OUR TEACHERS

LEEDS BRANCH

Choose a teacher below, click on a picture and learn all about them!

João Figueiredo

DRUMS

FOUNDER & CEO

Jess Clark

SINGING

Ben Cockburn

PIANO

Simon Pritchard

GUITAR/BASS

Jemma Freese

PIANO/SINGING

Eddy Luna

PIANO/GUITAR

Jake Mehew

SAXOPHONE/PIANO

Eva Eik

SINGING

Jess Clark is a vocalist and vocal teacher.

Originating from a small coastal town Cleethorpes, her family are incredibly varied musically with most members having a history of singing or instrumental achievements. Jess grew up attending lessons in singing and guitar, achieving a merit in grade eight in singing musical theatre. She later gained a distinction in grade five music theory and continued her musical journey in Leeds while attending university. 
 

Presently, as a regular attendee at the British Voice Association conferences, her involvement with the voice extends through singing and into voice research. As a recent graduate from Leeds Beckett University, her dissertation was based upon the mythologies and misconceptions of voice science. This evidences Jess’ determination to teach healthy and efficient voice habits that allow the students potential to be fully discovered. Although her formal education has concluded, Jess is continuing her training in singing and vocology with Jazz singer Louise Gibbs. 
 

Alongside completing her degree, Jess has performed in professional acts around the country. Recent work includes: entertainer onboard Brittany Ferries fleet and resident band for a popular bar in Leeds city centre. Having played in function bands for most of her career so far, her ability to understand genre and cater to her students individual styles is highly developed. Jess also has experience as a performer and engineer in a professional recording studio. Her understanding of what is required of the voice in this environment can therefore assist vocalists who are due to record their singles. Her speciality skills in the studio include: microphone technique and double/triple tracking. 
 

As a loyal teacher of The Leeds Music Academy for more than two years, her professionalism and dedication to students is evidenced. Having gained her love for singing in a school choir, she now directs a choir in a local primary school encouraging the shared exploration of music and skill development. 
 

With an ear for detail and her understanding of soul and art in singing, her musical guidance is well-rounded, engaging and purposeful.

Jemma Freese is a pianist/keyboardist, vocalist, composer and lyricist who is involved in bands such as; DOMI (dark electronic/Norwegian pop), freesetrio (dark jazz/grunge/triphop), J Frisco (avant-garde), Eva Eik (electronic pop) and Maximo Park (rock/indie).

Jemma studied Pop Composition and Jazz Vocals at Leeds College of music and graduated with a first, since then;  J Frisco received the Jazz North Introduces award in 2017; DOMI's single Let Me Follow reached over 30k views on Youtube and got onto the Czech pop charts; freesetrio received a place on Jazz North's northernline scheme 2019-2020, and Jemma received a place on Manchester Jazz Festival's Hothouse Scheme 2018-2019. Jemma is set to tour Europe with Maximo Park, will be releasing an album with both J Frisco and freesetrio in September 2019 and to release a music video and more singles with DOMI. 

BIO COMING SOON!

Ben Cockburn is a Classical pianist, accompanist and teacher based in the United Kingdom. He graduated in Classical Music from Leeds College of Music in 2016 with a BA Honours. Ben is also member of Clarinet and Piano duo Reed & Ivory, and has been a member of Leeds College of Music’s Camerata Orchestra, New Music Collective, Part-song choir, symphonic wind orchestra and Chamber Orchestra.

Ben grew up in Carlisle, England. He didn’t start studying the Piano until the age of 16 where he was taken under the direction of Piano teacher Nick Rimmer. He achieved a grade 8 merit in Piano within 2 years with the London College of Music examination board and won 3 awards for attaining the highest grades in his county.

He often credits his Grandmother as being the biggest influence in his choice to pursue music, and the time he spent listening to her play when he was younger.

While at Leeds College of music Ben studied under the direction of internationally renowned pianist Jakob Fichert, while also working there as an events steward and Student ambassador. He has participated in several concerts and events around Yorkshire including at the Leeds City Art Gallery, Holy trinity church, Wakefield Cathedral, Christ Church Harrogate and White Cloth Gallery. Ben achieved the bronze award in 2014 at the East Coast Musician of the year and was invited back as the principal Piano student in a masterclass with Richard Utley. Ben has also taken part in masterclasses hosted by renowned baritone Roderick Williams and international Pianist Wolfgang Manz, performed with the Leeds College of Music symphonic wind orchestra and accompanied viral flute sensation Azeem Ward as part of his UK tour.

