Music

We have two well-equipped music rooms in the school. Students can book these rooms during the day, in the evenings, and at weekends. Before using the rooms, each student is required to take a music room induction so that they know the rules and can use the rooms safely and considerately.  

Music Room 1

Instruments include microphones, electric guitars, electric basses, effects pedals, acoustic guitars, classical guitar, digital keyboards, electric ukuleles, electric drum kit, glockenspiel, tambourines, shakers & other percussion.  

Music Room 1 also includes music accessories such as a metronome, guitar picks & capos, electronic tuners, loopers, printed song books & instruction manuals for the keyboards and drum kit.

Music Room 2

Instruments include acoustic upright piano, violins, cello, acoustic guitars, classical guitar, electric guitar, electric bass, microphone, ukeleles, guzheng, saxophone, clarinet, recorders, penny whistle, djembe drum & other percussion.  

Music Room 2 also includes music accessories such as a metronome, guitar picks & capos, electronic tuners, rosin, music books and a lockable storage cupboard for students to store their own instruments safely. 

Heads of Music

James Noton (Co-Head of Music)

James studied Engineering at the University of Oxford and has played musical instruments since he was young. An avid guitar and bass player, James manages our programme of private music lessons and takes care of our equipment, instruments and the music rooms themselves. He is also a music theory enthusiast.

Ed Davison (Co-Head of Music)

Ed studied Music at Goldsmiths College, University of London, specialising in vocal studies. He believes that music education and participation should be open to all, from complete beginner to expert. He plays a range of string and folk instruments, organises our recitals and concerts and works closely with our students on their musical performance goals.

Music Tutors & Lessons

We always love seeing our students develop their musical skills but particularly when they work closely with our experienced music tutors. At Abbey College Cambridge, we offer one-to-one instruction in singing and musical instruments at all levels from beginner to professional, including all exams.  

Guitar & Bass Lessons with Tiago Coimbra

Tiago has worked in music for 25 years and has enjoyed a varied career in performance, composition and education after graduating from Berklee College of Music. He has performed with some of the best musicians in the world and brings all that knowledge to the lessons at Abbey College. Tiago continues to perform and tour professionally with his band. He is an extremely versatile player and tutor; He can teach beginner to advanced guitar as well as bass. He is also available as a drum teacher for beginner drummers. 

Singing Lessons with James Learmonth 

James has sung from a very early age. He studied Contemporary Music at Cambridge Regional College. Following this, he had a successful music career, releasing two self-written and produced albums on the Virgin label, and singing in prestigious venues such as Nottingham Rock City, Lomax Liverpool, Band on the Wall Manchester, and the Cambridge Junction. James believes that great singing is about knowing how to feel relaxed and confident, so take his lessons if you want to find the better you. 

Piano Lessons with Kristin Samadi 

Playing piano since the age of 5, Kristin studied at the Wagner College of New York City and completed her BA degree in Performance in 2006 at Adelphi University, graduating cum laude. Kristin received her master’s degree in 2008 at the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College CUNY. Kristin has performed extensively as a soloist, chamber musician and concert musician. In her teaching career, she been a faculty member of the Brooklyn Music House, The Piano School of NYC, Long Beach Music, Oceanside Music, Adelphi University and St John’s College, Cambridge.

Violin Lessons with Saman Samadi 

Saman is a composer, performer and musicologist with a prolific body of work spanning over 20 years. He earned his BA degree in Music Performance and an MA in Composition from the University of Tehran. Since graduating, he has held teaching roles at the Music School of New York City and the Piano School of NYC, actively participating in the city’s experimental music scene between 2013 and 2020 and founding the Saman Samadi Quintet. In recent years, Saman has pursued doctoral research at the University of Cambridge as a Dr Grantham Scholar. He served as President of the Wolfson College Music Society and academic supervisor at the Faculty of Music whilst also founding the Cambridge University Experimental Music Ensemble. He is currently Music Administrator and Academic Supervisor at St John’s College, Cambridge University.

Other Instrument Lessons 

If you don’t see the instrument, you play listed above, please don’t worry! We may have other tutors who come to college to teach lessons on other instruments. Cambridge is a big centre for all the arts, so we can find you a great teacher for almost any instrument.  

On Wednesday afternoons, all students take part in our extra-curricular ‘Enrichment Programme’. Music is a big part of the overall programme with many students committing to and taking part in our activities over a sustained period. Below is a list of the activities the music department offers, and more information is available from the College’s ‘Enrichment Brochure’ on arrival. 

School Band Enrichment 

Instrument players with a shared passion for classical music come together in this Enrichment club to practice and perform pieces of music from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern periods. If you play an instrument that normally appears in an orchestra or ensemble, this could be the Enrichment club for you. Past players have been pianists, violinists, cellists, woodwind players, classical guitarists and brass players but we are very happy to welcome any student who is an intermediate to advanced player of any instrument. 

Students also learn about how to arrange music for the different instruments in a band and how to use Musescore to access and compile a virtual library of lead sheets and sheet music resources. For this Enrichment activity students need to already be able to read western music notation and there are sometimes auditions for students to pass first.  

Ukelele Band Enrichment 

Have fun learning the world’s most popular instruments! The guitar and ukulele are great ways to get into music; we’ll teach you how to form chord shapes and strum these instruments to your favourite songs. For more experienced musicians, we’ll give you technical guidance to broaden your skills, with opportunities to develop as a soloist, accompanist, or ensemble player. You’ll also learn how to transfer your skills between instruments and instrument types. No previous experience is required, and you’ll be able to play and perform in just a few weeks!

Stage Performance Enrichment 

If you like rock or pop music and can already play an instrument or sing, then join our music performance masterclass. This is a dynamic and inclusive Enrichment club that empowers students to unlock their full musical potential. It cultivates a passion for music, fosters discipline and perseverance, and provides a platform for students to excel as confident and skilled performers. The masterclass provides a supportive and inspiring environment where students receive personalised guidance and instruction where students set goals and work towards achieving them through dedicated practice and exploration of diverse musical genres and styles.

Music Theory Enrichment 

If you’ve ever wondered why there are twelve different notes on a piano or why the songs on your Spotify playlist can make you feel so many different emotions, this is the Enrichment club for you. Students learn where the western equal-tempered notes originate from and how to combine them to make interesting and beautiful harmonies, chords and chord sequences. We also cover the principles of rhythm, ear training and effective melody writing.  

Learning the foundations of music theory opens opportunities for musical hobbyists to work out and play along to their favourite songs by ear but it is also an essential tool for any serious musician who wants to improve their improvisation and composition skills. Maybe you just want to understand what’s going on underneath all the layers of sound or maybe you would like to create your own music. Understanding music theory is a highly effective way to get better at playing instruments, listening to music. It’s also just lots of fun!