Hello. I'm Alex Bowen, a musician based in Derby, England. My company Stepping Tones delivers fun music lessons and workshops to children and adults.

I teach piano and music theory, teacher training and Dalcroze Eurhythmics classes. 

My document A Little Book of Piano Lessons provides more information about how I work. There's information below about my teaching background, qualifications and experience. 

You might like to view my video for a taster of the tone and content of the lessons I teach:

Teaching Background

I have been teaching piano, music theory, song-writing/ composition and musicianship since 2002 with pupils aged 4 – 75 from beginner to Grade 8 standard. I am experienced in teaching those with specific learning requirements and conditions such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD and Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

I provide teacher training in improvisation, keyboard harmony, musicianship, aural skills and music pedagogy.

My Qualifications

MSc Psychology - Distinction - University of Glasgow - June 2024

BA (Hons) Music - First Class - The Open University - July 2021

ATCL - Diploma in Piano Performance - May 2017

Certificate in Dalcroze Eurhythmics - Jan 2017

Dip. ABRSM - Principles of Piano Teaching - Nov 2009

Pupil Concerts

I hold regular pupil concerts, inviting my own students and those of some of my teaching colleagues to perform. These events have been very successful with up to 20 performers and 70 audience members. The concerts are professionally filmed and these videos are hosted on Youtube. Click here to view the latest recordings and click here to view a photo gallery of our most recent concert.

Other Teaching Experience

•Piano teacher. Loughborough University. Oct 2021 - present

•Class Music teacher, choir accompanist and piano teacher. The Old Vicarage School. Sept 2018 - Dec 2021.

•Dalcroze Eurhythmics teacher. Birmingham Conservatoire’s Junior Strings project. March 2016 - June 2017.

•Class Teacher. Guildhall College of Music and Drama - Junior Strings Programme. November 2014 - June 2015. Teaching Dalcroze Eurhythmics method. 5 groups of string players, aged 5 – 11. The classes form part of Guildhall's String Training Programme.

• Deputy musicianship teacher. Birmingham Conservatoire’s Junior Strings project. Sept 2012 - present.

• Musicianship workshop leader. St Clare’s Special School, Derby. Jan 2013 - June 2013. Musicianship classes, working with teenagers with a wide variety of physical, social and emotional needs.

• Theory and musicianship teacher. Derby Music Centre. Sept 2012 - July 2013. Saturday morning classes in musicianship, aural training and music theory for teenagers involved in various bands and orchestras at the centre.

• Classroom music teacher. St. George's Primary School, Derby. Sept 2008 - July 2009. Teaching children aged 7-9 for 3 hours each week. I have also worked as a teaching assistant.

Original Music

I write, record and arrange my own music which has been used for independent film, in my teaching and for my own performances, both solo and ensemble.  I have performed at venues across the UK including at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Buxton Fringe Festival and at Derby University May Ball, alongside acts such as Joan as Policewoman, The Howling Bells, The Fun Loving Criminals and Liam Frost. In 2009 and 2011 I was a featured artist on www.mercedes-benz.tv, where my song, ‘Into the Sea’ was available for download to people all over the world. In 2013, Mercedes Benz short-listed my song from 360 down to 10, and featured it once more on their site. More recently, I have written a collection of children's songs and games.