and is currently available for drumming workshops to schools and youth groups.

He can be contacted at waynescottdrummer@(at)hotmail.co.uk

SAXOPHONE/TRUMPET/FLUTE - Tutor: Alvin Davis

Of all the musicians currently on our books, Alvin is the one who's enjoyed international success in his own right when a couple of his albums got picked up by Sony. Even if you don't know the name you're likely to have seen him as he's played in numerous showcase events in Birmingham.

VIOLIN - Tutor: Junghee Keum

South Korean, Junghee Keum studied the Viola in Seoul before doing a PostGraduate Diploma at the Royal Academy of Music and an MA at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Junghee is standing in for Louis whilst he is involved with another project, so we hope a recent successful audition for the Welsh National Opera won't take her away from us too often.

PIANO/KEYS - Tutor: David Adams

David left to become a full time teacher. A Conservatoire graduate, his specialist instrument is the Accordion, David achieved remarkable results with new students in a very short time indeed. He plays in The Destroyers, a band building up quite a reputation in and around Brum.

DRUMS - Tutor: Ashley Garbett

Ashley replaced Dan Wilkes as our Drum Tutor. He has played in indy band 35 Seconds and now plays in the altogether more funky Solartone.

SAXOPHONE - Tutor: Annil Chandra

Annil learnt to play the Saxophone under Andy Hamilton and started tutoring at the Music School with Andy. He has gone on to put together his own Band, Paradigm Jaunt (which also includes Steve Mullen who currently stands in for Alvin when he's off gigging) as well as becoming involved in various projects on the regional Jazz scene.

PIANO/KEYS - Tutor: Naron Litchmore

Naron is a talented young keyboard player who plays in Paradigm Jaunt with Annil Chandra. Naron was unable to continue teaching when he found his Music School commitment conflicted with his University course.

VIOLIN - Tutor: Louis Robinson

Louis is a graduate from the Birmingham Conservatoire. As a musician he has worked with musicians on the local Jazz scene including Trio Gitano, with whom he performed on the Main Stage during Artsfest 2006. He is a current member of The Destroyers along with David Adams.

DRUMS - Tutor: Dan Wilkes

Dan came to us through Pro Drum, the company set up by Ashley Sheehan, our former Drum tutor. Dan played a crucial role in putting together our incredibly successful performance / workshop during Artsfest 2006.

DRUMS - Tutor: Ashley Sheehan

Ashley Sheehan was our first Drum tutor. He went on to form his own "Drum Academy" and play in successful indy band, Broadcast.

VIOLIN - Tutor: Frances Bridges

Without Frances there would never have been a Violin class. She was a student who came along looking for teaching experience. We gave her a go and the class took off.

TRUMPET - Kevin Wedrychowski

Kevin is a MYJO (MIdland Youth Jazz Orchestra) graduate. An excellent Trumpet player and Composer, getting him was a coup for the Music School. He left to take a job in a West End show

TOM PACE -

Tom is a Grandson of our founder Andy Hamilton. He briefly taught the Piano at the school when Sam Brown left.

PIANO/KEYS - Tutor: Sam Brown

Reg Daley, AKA Sam Brown, was the original piano tutor at the LCSM. He first arrived in the UK to fight in WW2. Returning with the Windrush generation he was the longstanding Blue Notes pianist and played on both of Andy Hamilton's albums. Sam passed away in January 2010.

(photo - Russ Escritt)