About us
Our goal at Tunbridge Wells School of Music is to create great musicians, and not just exam passes. We have a syllabus in place and exams are available, but we do not believe in blindly moving from grade to grade without fully understanding the instrument. Instead we focus on learning and applying music to a real life setting of performance and enjoyment.
Music can be a hobby for some and a career for others, but our aim is to ensure it stays a part of our students lives forever whatever their goals. Our teachers all have a wealth of experiences as professional musicians and it is our passion to share that with others.
Lessons with us are fun, engaging,
and of the highest standard
All lessons are given by professional, insured, DBS checked teachers, and are open to all ages and ability levels
Lessons can follow a structured syllabus or be tailored to the individual student’s needs
Grade exams are available to take with Rockschool, ABRSM or Trinity (TWSOM is a national exam centre for Rockschool so RSL exams are held on site here)
Our main focus is fun and enjoyment while progressing in a relaxed environment to nurture and encourage a passion for music
All teaching rooms are fully equipped with professional equipment and facilities
Ample parking and a comfortable waiting area within the school.
Meet the Team
Director
David Trevillion
David has been involved with music since a very early age, trying out all kinds of instruments, finally settling on the drums in his early teens. He gained his first class honours degree from The Academy of Contemporary Music in 2008. He played for Alt-Folk band 'Tom Williams and the Boat', touring all over the UK and EU over a 3 album campaign. He now divides his creative time between his own electronic-pop group ‘Dead Ceremony’ and session work for other acts; credits include UK R&B singer Azekel, who he played for during his debut album release and was the musical director for the performance at the Glastonbury Festival in 2015, He has had experience performing live on national radio and TV, and recording studio experience at Real World, AIR studios, BBC Maida Vale, and Abbey Road.
Head of Drums
Dan Peranic
Daniel studied at Drumtech and received the coveted ‘Top Performer’ Award. He then started working with local London artists during which time he shared bills with Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran.
He was a member of Flash Fiktion with whom he made an album released by Vinyl Junkie Recordings and published by Chrysalis BMG. National mainstream media critically acclaimed the album; The Sunday Times gave the band 'Single Of The Week' and NME rated the album 8/10, calling the songs "vivacious, glam crackers"! The album gained lots of support from BBC Radio 1 and XFM Radio which listed the album as one of the best British Debut Albums of 2012. Daniel worked with Tim Muddiman, Gary Numan’s long-term guitarist on his debut album and live shows. Around this time he was also involved in music projects for the fashion label Burberry and Gordon’s Gin. He played drums for Brandon Flowers of The Killers on his UK/EU tour for the number 1 album ‘The Desired Effect’. He also performed in Hyde Park supporting The Killers, Elbow, and Tears for Fears with Joel Stein’s Glassmaps. He also worked with BRIT Award and Mercury Music Prize nominated multi-instrumentalist MC Lord Magrão and Absolute Bowie - voted the UK's number 1 tribute show.
He studied with the likes of Mark Giuliana, Ari Hoenig Elvin Jones and holds a Masters Degree from BIMM University in London.
Head of Music / Exams Officer
Harriet Langley
Harriet Langley is a vocal coach and piano teacher with 10 years of experience working with students of all ages and abilities. Her approach to teaching is explorative and creative, crafting bespoke sessions for each student and their goals.
Harriet studied music at the University of East Anglia, with a focus on vocal performance and contemporary composition. Since then she has worked as a singer, song-writer, keys player and guitarist in genres spanning soul, funk, pop, jazz, folk and classical.
She was co-lead singer of 6-piece funk/hip-hop band, Top Cat Collective, lead singer of 8-piece funk band, Funkhaus, and lead singer and synth player of 6-piece jazz/soul band, Kanna. She provided backing vocals and lead guitar for alt/folk artist, Freya Ward, and is currently one of the vocalists for The Paul Dunton Orchestra.
As a member of London Contemporary Voices, Harriet has provided backing vocals for the likes of Lewis Capaldi on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge, Wolf Alice for their live performance on The Fallon Show and their 2022 EP, Blue Lullaby, Hannah Grace for the Lloyds Bank advert 2017, Tom Chaplin (Keane) on BBC's The One Show and The Graham Norton Show, Deaf Havana on their 2018 chart reaching album, Rituals, Deepa Nair Rasiya and Amber Run. She has performed at award winning shows in venues such as Union Chapel, Royal Festival Hall and the O2.
Head of Guitar
Olly Knight-Smith
Olly is a professional musician with a wealth of experience and knowledge. Having studied at the Academy of Contemporary Music, he went on to achieve a degree in Popular Music Performance at the University of Kent.
Now an active musician in London and the South East - Olly is the resident guitarist for Studio 23 in North London - he plays for many different artists including Jordan Mackampa, Sharky, Speakman Sound and Top Cat Collective. In addition Olly works for high end function bands including 'The Honeymooners' and 'The Fulfillments’.
