Meet Our Tutors
Johnny Holmes
Johnny has been playing drums since he commenced lessons at Causeway School of Music when he was aged six. Johnny was an outstanding student, gaining distinctions in many of his grade exams right through to Grade 8. Johnny has been successfully delivering drumming tuition at Causeway School of Music since 2022 and is well respected by his students and his colleagues at CSM. Johnny also plays in a live band in his spare time.
David Montgomery
Music began for David at 7 years old when he wrote his first song. From there, he was always making music with friends as well as singing in his Church choir growing up. Guitar playing started at secondary school where he quickly completed the grades right to a Grade 8 Distinction in ‘Trinity Rock and Pop’. Alongside this, during the ‘Covid’ period, much of playing guitar was self-taught and through this he excelled at playing by ear and improvising guitar solos, which then led on to him teaching himself piano. He has completed a Level 3 course in music which led to an HND in production and Sound Engineering while making music of all kinds of genres for university students studying animation. Along this journey he has performed for the NRC in Coleraine and has created his own band to perform all the songs he has written over the years.
He is delighted to be part of the tutoring team teaching guitar at CSM.
Lauren McKeown, Dip LCM
Lauren began learning piano at the age of seven and took up oboe lessons at age eleven. Throughout her school years she enjoyed being a part of her school orchestra, choir and other ensembles as well as the Northern Youth Orchestra. She has completed all ABRSM grades in both piano and oboe, and a DipLCM in Piano Performance. Lauren took part in the “Translink” piano competition at Coleraine station and was chosen as one of the finalists for the “Grand Piano Final” at the opening of Grand Central Station in November 2024. Lauren is passionate about teaching the piano and Oboe.
Jay McGowan B.Mus (Hons)
Jay was a guitar, drums and piano student at Causeway School of Music during his Primary and Grammar School years. After completing his University degree he began teaching at CSM in 2024. He studied Audio and Music Production at University and graduated with a First Class Honours. Throughout University, Jay was presented with many awards such as, the Engineering & Science Other Prize for the Best 1st Year Student, Engineering Society Prize for the Best Overall Performance of a 2nd Year Student, Engineering Society Prize for the Best Performance of a 3rd Year Student & awarded the Liverpool Engineering Society Prize upon graduation. Since leaving university, he has worked with artists such as White Lies, Tangerine Dream, Black Lilys, Nouvelle Vague, Vlure (only to name a few) and has worked as a Live Sound Engineer at Grand Central Hall, Smokie Mo’s, Shankly Hotel, Bongos Bingo.
Abigail Medcalf B.Mus(Hons), DipLCM
Abigail has had an interest in music her whole life and picked up the piano at age 4 and has completed Grade Initial – Grade 8. She was student at CSM from 2014, and in 2016, aged 15, she completed her Diploma in Piano Performance. She became a piano teacher in CSM in 2021, and she now helps out doing the accompanying for music exams and always enjoys collaborating with other musicians no matter what stage they are at.
She studied Music at Ulster University and gradated in 2023 with First Class Honours.
Throughout her life she has had many amazing performing opportunities such as performing Karl Jenkins ‘The Armed Man’ in Carnegie Hall, getting the opportunity to perform her own Piano Recital in Christ Church, performing alongside Phil Coulter for President Bill Clinton, and taking part in the Northern Lights Projects performance of Eric Satie’s ‘Vexations’ which involved a tag team of pianists performing for 24 hours!!
Since graduating, she has been teaching piano full time with over 60 students a week, and is passionate about making music accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
ABBIE CAMPBELL B.Mus.Hons Dip.LCM
Abbie has recently graduated with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Music from the University of Ulster, Magee. She started singing lessons at CSM at the age of 6, and at age 7 began to learn the piano. Abbie achieved several classical grades in singing with Trinity College London and followed this with studying for a voice Diploma with London College of Music. Abbie is a fine pianist and loves playing a range of different musical styles.
Throughout her time in education, Abbie’s highlight was studying both Music and drama at GCSE and A Level, gaining knowledge in different genres of Music, varying from Musical Theatre, Classical, Jazz Standard, and Choral Music.
Abbie now enjoys teaching singing and piano and loves passing on her knowledge to her students.
PETER McILREAVY ATCL, LTCL
Peter started playing flute in Primary School and as a teenager took up guitar.
During the 1980s he played professionally in Europe, doubling as a flute and saxophone player in a variety of ensembles and as a guitarist in a 12-piece commercial function band.
Upon returning to Northern Ireland in the 1990s he continued to play both classical and modern genres of music.
He holds an LTCL (Jazz performance) on Alto and Tenor saxophone, ATCL (classical) on Alto and Soprano Saxophone and Grade 8 ABRSM on flute, all with distinction.
He continues to be in demand as a soloist, performs with his own Jazz Trio and is involved in playing guitar and woodwind in a variety of settings including his local church.
He has recently released several albums of his own instrumental compositions on Spotify, iTunes etc under the name "Peter Shane".
