Tom Bates
Instrument: Piano
Tom sees music as a huge and intriguing landscape and loves to help people to find their own way in it.
After growing up playing mostly classical piano and oboe, he spent his 20s writing recording and touring with indie rock bands. Returning to the piano in 2010, Tom worked for UpBeat New York as part of the El Sistema music education network and started to develop as a piano teacher and accompanist.
He's played across the globe: from Carnegie Hall to squats in Holland, masterclasses off Broadway, on Béla Bartók's piano in Budapest, and during tours with choirs in China, India, South Africa and Spain.
These days Tom teaches piano at King Edward VII School in Sheffield and Nottingham Trent University, where he is also staff accompanist. He also runs their Band Development Programme, helping young musicians to form and perform in bands on the local music scene.
His lessons encourage players at any level to perform, to explore expressive choices, to let music lead technique, and to truly own the sounds that they make.