Alma Cope

Alma co-founded the music school with husband Brian in 2005 and for the past 12 years, in addition to maintaining a full-time career, has dedicated her every Saturday morning to the smooth running of the school.  Alma's sunny and engaging personality has helped foster a real sense of community in the music school, creating a safe and welcoming environment for children to thrive.

Alma is available in the main waiting area from 9.00am until 1.00pm and can help with all enquiries relating to music school matters.

A few fun facts about Alma:

• Alma is from Albania and is often mistaken for being Spanish
• 3 scoops of ice-cream: raspberry ripple, pistachio and Ferrero Rocher
• She loves to sing
• She speaks Abanian, English, Italian and French and will pretty much have a go at any language!

Simon Rawson

Simon found a violin at home when he was eleven and with a bit of help from his dad started playing. He was inspired listening to Alfredo Campoli playing Bazzini's La Ronde des Lutins and it wasn't long before he knew what he wanted to do. He studied the violin and viola at the RAM and after a couple of years playing in the English Chamber Orchestra left to freelance with most of London's great orchestras until moving to Edinburgh to join the Scottish Chamber Orchestra which he played in for 25 years. Simon joined the staff at Sistema Scotland in Glasgow nine years ago and has enjoyed teaching for many years including beginners to professional players.

Some fun facts:

• Simon has played in over 40 countries. Highlights include Iguazu in South America, a tour of India and a tour of Israel.
• He also played in the mountains of Brazil where lots of children came wanting to carry his violin case.
• He's played on over 100 CDs.
• Simon has played with these great violinists: Gidon Kremer, Pinchas Zukerman, James Ehnes, Isabelle Faust, Alina Ibragimova, Jaime Laredo, Joseph Swensen, Isaac Stern, Henryk Szeryng and many others.
• Hobbies include birdwatching, learning ancient Hebrew and Greek, reading and walking.

Megan Porter BMus (Hons)

Valentin Danisevicius DEM, DipABRSM

• I love boardgames, my favourite is Everdell
• I used to play lead guitar in metal bands
• I studied Opera singing as a tenor for 3 years
• I could eat curry almost every day!

Dominique Boeynaems BMus MMus

Dominique started his practice of the classical guitar at the age of 8. After several years of private lessons, he attended De! Kunsthumaniora, high school for the arts in Antwerp, Belgium, where he graduated with distinction. In 2017, he completed his undergrad at the Royal Conservatoire of Ghent in guitar performance, where he studied with Johan Fostier and Yves Storms. He recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where he received classes with Scottish guitarist Matthew McAllister.

Dominique is very passionate about teaching guitar and music in general to the next generation. He also enjoys being involved in chamber music as well as working with other musicians, and is always looking towards new projects to take on. One project that Dominique is currently leading is the second season of the Glasgow Guitar Nights, giving a stage to young and upcoming guitarists.

Jack Saxelby-Smith BA MSc

Jack attended the Berkshire Maestros Music Centre where he achieved grade 8 by the time he was 17. At this centre, he also had the opportunity to play in various orchestras and percussion groups, including the Berkshire County Percussion Ensemble. In the latter, he performed at venues including Windsor Castle, and was awarded most improved player.

Jack began teaching drums after leaving school, whilst also performing in indie/rock groups. He later performed in a band on the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds festival, and also had the opportunity to play in recording environments. This has included recording drums for a promotion project for leading audio technology company Solid State Logic.

Since moving to Edinburgh, Jack has immersed himself in the thriving music scene, and plays regularly with a neo-soul/Jazz group. He has played at events such as Hidden Door Festival and as part of Glasgow's Broadcast Central Belters lineup, whilst also works with the group in recording studios.

Jack is passionate about working with young people and the next generation of musicians. With over a decade of experience teaching drums, he has taught students of all ages and abilities, both privately and as part of an after school club, and focuses on reading and performance skills. Being dyslexic, drums has become a useful outlet for Jack over the course of his education, and has helped him to discover unique methods using rhythm to process information - He hopes to continue to better understand the effects of drumming on additional educational needs and apply this to his teaching.

Some interesting facts about Jack:

• He is currently trying to learn Spanish and how to play the piano.
• He loves hiking, visiting the Pyrenees once a year.
• His favourite snack is a carrot - Often found eating one before gigs!

Louise Martin MMus, PGCE, BA (Hons)
Louise spent eight years as a high school music teacher before running away with the circus, where she branched out from classical cello and piano into rock, punk, ska, country, theremin, musical saw and stilt-walking. Following postgraduate MMus study in Ethnomusicology, and Music in the Community, she settled back in Edinburgh.