His duo Reed & Ivory won 2nd prize in the Leeds College of Music’s track of the year award in 2015 and have premiered pieces written by composers here in Britain and in the United States, most notably at an event spotlighting female composers. Ben has also performed internationally, on tour with a Camerata Orchestra in Germany.

Since graduating Ben has been teaching regularly, working as a freelance accompanist and taking part in various community projects across Leeds, with one such project culminating in a performance at the West Yorkshire playhouse. Ben currently works in schools across Leeds, teaching keyboard, full class and working with students in preparation for various seasonal performances. He has been heavily involved with theatre, working for the award winning amateur dramatic society, LIDOS, as well being a regular accompanist at the West Yorkshire playhouse. Ben currently works for and teaches with Leeds Music Academy, taking on a wide range of students, with his youngest being aged 5 and his oldest being aged 80! As a teacher, Ben has a 100% pass rate with all his exam students and currently prepares students for exams with ABRSM and London College of Music, theory and Practical.

Ben also works as an accompanist for students taking both Trinity and ABRSM Music exams as well as various concerts. He also accompanies professionally, working with singers around Yorkshire.

Jake is a composer, producer, performer and educator based in Leeds city centre. Jake has been practising music for the majority of his life and has recently finished his formal musical education, graduating with a masters at Leeds College of Music in 2019, studying composition and performance with Matthew Bourne and Ben Lamdin (Nostalgia 77).

He currently work as a live/studio session musician playing keyboards for Tom Williams and also for the Invisible Orchestra. Jake creates his own music, producing and writing with his band Space Dolphin and also create solo piano/ambient records. Having spent his entire musical career collaborating with other musicians and creatives, Jake wants to teach students how to play and interact with other musicians, how to be successful in the 21st century music industry and teach students how to find many years of happiness within musical performance.

Eddy is a creative guitarist whose passion to improve and become a better musician has made him live in different countries and cultures, such as Mexico, U.S.A, Canada, Spain, and U.K.

His mission is to learn from all kinds of music, teachers, friends, and people and apply the knowledge acquired to my own compositions and share everything with my pupils and the world.

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Eddy is a true believer that if you work hard someday you ́ll get your reward - so here he is in the pursuit of learning new things, I ́m currently studying a Jazz degree at Leeds College of Music and teaching at Leeds Music Academy teaching guitar and piano.

TO READ OUR FOUNDER'S BIO, CLICK HERE.

Eva Eik is an experienced artist, songwriter, sound healer and vocal teacher. She uses a holistic experience when teaching, as she believes one must be confident both in sprit, body and mind to progress optimally as a performer. She has performed at multiple venues in Norway and the UK with her band, specialising in Pop and Jazz singing.

Eva Eik has also featured on multiple artists' tracks, such as ‘Long Gone’ which she co-wrote with Benjamin Hidas and ‘Sakountala II’ on Kristian Skaarbrevik’s EP, where she was featured as a vocalist. Eva Eik has also worked with multiple singers and songwriters. The music Eva Eik writes tends to be Electronic Dark Nordic Pop; her music and performance is in a similar genre to Björk, Florence Welch and Aurora Aksnes. When she writes her own music she uses a lot of improvisational techniques and writes on a mix of piano, bongo drums and using samples in Logic X. She also often improvises the lyrics or uses her own poetry as inspiration. Eva Eik graduated from Leeds College of Music with BA (Hons) Pop and Jazz vocal performance and MA Pop Composition and Vocal Performance. She released her debut single ‘River’ in December 2019.

Norway is Eva Eik’s home country and she was 14 years old when she started having singing lessons. She has had several different teachers, giving her many different tools and techniques when it comes to her teaching singing to her students. She believes music is the language of the soul and she is passionate about teaching singing in a fun and exciting way to students of all ages and of all levels of experience. Music is something humans have been enjoying since the dawn of time, and it is fundamental for our well-being. Creativity is crucial for people’s happiness, and singing unleashes our own creativity. All of these are reasons Eva Eik would love to help you find your own unique and confident singing voice!

Eva Eik teaches vocals and songwriting from beginners to advanced students ages 4 and up.