Mansfield St, Glebe NSW, Australia
Flute Lessons, Keyboard Lessons, Piano Lessons, Saxophone Lessons | Theory Lessons, Composition Lessons, Mixing and Mastering Lessons
Bio
I am a composer, saxophonist, flautist and pianist based in Sydney. I studied a Bachelor of Music Composition at The Sydney Conservatorium of Music and a Masters in Music Composition for Television and Film at The University of Bristol in the UK.
While in the UK, I performed in various bands and orchestras across a range of styles and composed music for film and art exhibitions. Now back in Australia, I am taking on new students in saxophone, flute, piano, composition and theory while continuing my own studies and advancement in these instruments and subjects.
Teaching Info
I base my lessons on each individual student. For beginners it is important to start with the basics, then for intermediate players I allow them to choose certain styles that are interesting to them. Some of my students like the structure of working towards AMEB exams, while others enjoy the freedom of learning popular styles or improvisation.
I believe in growing the love for music and helping students to find a connection with their instrument. My goal is to foster passion and enjoyment, which leads to inspiration and dedication to music.
As an Adult learner, I was initially daunted by the prospect of starting a new instrument. Kristina’s approach helped me gain confidence quickly and evoked real enjoyment in learning. I would highly recommend Kristina as a tutor. 10/10!
Dylan
As an older student with some musical experience, I find Kristina’s lessons both enjoyable and challenging. I’m making real progress with my saxophone playing and would recommend her to anyone wanting to take up an instrument in later life.
Sarah
Kristina is a wonderful teacher. She helped me improve after a lot of self-study during COVID, and brought some much needed discipline to my practice, as well as helping me to gain the confidence to improvise. Working with Kristina is fun and engaging and the hour lesson always flew by. She has a lot of musical knowledge to share, and would love to work with her again.
Andrew
Kristina is an excellent teacher! She is very approachable and very understanding. She clearly loves music and enjoys teaching it to her students. Her classes are fun and she explains everything very thoroughly. Kristina is a great musician and has a lot to offer. Would 100% recommend!
Dot
Kristina is both a fantastic teacher and an incredible musician. As a teacher: She has a very open, adaptable teaching style and a relaxed, positive personality that enables her to teach directly to the needs of her students. For example, when I’ve had crises of confidence she has patiently supported and encouraged me and adapted our training schedule to reduce the pressure I’ve felt, and when I’ve been perhaps more overconfident she’s been able to channel and direct my enthusiasm very productively. Kristina is incredibly perceptive in identifying the underlying causes behind surface issues, very capable at explaining the reasoning behind her advice rather than just issuing instructions, and at demonstrating how all the techniques and methodologies she teaches synergise with and compliment each other as she helps her students layer fresh skills atop the foundation of earlier skills she’s helped the student establish – and she can help a student maintain momentum and enthusiasm throughout this process, from starting-out all the way to high-level musical instruction. As a musician: Kristina’s passion for and sheer enjoyment of music in all its forms really shines through in the way she teaches, being able to take her students on a journey through anything from nursery tunes to current chart pop/rock songs to the trickiest of Chopin’s Études with equal enthusiasm and verve, and to demonstrate the conventions of the genre and features or techniques unique to the piece in every case. She has an excellent ear and is able almost effortlessly to identify minor imperfections in tone, tune, or technique and correct them before bad patterns are learned, as well as guiding a student’s expression and dynamics even from their early lessons. She clearly understands music theory and composition to an incredibly technical degree; this technical underpinning perhaps isn’t necessary in all lessons for all students – but, if required to, she is able to show how a technique works “under the bonnet”, explain a musical phenomenon in terms of physics, airflows and frequencies, or thoroughly deconstruct a composition and enumerate the composer’s choices therein – all in a very engaging way that can help to give a particularly curious student an understanding of the nature and beauty of music in the abstract as well as simply teaching them to play their instrument. She’s the best teacher I’ve had, and I can’t recommend her enough!
John
I had saxophone lessons with Kristina when she was teaching in Bristol and she was honestly such a great teacher. She was always really patient, supportive, and made lessons feel relaxed, which helped a lot when I was learning something new. What I appreciated most was how approachable she was. Because we were around the same age, she was very easy to relate to and the lessons never felt intimidating or overly formal. It didn’t have that typical “schoolteacher” vibe, which made it much easier to ask questions and just enjoy learning. I always felt like I was improving and building confidence each lesson. Whenever it came up that I was learning the sax, I’d always mention how great my teacher was. I’d definitely recommend Kristina to anyone looking for a friendly, patient tutor who makes learning both comfortable and enjoyable.
Akosua-Rose
Kristina was a fantastic tutor, helping me grow confident in playing my saxophone at the start of my learning journey!