She now works as a freelance musician in a variety of contexts: she has led creative music projects for East Lothian and Highland Councils, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Ensemble and Royal Lyceum Theatre; has taught Music in the Community at Napier University and (currently) the University of Edinburgh; has been privileged to study djembe techniques at Alla Leake Percussion (The Gambia); has organised education work for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra; works with adult leisure-time musicians as Musical Director of the Merchant Sinfonia (Glasgow) and Stockbridge and New Town Community Orchestra (Edinburgh); and has led community choirs for the Royal Lyceum Theatre and Stellar Quines theatre company. Alongside her freelance work she is Director of Access, Engagement and Participation with Scotland’s exciting contemporary classical music group Red Note Ensemble.

A few fun facts about Louise:

• If she was an animal she'd like to be a Friesian cow – just mosey-ing along, grazing all day. Mmmmoooooo!
• Her favourite day out in Edinburgh a walk along the River Almond walkway, ending up at the ice-cream van at Cramond harbour
• 3 scoops of ice-cream: Belgian chocolate, blackcurrant sorbet, raspberry sorbet
• She started to play the Recorder when she was 8
  Piano when she was 9
  Violin when she was 10
  Cello when she was 11
  Musical Saw when she was old enough to know better!

Marianna di Costanzo, MMus, PGDE
Marianna started playing the piano when she was 4 years old, using the Yamaha method. She studied at the Conservatory of Music in Aosta, Italy, and graduated with honours in 2017. During her studies at the Conservatory, Marianna focused on chamber music and piano accompaniment for singers and instrumentalists. She performed at several venues and events throughout Northern Italy, in a piano-clarinet duo.

For 3 years, she was a piano accompanist for the CantoLeggero choir, providing accompaniment for numerous concerts and seminars, as well as for dance lessons and exams through the UK-based Royal Academy of Dance. In 2017, Marianna took part in the Festival Suoni d’Abruzzo, an international chamber music and orchestra festival, where she attended the chamber music course held by clarinettist Andrea Massimo Grassi.
To further her professional studies, Marianna earned a MMus in Piano Accompaniment, and a PGDE in Music, both from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She has gained valuable experience as a music educator both in a classroom setting, and teaching private piano lessons to children of all ages.

With dedication and passion, Marianna brings an open-minded approach to children’s piano education. Her lessons include focuses on improvisation, aural-training, and singing, to engage and support the student’s learning development.

A few interesting facts about Marianna:

• Marianna speaks English, French and Italian.
• She loves baking and her mission is finding the best bakery when visiting new places.
• Her first piano teacher discovered that Marianna has perfect pitch.
• She would love to learn how to play the Harp.

Luke Hunter BMus (Hons)

Luke studied music at the University of Edinburgh and graduated in 2022, focusing on composition, having written a concept album based on George Orwell’s 1984 as his final project.

He attended Musselburgh Grammar School where he was a part of the rock ensemble, jazz band, guitar ensemble, orchestra and helped lead and accompany a choir of pupils from Whitecraig Primary School. He was awarded the Mansfield Music Prize in his final year. He played the lead role in the school musical, Back to the 80s, in 2016 but never managed how to properly dance so he moved to the pit band for the next production and played the guitar for School of Rock! During his time at high school he also achieved an HND in Music Technology in a self-taught environment.

But before even attending high school, Luke was a pupil at Portobello Music School for a number of years, attending musicianship, guitar, singing and piano classes.

Luke has been performing in and around Edinburgh and East Lothian for over ten years as a solo artist but has now built a band around him to perform his original compositions in the indie-pop genre. He also performs as part of pit bands for musicals, playing in shows such as Legally Blonde, RENT, Footloose, Jesus Christ Superstar and Shrek, on guitar, bass and piano.

Here are a few fun facts about Luke:

• His favourite food is Turkey Korma.
• If he was an animal he’d like to be a dog - either Cavapoo or a Golden Retriever!
• The next instrument he’d like to learn is the trumpet.
• His favourite children’s book series is CHERUB by Robert Muchamore.

You can listen to Luke’s music here

Finlay has been drumming since he was 18 months old and ever since has had a dream to pursue it professionally. He started attending Portobello Music School at age five to learn the basics, and began drum lessons aged 7 where he started working through the grades. At age 11 he successfully auditioned for the City of Edinburgh Music School, where he currently studies drums, percussion and piano. Over time he developed his technique in funk and soul, and in the last few years has become passionate about jazz, which he plans to pursue further.

Ailsa started playing violin at Portobello Music School when she was 7 years old. She is now studying for a Music Undergraduate Degree at Edinburgh University and has reached Grade 8 in Violin. Ailsa enjoys playing in groups and was in Edinburgh Secondary Schools Orchestra and her school orchestras, and now plays in the Composer’s Orchestra at Edinburgh University which features music written by some of the students – some of which will probably never be heard again! She also plays piano and trumpet. She enjoys playing folk and classical music, and is thinking of becoming a music teacher in the future!

Some fun facts about Ailsa:

• Her favourite animal is a penguin, but she thinks if she was an animal she’d probably be a sloth or a panda!
• She once had to play a piece where the conductor had to fake death and was carried out by the orchestra!
• Her favourite food is pizza.
• The next instrument she would like to learn is Viola.