Da Capo Academy 

We used Samantha as a saxophone teacher for my eldest son some years ago and the quality of teaching was excellent. The set up is extremely professional and Samantha is an excellent teacher helping my son achieve excellent grades in his performance exams.

Fast forward a few years and my youngest son needs a piano teacher so we are now back at Da Capo Music Academy but this time for piano lessons. Dylan is also an excellent teacher. His style and approach to lessons work excellent for my son. I have no doubt he will also help my son achieve excellent grades in his performance exams.

I would 100% recommend both Samantha and Dylan as music teachers.

We enrolled our son with little but any knowledge of music, but we soon realised we were in the right hands. Dylan & Samantha are exemplary in their dedication and devotion to their students. Lessons are organised and managed in a professional but relaxed fashion. Their teaching is always consistent. Our son soon began to reap the benefits of the Da Capo way. From a novice seven years ago he is now studying for his Grade 8.
We could not recommend the Academy enough and have recommended Da Capo to friends who have enrolled their children also. In their hands your children will flourish and develop their abilities fast.

My son has been having piano lessons for a few years. He has had a few tutors during this time. Dylan is the best as my son tells me all the time. He has progressed so much in the time he has been with him. Dylan has connected with my son the way no other teachers have, he has really got to know him and gets the best from him. He looks forward to his lessons and leaves each lesson feeling even more confident. Samantha and Dylan are brilliant. The concerts that they hold also add to the confidence for my son. I am waiting to enrol my younger son as I know he too will enjoy the musical journey with Samantha and Dylan!

Samantha has taught my oldest for 8 years including a gap in between and has always been very patient and accommodating. She now teaches both my girls and seeing the constant improvements week after week on the piano is amazing 🤩 I cannot thank her enough for everything she has done for them up to now!

Dylan has always been friendly and polite to us if he sees us and it has been a joy to see my oldest perform in her first concert not long ago hosted by both Samantha and Dylan!

Cannot fault either of them! 100% genuine and hard working x

Both my children are being taught to play piano by Dylan . The experience is completely breathtaking, not only have we seen objective progression in their musical journeys , but he has instilled passion for the subject and an eagerness to learn! I find myself listening to him and am always amazed by his ability to teach them concepts they apply to other aspects of learning. Samantha complements him , by encouraging them to perform in the showcase concerts , I visibly see the confidence building in my kids, she has the ability to harness their full potential!
These two are unique musicians with the profound ability to teach their skills to the younger generation, they are meticulously professional and the most endearing human beings.
The academy comes highly recommended by my family!

Both of my children go to Da Capo Academy and my older one has been with Dylan since 2016. I am very impressed and happy for their progress and the support they have received.

Apart from his solid foundation in piano technique, Dylan is very patient and understanding, always providing positive feedback to motivate the students to practice and identify the areas that require improvements in a supportive manner. My daughter also learned music theory with Samantha when preparing for the grade 5 exam. Samantha gives excellent encouragement and good communication to explain the difficult concepts in an easy-to-understand way and provides clear instructions on how to improve.

In addition to lessons, Da Capo Academy arranges 4 showcase concerts every year. My children have been given good opportunities to participate in front of a larger audience. I can see these activities have boosted their confidence, both in music and in person.

I would definitely recommend Da Capo Academy for piano and music lessons, no matter the age and level you are.

The most amazing and supportive music teachers!

When I came to them, I was grade 2, insecure of my ability and struggling to achieve a nice tone out of my clarinet. They helped me rebuild my musical foundations and taught me how to play with clarity and a warm tone.

7 years later, I am playing at a grade 8 level and have won several music competitions. In 2019, I was the highest scorer for ABRSM exams at my local test centre and it was all thanks to Samantha who taught me not only how to play music, but how to enjoy music too.

Samantha has taught our son so such from a very early age, starting with the recorder, then onto the clarinet, and now with theory and music history. She is very knowledgeable and patient, and our son has grown in confidence with her support. Something we really appreciate is how Joshua has lots of opportunities to play in concerts in front of audiences, rather than just having lessons with nothing to work towards. He always has stretching but achievable goals to work towards. We would not hesitate to recommend Samantha for recorder or clarinet lessons, no matter what age you are.

Our son started learning the piano with Dylan when he was 7 years old, he has always been given great support & encouragement which has enabled him to grow into a confident pianist.
He has been given fantastic opportunities to play the piano at Da Capo Showcases & partake in competitions, which has boosted his confidence musically and personally.
Da Capo Academy provides so much to a young musician & keeps their enthusiasm growing.
He also started music theory lessons with Samantha which he has really enjoyed and has made great progress thanks to Samantha's patience and encouragement.
We can't recommend the Da Capo Academy enough.

We feel very honoured and lucky to know Dylan and Samantha and be a part of Da Capo Academy, an outstanding music school.
I started lessons as an adult with Dylan 12 years ago and now we are very fortunate to have Dylan teaching our son. Through both experiences we’ve come to see how Dylan’s teaching method not only helps shape a student from a musical sense but also from a positive mindset.
When I watch Dylan teach my son some quite complex stuff, it’s magical how it all comes together, it’s amazing to witness. He really promotes an understanding of the instrument and music in a broad sense rather than just “learning pieces”. His passion shows throughout his teaching.
Dylan takes a real interest in our son, taking the time to get to know him, which helps in the relationship and putting our son at ease.
The concerts and showcases that Dylan and Samantha put on are superb. They teach students how to behave in a performance environment, from dress code to performance etiquette. The showcases give the students so much confidence and enjoyment and the audience get to see top class musicianship. The younger students or those new to music see older or more experienced students perform and that gives them an appreciation of their peers and what they can aspire to.
Samantha is always so approachable and accommodating when it comes to lessons and the admin side of it. She is so professional and kind in her approach to the students and parents.
Our son loves the piano. The ethos Dylan has instilled, in not only our son but also supporting us as parents in our son’s musical journey, has meant our son truly loves learning the piano and music. It excites him. He is so happy to practise and loves going to his lesson. It’s never a chore. It’s wonderful to see.

