James (jimmy)

My names is Jimmy and I am a freelance musician, music tutor and arranger. I’ve been playing and performing music for a number of years and am currently part of numerous London based Big Bands as well as Pop, Soul, R&B and Funk groups. I have performed in venues across the UK such as the Sage Gateshead, Lyceum Theatre and Barbican with a variety of ensembles. I have both an undergraduate and masters degrees in music, as well as a wide range of hands-on experience in managing and running ensembles.

I began playing music at a young age and it quickly became a huge part of my life. I began attending the Junior Guildhall at the age of fourteen as well participating in a number of national ensembles including the National Youth Chamber Orchestra, National Youth Jazz Collective, as well as being leader of the National Youth Wind Ensemble. These commitments all came in balance with a full-time education at boarding school where I participated in jazz groups, orchestras, choirs, pit bands, theatre performances, and sports. Alongside these commitments I formed my own ensembles, setting up a jazz quartet with my brothers at the age of 14 and then in my sixth form starting the school’s first big band. These early experiences gave me a great education in managing my time but also valuable skills in music and running ensembles.

During my undergraduate I studied a range of subjects including modernism, composition, conducting and salsa. Here I furthered my ensemble ambitions setting up a function band and a jazz quintet in my first year and then in my final year forming a big band of both students and local professional musicians. Alongside my personal projects I was the Musical Director of two musicals, Anything Goes and Fame, performing shows at the Northern Stage and Newcastle College. I also ran the Music Society, overseeing the formation of new ensembles, putting on events, helping run an outreach programme for schools in the area, as well as run a weekly open mic and jam night at a local venue. In my final year I then ran the University Summer Music Festival, organising a week of musical events across Newcastle. During my undergraduate I began working as a freelance musician and performed in a range of jazz and pop groups and as a result decided to further my studies in this field at the Guildhall. There I studied on their Masters performance programme taking modules in jazz harmony, improvisation, composition and arranging. I also partook in the Jazz Orchestra, Big Band, Jazz Singers, Jazz Choir and Session Orchestra. Upon graduation I was accepted as a fellow at the school, helping with the running of the department, depping rehearsals where needed, and heading a personal project, mine being a session orchestra, performing a range of Pop, Soul, and R&B with musicians from the university.

Availability: I`m available most afternoons and evenings during the week and am happy to work around whatever timetable you have.

Willing to travel: 5 miles

Experience: - Professional freelance musician for 5+ years
- 1-1 instrumental tutoring
- Pastoral helper on music course
- Various independent tutoring of music
- Outreach programmes across schools in the NE of England

DBS Check: Yes