Start Your Journey

 Our daughter started her very first Saxophone lesson on-line with Martin the first week we went into lockdown in March. These lessons have exceeded our expectations and have been very successful and invaluable to her during this difficult time. My husband and I have been thrilled with the progress she is making and can’t quite believe after two and a half months how far she’s come. Martin’s enthusiasm and positive energy comes across amazingly well on-line which keeps our daughter motivated and inspired to work hard whilst discovering the joys of this beautiful instrument! With the help of modern technology our daughter has also learnt how to set up her instrument, sorted out new reeds and learnt how to fix them to the mouthpiece correctly. New music sheets are instantly e-mailed directly to me during the lesson and recommended music books are easily purchased online in time for the following week. We feel incredibly grateful to Martin for making our daughter’s journey with the Saxophone possible through these on-line lessons. We also feel, without a doubt, we have landed on our feet having access to such a talented music teacher through the click of a mouse straight to the comfort of our own home! 

Mrs Y

 Mr Packman has been teaching my (very nearly teenage) daughter to play Saxophone for the last year. Since starting she has improved in leaps and bounds. Mr Packman makes my daughter feel at ease, and is very good at pointing out the faults with humour, which helps! Always there to support and gently keep things moving forward. I cannot thank Mr Packman enough for the energy and effort he puts into every lesson. 

J.W

 Mr Packman's lessons are fun and I've learnt a lot about saxophone because of him 

'C' a pupil in year 4

 Martin’s oboe teaching comes highly recommended! Under his expert tuition over six years, we have seen my son progress from an 8-year old making his first duck noises to a confident musician now tackling repertoire at Grade 8 standard and auditioning for the County Youth Orchestra. Lessons are lively, motivating and fun, and his teaching is well adjusted to his pupils’ abilities and challenges. Martin’s wide experience as a teacher is combined with insights from his performing and examining careers; while developing his pupils’ technical abilities he introduces them to a wide range of repertoire and musical styles. During the coronavirus lockdown, Martin switched to online teaching in the blink of an eye, and he has been super-helpful in providing detailed follow-up notes after every lesson, as well as sheet music and recordings. He has even started a lockdown ensemble, editing multi-tracked recordings out of his pupils’ individual parts, to maintain group music-making while orchestras are on hold. Anyone who learns with Martin will count themselves lucky to have a teacher of his calibre and commitment. 

A parent of an oboe student

 Don't think about it anymore just give him a ring! I started saxophone lessons with Martin a couple of years ago having had the desire to learn for years. I love the sound of the saxophone and wanted to play it myself! When I first started I was nervous as I was totally new to reading music and an adult learner. But I shouldn't have been, after just a couple of lessons I was already playing a few notes! Martin seems to have an amazing passion for teaching instruments and tailors the lessons to suit my ability. The lessons are a lot of fun, as well as challenging. I'm still improving, despite having to navigate online learning during lockdown, which is different, but still very accessible, Martin has helped me to improve from being just about able to make a sound out of the saxophone, to playing beautiful pieces like Salut d'Amour. From an aspiring John Coltrane! 

G.D - an adult pupil

 'S' only started learning the saxophone in September 2019 and under Martin's expert tuition managed to pass her grade 2 exam with distinction. She has continued to have lesson on-line via Zoom throughout the lock-down period and finds them just as productive and helpful as the face-to-face sessions. Certainly we continue to received detailed feedback (both verbal and written) on her playing and she continues to make progress. The online lessons are actually quite a bit more convenient for us as parents as there is no need to ferry her anywhere! And 'S' comments “Martin is very nice and supportive. The online lessons are interactive and just as good as the real ones” 

C.F - Mum of 'S' - 11 years old and in year 6

 “Packers” as he is respectfully known by my 11 year daughter identified a talent straight away and has nurtured it over a short period of time. Our daughter has progressed from never having picked up an Oboe to achieving Grade 4 in in three years and gaining a music scholarship to a renowned public school. Martin has a fantastic approach to teaching that has really engaged and challenged in equal measure whilst achieving excellent results. Lessons are always fun and something to look forward to. In these challenging times of COVID 19 our daughter changed schools, Martin has continued teaching her online and maintained the same level of commitment and engagement from both teacher and pupil. He had embraced the technology and been able to combine the works of four pupils to create an ensemble piece with great effect. We are not a musical family and I can not recommend Martin highly enough for first identifying and then encouraging a talent. Without him I don’t think our daughter would have been awarded a music scholarship. 

Mr W - parent of an oboe student

 We have been extremely fortunate to have had Martin teaching our daughter (10 years of age) the soprano saxophone for well over two years now. He recognised our daughters potential very early and has been endlessly encouraging and patiently coxing the best from her ever since. Our daughters progress has been outstanding under his tutelage and she has responded very positively in the one to one lessons that Martin has provided. Music choices are varied, including modern pieces and have been tailored to individual preference. Martin has also been outstanding in his personal support with the grading examinations, always instilling and increasing confidence. More recently, due to the coronavirus pandemic, lessons have been undertaken through video conferencing facilities. Initially we were slightly skeptical that this would be as supportive and as productive as the face to face sessions. We truly have been pleasantly surprised at just how transformational these have been. The Skype lessons are easy to access, flexible in terms of timings, interactive and even still allow Martin and our daughter to play together. We have even set up some Skype lessons with peers and played music together which Martin has recorded and added music/drum beats as a backing to share with the girls and their schools for others to enjoy.  We could not recommend Martin more highly as a music teacher.  

D M - parent of a year 5 student

 I have enjoyed playing the saxophone and have come very far and done well in my gradings with help from Mr Packman. The Skype lessons were strange at first as I was used to being face to face but I am getting used to them and now look forward to them every week . Mr Packman is very supportive and helps you if you are stuck or have a question. 

G a year 5 pupil

 Thank you so much for all the lessons and encouragement this term. It has been brilliant for 'E' and has inspired her to be so much more organised with her practising. We have noticed her playing has matured and her confidence as a player has grown enormously, due to the amount of fantastic and varied repertoire she has covered this term. She has loved being involved in the groups so thank you for organising these and preparing the final cuts! 

Parent of a sixth form student

 I have been having lessons with Martin for almost a year and I have improved so much already. Before coming to Martin I had lessons for about 3 years at school and had reached grade 3. I have since rapidly progressed through the different grade levelled pieces and am now working on grade 7 and 8 level pieces. Not only have I been able to progress to more complicated pieces, but my tone has greatly improved, I can play for much longer and my confidence as a player has been boosted. Since lockdown I have been having lessons online and it works really well. I have had the opportunity to be part of several trios and groups with Martin’s other pupils by recording pieces separately and the different parts being combined. These sound amazing and give us something to work towards at a time when things are very uncertain. I would highly recommend Martin as a teacher to anyone willing to work hard and be committed. He pushes hard, gives honest feedback and helps you to reach your full potential. 

'L' a GCSE student

 Martin Packman gave a bravura performance in judging the Godolphin School Music competition. He was incisive encouraging and enthusiastic He showed a thorough knowledge of Woodwind repertoire and was able to help every performer with interesting and effective advice. In addition, the correct players won and those decisions were justified with thoughtful, interesting comments. 

Robin Highcock

Director of Music, Godolphin School. Salisbury