It has been six years since I started having lessons from Samantha at Da Capo Academy. At the start I was 10 years old and extremely nervous about playing the clarinet and performing in front of a group, worried about not being able to play to my expectations or messing up a piece of music. However over the years I've seen my confidence grow overwhelmingly. Although I'll always be anxious when performing; I've learnt to expect it and deal with it when I perform. Dylan was very reassuring during my concert performances with him and Samantha has helped me to improve my stage performance as a whole. With such support behind me I've become more willing to join in with musical opportunities, joining a Jazz band, performing in concerts annually and always taking on difficult pieces without the hesitation I would have had years before. Samantha has made my experience with playing the clarinet enjoyable and challenging and I look forward to the next few years playing with her, as well as other students.

As someone who struggles with several medical conditions that have restricted my lifestyle I have found that learning the clarinet with Samantha has opened up a whole new set of experiences for me. Not only is my confidence increasing as my musical abilities develop and as I have taken part in showcases but I have found a love of music that I didn't know I had. I cannot commend this music academy highly enough. The teaching, performance opportunities and sense of belonging to something very special are outstanding. Anyone privileged enough to be taught by Dylan and Samantha Christopher are extremely fortunate indeed.

My children have been with Da Capo Academy for over a year now. I am impressed with the level of commitment and clarity with which the teaching of clarinet and piano is delivered. I have just had three piano lessons with Samantha and I am enjoying it. With no previous experience in playing any musical instrument, Samantha has taught me how to play and I have started to read music notes.
I will recommend Da Capo Academy to anyone searching for music tutors.

I have been studying with Dylan for about 9 months now and I can honestly say that my weekly piano lesson with him is a real highlight of my week. No matter how stressful my day has been at work, I always come away from the lesson on a high. Dylan’s way of teaching is tailored to you as an individual, and his enthusiasm makes you feel that you really can do it. I suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder which can make performing in front of others a challenge, but the enjoyment I get from my practice under Dylan’s guidance is both motivating and exhilarating. I cannot now imagine my life without music, and I have no hesitation in recommending Da Capo Academy to others looking to start or progress their own musical journey.

With two girls taking music lessons: one clarinet; one piano and me being a total novice in this area, I can honestly say Samantha and Dylan are the most approachable and genuine people, who are happy to give advice and support on more than just the teaching element of the process.
Having just bought a second hand piano on which my daughter could practice, I could not have made such an informed and confident choice without the advice and key pointers which Dylan spent the time (in the Easter break I add) compiling, referencing and presenting to me in terms which I found entirely accessible. With his help we have made a fabulous purchase which we are incredibly happy with.
Now to the clarinet: after buying a wooden clarinet for my eldest who has been using a plastic one the last few years, we were not prepared for the temperamental nature of wood and found ourselves with a rather expensive clarinet seemingly glued together!! I emailed Samantha who kindly agreed to look at it and show us the correct and safe way to tackle this as well as advise us on storage and prevention methods. To me this is invaluable as it may seem obvious to those well versed in woodwind instruments but not so obvious for the poor old layperson who is me!
The environment in which my children learn is professional yet relaxed. Both teachers have a keen expectation of commitment from the learner, which is what you want when investing in your child's learning, for both value for money but more importantly from the child's own recognition of their progress. Each lesson is structured and goal-oriented with a motivational points system. This certainly inspires my two to maintain focus and a little healthy sibling competition haha!
I think the best way to sum up how good, effective, inspirational a music teacher is, is by measuring the child's enthusiasm and mine look toward to every Wednesday, it is the pinnacle of the week for them. And as most parents will appreciate the hours sat waiting for your child whilst at X club can be rather mindnumbing, I actually find this to be one of the highlights of my week also.
Finally, if you or your child have a passion or aptitude for music and you are looking to build on that, you would be making a very sound decision by choosing Da Capo.
Happy music making!

Two of my children have been taught piano by Dylan, and I have no reservations in recommending him to anyone wanting to learn, no matter how old or young.

Dylan's teaching goes beyond the instrument, and his methods have helped to re-enforce manners, respect, patience and hard work in my boys.

The summer and winter concerts that Dylan and Samantha organise are also way above and beyond any other private music teaching organisation that I have dealt with, and give all students the opportunity to play on a real stage to a packed audience. Watching students perform on a variety of instruments, and spanning generations is an amazing thing.

My only regret is not having enough time to take lessons myself. Thanks for everything.

Da capo have been brilliant.

After calling and emailing various local teachers, I ended up speaking to Dylan at Da Capo. Straight away I could tell we were going to get on as he seemed so friendly and calm over the phone.

Just one month into my lessons, I could already feel a major shift in how I was playing and looking at music. I think it was around 6 months or so from when I had my first lesson that Dylan asked me to have a go at a piece of music he selected. I agreed and started to play the piece ( finding it quite easy and comfortable ). When I finished playing what I thought was a random selected piece of music, Dylan advised me that this was the same piece of music that he put in front of me on one of our first few lessons ( the same piece I literally didn't even know how to start ). I was shocked and extremely pleased!

I have watched various concerts that Da Capo puts on and therefore had the pleasure of meeting his other students who all seem to be lovely people that are also full of praise for both Dylan and Samantha.