Teaching
Learn from the best
David is Senior Lecturer at ANU School of Music. Intending tertiary cello students are encouraged to contact him directly for information as well as to contact the School of Music. David is collaborating with the School to build an elite school of cello at ANU.
For private 1:1 cello lessons David has studios in both Canberra and Epping (Sydney).
Children, adults, professionals retraining… all are welcome to apply.
David has time for some new students (Australian or International) – the enthusiastic, curious and hard-working ones, of course!
Duration and frequency of tuition is determined by individual negotiation. Detailed monthly invoices are emailed to clients for EFT payment.
David’s strong inclination is to help others to become complete cellist-musicians. Such students work with him on their cello-playing technique, improvisation, repertoire development, interpretation, aural skills, music theory and literacy, composition, ensemble music-making, philosophy, physical fitness and meditation skills. They relatively quickly should become their own teachers, and strongly authentic music-makers.
His ‘system’ is intensely client-centred and in-the-moment rather than generalist. Tuition is matched with the individual student so as to maximise their speed of development and their enjoyment. His application of high standards therefore consists in arrival at the best possible lesson for a particular student (on any occasion) as much as in knowing, expressing and coaching absolute measures of success and failure, or in following a predetermined sequential development. A father of seven, an enormously experienced professional teacher and performer, David is equally at home offering tuition to the professional colleague, the 5-year-old starter, or the mature age hobbyist.
David is much more interested in his students’ discovery and cultivation of playing that they (individually) admire, than in limited modes of conformism that from time to time are available. Excellent cellist/musicians are needed in numerous and diverse kinds of real life situations. Such musicians should easily blend into niche ensembles whenever they want to… by quickly learning the few special rules according to which any of them functions.
After completing a tertiary performance degree in cello and then dropping out halfway through my masters degree, I thought I had made the decision to quit playing and never even listen to classical music ever again. I was so burnt out and music had completely lost its magic. A few years later I had the tentative curiosity to start playing again, and so contacted David for lessons on how to get back to a half decent standard. For my first lesson with him I was probably the most nervous I’ve felt in such a long time, but immediately David recognised this and made me feel at ease and more comfortable. Over the past year or so, David has helped me grow so much as a musician – finding solutions to technical challenges and teaching me how to play with ease, as well as developing my artistry and encouraging me to have faith in myself. No two lessons are the same and he has an amazing ability to find the core of any issues I may be having and to solve them then and there in a healthy and collaborative environment. He has inspired me so much to the point where I have found my love of music and art once again and my confidence is so much higher than it ever was. David never gave up on me and I’m so grateful to have him as my teacher.
Samantha
Cello Student
Choose your plan
Anywhere via zoom
Cello LessonsCanberrA, ACT
Cello LessonsEpping, NSW
Cello LessonsCanberra & Epping
Ensemble CoachingCanberra, ACT
Professional String Player Technical ModificationsTechnical Modifications for repetitive strain injury, occupational Tremor or Cramp etc.
POA
Ensemble CoachingAs a parent of a musician-in-training, I feel privileged to witness the growth, advancement and flourishing of my son as a young Cellist, under the mentorship of David Pereira. David teaches the craft of cello playing not simply by sharing his profound technical and musical knowledge, but also through insight as a reflective, creative and humble musician and teacher. David promotes enjoyment and pride in learning the cello whilst encouraging development of one’s own musical voice. Yes, David expects hard work and dedication – but the reward to the student (and parent) – is delighting in a transformation of mindset, thriving in the challenge of achieving excellence, and most importantly, the gratification of playing an instrument with authenticity, confidence and passion.
Parent
Cello Student
It has been a pleasure to have David Pereira teach our daughter the cello. David is a gifted cellist himself and brings a wealth of practical experience and pedagogical skill. David has a warm, pleasant and engaging style peppered with age appropriate humour that makes our 9-year old look forward to each lesson. He has been able to fast-track her development by breaking down complex techniques and musical concepts into simple yet highly effective exercises. His gentle encouragement and frequent affirmation has boosted our daughter’s confidence and deepened her love for the cello . We highly recommend David as a teacher and mentor to anyone looking to master the cello.
Parent
Cello Student
Across his 30-year career, David Pereira has commissioned, performed and recorded more cello music than perhaps any other Australian cellist: from the solo suites of Bach to Rautavaara and the Russian romantics, to the ever-expanding Sculthorpe repertoire and dozens of works by other Australians.
– The Australian, Vincent Plush, 2012 –
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