Music Teachers
Children are able to learn a wide range of instruments in school with our talented visiting music teachers.
Violin - Charlie Brookes
Charlie completed his Master's degree at the Royal Academy of Music in 2020, having graduated from Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2017. While studying at the Academy, Charlie was selected to participate in collaborative schemes with the London Sinfonietta and with the college’s Symphony Orchestra. During his undergraduate studies, he played with the Royal Welsh String Soloists ensemble who performed at a gala event at Buckingham Palace for HRH Prince Charles. He also gained a place on a professional experience scheme with Welsh National Opera. He led the CBSO Youth Orchestra in the Midlands, performing pieces including Mozart’s Violin Concerto No 5, the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Romance No 2. When he’s not teaching, Charlie enjoys leading the Brent Symphony Orchestra alongside a varied freelance career with organisations including the English Symphony Orchestra, British Sinfonietta, Cardiff Sinfonietta and Orchestra Vitae.
Voice - Chloe Latchmore
Chloe is a singing teacher and operatic mezzo soprano. She trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she completed her Masters of Music on their opera course, after obtaining a Bachelor of Music from the Royal Northern College of Music. She has since been a regular member of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera chorus, as well taking on small roles and covers there and freelancing as a soloist. Alongside her work at Russell House, Chloe has a busy roster of private students ranging from young learners to adults working in the profession. Recent pupil successes include winner of the Opera Festival Scotland non professional category, roles in Midsummer Opera Festival, successful application to the Morley Adult Opera Course and several successful chorister auditions to York Minster Choir and Ripon Cathedral Choir. She is currently training to be a music therapist with Nordoff Robbins alongside her teaching and integrates this creative approach into her work with students.
Piano - Samuel Bordoli
Samuel Bordoli is British pianist and composer whose music has been heard widely throughout the
UK. He was Scottish Opera’s Composer-in-Residence between 2017-2020 where he composed a
variety of work. He studied at Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Academy of Music, where
he was the Mendelssohn Scholar and Manson Fellow. He was mentored by Sir Peter Maxwell
Davies for nine years. His broad output has also included a chamber opera, Amerika, performed at
the Tête à Tête opera festival, and a choral anthem, The Great Silence, premiered at the Windsor
Festival for the late Queen’s 90th Birthday. His opera Belongings was premiered on the Caledonian
Sleeper train between Aberdeen and London. He has also composed four site-specific
compositions for London landmarks, including Tower Bridge, the Monument and St Paul’s
Cathedral, and co-produced Planets 2018 performed inside planetariums across the UK. Samuel is
a highly experienced and sought-after teacher who is passionate about working with students of
all ages. His students have gone on to gain music scholarships, enter competitions and attend
Saturday morning music junior departments. His choral music is published by Stainer & Bell and he was awarded an ARAM in 2018.
Clarinet and Saxophone - Gemma Norford
Gemma studied Music at Cardiff University with clarinet as her principal study and where she won a competition to perform a concerto with the University Orchestra. Once she graduated, Gemma spent time working within institutions such as the PRS, ABRSM, Boosey and Hawkes and the Royal Opera House. Gemma took on a voluntary and fixed-term position as Head of Woodwind at Kampala Music school in Uganda where she taught clarinet, saxophone and recorders working both at the Music School itself and within its outreach programmes. Upon her return to the UK, Gemma worked for a local music service teaching both instrumental and academic music before being appointed Head of Junior Music at Wimbledon High School (GDST). Gemma was appointed Head of Music at Russell House in 2021. Throughout this, Gemma has remained an active musician outside of her job, playing in various orchestras, concert bands, quartets and pit bands around London and Kent. She also sings in a chamber choir based in Canterbury.
Guitar - Georgie Combe
Georgie started playing guitar as a 10-year old and quickly found that musicality and reading music came naturally. She studied classical guitar at Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance in Greenwich, under the guidance of Graham Anthony Devine, performing solo and in chamber ensembles. Georgie has been awarded a licentiate in Instrumental Teaching, specifying classical guitar, alongside a BMus (Hons) in classical guitar performance. Georgie teaches the electric guitar, classical guitar and the ukulele to young learners, where she successfully balances the pupil’s fascination of learning, the instrument, and working hard to achieve goals. She is experienced in the Rockschool, Trinity and ABRSM examination boards. Georgie also has experience in musical theatre, playing electric guitar in popular musicals such as Rent, We Will Rock You, Spring Awakening and Les Misérables, as well as performing in pantomimes at London Bridge, during the Christmas season.
Piano, Flute and Recorder - Christopher Green
Having started the flute rather late at the age of 16 and achieving Grade 8 Distinction at 17, Christopher went on to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) and the Royal Academy of Music. As a freelance musician, Christopher's highlights include performing at the BBC Proms with BBC Concert Orchestra, international tours with Welsh National Opera and concerts on Radio 3 with BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He is also an experienced pianist, undertaking work as a rehearsal-pianist and exam accompanist, as well as performing at weddings and concerts. Christopher thoroughly enjoys his teaching work, having held numerous posts prior to his appointment at Russell House, including the Deputy Teacher of Flute and Chamber Music Coach at the RWCMD Junior Conservatoire. Alongside an excellent track record of music examination results, he is proud to have successfully prepared many pupils for competitions, auditions for youth ensembles and university applications.
Trombone and Trumpet - Robert Maslin
Robert studied the Trombone at Kingston University and did his post graduate course at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies. Since then, he has performed regularly in a variety of genres within the music industry from West End shows to The leading London Orchestras. He is a member of both The LP Swing Orchestra and The Glenn Miller Orchestra which are two of this countries leading Big Bands. He records regularly in the studio and has many TV and film credits. He is an examiner for the MTB. Robert has taught in the Sevenoaks area for many years and is currently the brass teacher at three local preparatory schools.
Voice - Sandra Booer
Sandra Booer studied English at Cambridge and Singing as a postgraduate at the Royal College of Music. Her performing experience was mainly as a concert singer: as a member of Tapestry (a clarinet, soprano and piano trio) she was involved in commissioning over a hundred new works. She has taught singing to people of all ages and musical persuasions. She taught Early Years music at Blackheath Conservatoire and has been a class music teacher in nurseries, primary and secondary schools. At Greenwich University, she taught students how to teach singing at primary school level. She has worked in Adult Education and has run several choirs, one for people with Parkinson’s. She is passionate about singing as a means of personal expression and a lifelong joy. Although experienced in preparing pupils for ABRSM and Trinity exams, the main aim of lessons is to find and nurture pupils’ individual voices and personalities. Sandra was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2018 for services to music.
Cello - Catherine Brooker
Catherine studied at the Royal Academy of Music and then went on to complete a Post Diploma in Orchestral Training at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Since leaving the Guildhall School of Music and Drama she has worked as a free-lance cellist, playing in orchestras and chamber groups in and around London. She was a member of the resident string quartet at Penshurst Place in Kent for ten years, and was a regular performer of the successful and popular choral music of the composer Margaret Rizza. She founded her own string quartet, 'The Linden Players'. Catherine is highly experienced cello teacher and has taught both individual students and varying sized groups over a wide range of ability and progress for over twenty years. She has also run numerous orchestras and ensembles and has been involved in educational schemes to promote string playing in schools. When she is not playing her cello, Catherine is a keen cyclist.