Having played at many prestigious venues such as the Jazz Cafe, New Orleans Jazz Museum and O2 Academy amongst an array of music festivals including Brainchild, El Dorado, French Quarter Fest (New Orleans) and Lounge on the Farm, Olly has plenty of experiences to draw from when teaching.
Drums
Oscar Behrens
Oscar is a drummer based in Sussex with seventeen years of experience in numerous drum styles, live performances and sessions. He has had the privilege to study with many fantastic musicians including Ralph Rolle (Chic), Craig Blundell (Steven Wilson), Steve White (Paul Weller) and Virgil Donati. Oscar has also studied under UK drummer Pat Garvey, since 2012. He has played festivals across the UK and Europe, as well as performing for BBC showcases.
Growing up in the south-east, Oscar has been involved in many different original and cover projects including pop, country, folk, rock, prog and metal. There are many bands/artists that have influenced his style including Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Steven Wilson, Foo Fighters, London Grammar and many more.
Aside from working on original material, as a working musician he fills part of his time teaching privately and playing in cover bands/tribute acts which takes him all across the UK performing at weddings and parties.
Drums
Joseph Booth
Joe studied in Newcastle and earned himself a BMus in Jazz, Popular and Commercial Music. Now based on the border of Kent and South East London, Joe splits his time between teaching and performing.
Experience playing with DDFK Oompah Band and 24th Invicta Rifles marching band have seen Joe play on TV and film with brands such as Tetley Tea, Capital FM, Chelsea FC, Fulham FC and Cadbury, as well as playing at venues like the O2 and Wembley Stadium and also on tours of Europe and South East Asia.
With a love of playing jazz, Joe likes to let his creativity show in performances with a range of jazz groups, but also plays in a number of cover bands in the Rock and Pop genre.
For over 10 years, Joe has been a dedicated drum teacher, helping students of all ages and abilities achieve their drumming goals. His teaching philosophy is built on creating a relaxed environment where students can learn and develop at their own pace with lessons tailored to individual tastes, ensuring a fun and rewarding experience.
Guitar
Joe Gibson
Joe is an experienced professional guitarist, working as a performer and teacher in a variety of styles including Funk, Soul, R n’ B, Pop, Rock, Blues and Americana. Throughout his career he has performed with artists including James Brown, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jamie Cullum, Altered Images, Hamish Stewart (Average White Band), and Matt Berry. Joe is also the guitarist for David Migden & The Twisted Roots who have gained critical acclaim for their albums and live shows in the UK and internationally.
Joe has performed and toured in London and all over the UK as well as internationally with venues including Ronnie Scott’s, The Jazz Café, KoKo, Clapham Grand, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Edinburgh Festival and the Canadian Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival.
Piano
William Saunders
A music graduate from the university of Manchester, William has found a deep passion for teaching and a strong sense of purpose in helping others. Having played piano for over a decade, William understands the transformative power of music and is eager to share that with students. William has been fortunate to have had excellent music teachers throughout his own journey and aims to pass on that knowledge and inspiration, fostering a lifelong love of music in his students. Comfortable in all styles, classical, rock, and electronic music, as well as composition, theory and song writing.
Guitar
Josh Wenham
Josh started playing the guitar at the age of 14, influenced by such artists as Nile Rodgers, Rob Harris and Mark Latteri. His passion lies in playing all styles of music that he can. Setting out into his musical career, Josh applied to West Kent College in Tonbridge where he started to begin to understand what type of work he wanted to do as a self-employed musician. After studying at Tonbridge for two years, Josh moved onto a private music school called Music Station where he began to hone his career as a session musician. Starting out in function bands, he played around the south-east circuit as a working musician. Josh then moved to London to study at the Academy of Contemporary Music, gaining contacts and finding his sound and style as a professional musician.
Josh has worked with such artists as Sophie Winter, Diascia and Studio 33. Performing live and in the studio for both acts, he has accumulated various skills in recording, producing and performance.
Drums
Dinis Pinto
Dinis comes from Portugal, where his musical experience started with piano lessons at an early age. He later played the bass and sang for a while, and finally found out that drumming was his absolute passion. His experience playing within diverse ensembles and large bands gives him that down-to-the- core feel for what it takes to make music flow amongst group members.
In 2019, Dinis moved to London to follow his musical dreams, graduating in Jazz at Middlesex University with great teachers like Shane Forbes, Tim Giles, and Dave Ohm. Since then, he's performed extensively across London and toured the UK with the Jamaican artist Etana at renowned venues like the Legacy Centre of Excellence in Birmingham and Islington Assembly Hall.
Dinis has also toured Europe with the band 'Real Rockers' and brings this wealth of performance experience into his teaching.
As a dedicated drum teacher, he has worked with students of all ages, and strives to create a relaxed and supportive environment where students can explore their passion for music and develop their own unique voice
Testimonials
The guys here are more than just music teachers – they’re friends and mentors. They helped us choose the right kit and gave Jem good advice when it came to doing drumming with groups outside the school. We can’t fault it – TWSOM is a one-off.
Emma (Parent)
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