Qualified vocalist passionately teaching singing, piano and percussion (handpan, beatbox, rhythm and groove) in London

Find out more about Andrin

• 1) When did you first develop a passion for music and your favourite instrument?

  I have definitely started developing a passion and a sense for music when I was still in my mother's womb. Even at the latest stages of pregnancy she would attend music and dance workshops and I would absorb whatever I could. From my earliest days on this planet I had my crib set up just next to a large group of adults playing the most wonderful music together in a group. Now looking back, I think it was kind of inevitable for me to follow the path of music in my own life. I have started discovering a passion for my favourite instrument, the voice, when I was three years old. I took part in weekly music lessons in a local music school and we got taught how to dance, sing, play and live music.

• 2) Is there a particular type music or artist that you listen to on a loop without it driving you crazy?

  Kabeção Rodrigues is a handpan player and a good friend of mine, whose music is incredibly soothing and calming to listen to. It can be consumed with but also without a lot of focus which is what makes it great and timeless.

• 3) Explain to us the most difficult or riveting course you could personally give to a student of music.

  I consider the performance of a music piece as one of the supreme disciplines to achieve in music. There are so many factors that contribute to a great performance and it is sometimes very hard to keep them in mind when being in the spotlight. Also from a teacher's perspective the observation and the analysis of a performance requires a deep understanding of the matter and all its related influences.
  I find workshopping a performance with a student is a process so rewarding for both the mentor, and the learner. We can both learn from each other at all times.

• 4) What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master and why?

  Only quite rarely I see theremin performances that I find convincing and musically sophisticated. I think the theremin is an instrument that is extremely hard to wrap one's head around. Unlike on most conventional instruments the sound creation on this instrument isn't based on the activation of clearly visible or tangible parts of the "music tool" (like the drumhead on a djembé or the strings of a violin, for example).
  
  The theremin much rather responds to us interfering with its magnetic vibration fields that it radiates. It isn't quite obvious where to put one's fingers in order to change volume or alter the pitch.
  
  I think mastering a theremin requires much more knowledge on physics and acoustics and it needs a lot of patience to produce sound on it that matches a musical context and doesn't sound like an indecipherable message from aliens. Trust me, I have tried this.

• 5) What are your keys to success?

  Persistence, trust and genuineness

• 6) Name three musicians you dream of meeting in your favourite bar in the early hours of the morning. Explain why

  Imogen Heap, Fin Greenall from FINK and Bobby McFerrin. Imogen and Fin because I have been in masterclasses they held and we have indirectly been in touch. They both seem such innovative, creative and yet, humble humans that will definitely be worth having a chat with. Meeting Bobby McFerrin would be an emotional rollercoaster for me, for sure! There's only a very few people that have had such an influence on my own growing as a young musician. Bobby definitely counts as one of them as has been touching me with his voice since my earliest days of life. Because of that, I think I perceive him as somewhat like a father figure, without him knowing that of course. It will be hard not to come across like an overexcited fanboy and to just treat him like any other human you'd get to know. But I'm sure over a ginger tea and a piece of cake we'd do great and just carry on talking about anything and everything.

• 7) Provide a valuable anecdote related to music or your days at music school.

  Music is a language that can be learnt by each and everyone. It is a language that can be understood even amongst people from opposite parts of the world. Sometimes words fail to explain what music can express with just one single sound. Just like we all had to learn how to walk and how to speak, we can learn music. With patience and never-ending will that outshines our failures we will all grow internally, externally and eternally. Step by step by step by step...

• 8) What are the little touches that make you a Superprof in music?

  When I'm in the role of a student myself, I enjoy being led by a mentor, who is there to guide me, to feed me with his/her knowledge and to challenge me out of my comfort zone.
  For the past couple years I have built up mentorships between me and my students not only by being their examiner, but also by encouraging their growth, embracing their mistakes and approaching them on eye level to companion their learning.
  As a mentor I think it is one of the most valuable skills to be a good listener and observer. I am trying to treat every student of mine as individually as possible by shaping each lesson just to a their needs. For this to work out, I rely on a pair of well-trained ears and a pair of sharp eyes.