Peter taught some years ago at CSM and in August 2025 has rejoined the team of professional music tutors.
CARYS TAYLOR BEd (Hons)
Carys has been around music her whole life and it has been a passion that she has loved pursuing. From learning piano at a young age to then taking singing lessons to achieve her Grade 8 in Classical Singing, she considers it a privilege to be able to teach a skill so close to her heart. She has a B.Ed.Hons. degree in secondary education from Stranmillis University College, she teaches RE and ICT and is involved in musical productions in extracurricular music activities.
SEAN TURNER B.Mus.Hons. Dip.LCM
Sean Turner is a violin tutor at CSM. He began learning the violin at CSM from the age of 4 and since then picked up the banjo, mandolin and piano in which he attained a diploma in 2022. Sean attended Dalriada school in Ballymoney and during this time participated in multiple orchestral groups such as the Ulster Youth Orchestra, going on to study at Queen’s University Belfast where he spent time learning jazz piano with tutor Scott Flanagan, garnering a 2:1 BA Hons in Music Performance.
Sean enjoys a range of musical styles including Irish traditional and classical and was a member of Ballycastle Comhaltas for 10 years.
He began teaching at CSM in 2023.
JOHNNY McCLURE. B.A. Hons. Dip.LCM
Johnny McClure is a pianist and singer who took to music in late secondary school when a student at Dalriada. After obtaining a Diploma in Musical Theatre and 2 grade 8 certificates in Piano and Music Theory, he went on to read music at King’s College, Cambridge, where upon graduation in 2025 he was made a “King’s Scholar” and awarded the Edward Gollin prize for music.
As a musician, he performed solo piano recitals throughout the various colleges and was a devoted member of King’s Voices choir, with whom he regularly sang “Evensong” in the famous college chapel during his time as undergraduate. In addition to performance, Johnny also enjoys composition, music theory and music history.
Johnny has joined the team of skilled piano and vocal tutors at CSM in September 2025 and it is a pleasure to have him tutor at CSM.
KAORI TRAN. ATCL
Kaori is an experienced Japanese piano teacher and has been tutoring at CSM for a number of years.. She is grateful to having many great piano tutors in her years of learning piano skills. Kaori is now very keen to pass on to her students all the knowledge she has learned including the “Solfege technique” (which she says is good for memorising music) and the “Hanon” technique for finger exercises (for stronger and nimble playing). Kaori is extremely keen to help all students improve their piano techniques and especially advanced players. She would look forward to seeing you at CSM if you have this desire to improve.
HANNAH FARLOW. BSc.Hons. Dip.LCM (piano) Dip. LCM (Musical Theatre)
Hannah’s interest in music began at a young age when she started to learn to play the piano at age 7. She continued with piano and completed all the graded examinations from 1-8 through “Trinity College London”. Hannah studied for a piano diploma and successfully achieved a “Dip.LCM “ in 2022. Due to a love of singing, she started voice lessons when at grammar school and completed the “LCM” graded examinations including another diploma, “Dip.LCM” in musical theatre in 2020.
Throughout Hannah’s school years she was actively involved in school choirs and music groups at Coleraine Grammar and got the opportunity to sing in Carnegie Hall in New York with the school choir in 2020. They performed Sir Karl Jenkins “The Armed Man”
As well as teaching piano and singing at CSM, Hannah is also a member of her church praise band and choir.
After completing “A” levels , Hannah went on to study at the Ulster University and graduated with a first class BSc.Hons. in 2024.
Hannah enjoys exploring a range of musical styles and genres, including classical, contemporary and musical theatre. She teaches many students at CSM and loves watching them grow in confidence as they become skilled musicians.
Andrew Doherty BMus (Hons), DipRSL.
Andrew started playing guitar at age 9 taught by his father and started teaching friends at school how to play during his teens. After being self-taught he wanted to formalise his knowledge so attended the “Ulster College of Music” in Belfast and completed grade 8 in both music theory and guitar performance followed by a diploma in performance through “Rockschool”. He then went on to complete a Bachelor’s degree in music at Ulster University with 1st Class Honours in 2016 and is currently studying a Master’s degree in music.
Andrew has played in several bands at various functions and events throughout the years and currently plays in the “Dandy Lyons” band on electric guitar, and “Neuada”, providing acoustic guitar accompaniment and solo guitar pieces.
Lauren Hutchinson. B.Mus (Hons), PGCE, Dip. LCM
Lauren has been involved with music from a young age. Her interests are in voice and piano. She attained a “BA Hons. Music” at Ulster University Magee in Londonderry where she was a very keen member of the Ulster University choir. Apart from studying music she is currently singing in a band and a member of the church choir at St. Marys, Macosquin. Her aim is to become a classroom music teacher/ therapist as she loves working with young children.
STEVE IVESON B.MUS.HONS.
"Hailing from Coleraine, Steven moved to Newcastle Upon Tyne in 2004 to study on a degree course in Jazz and Popular Music. He graduated from the course with First Class honours, and subsequently returned to Northern Ireland, where he maintains a busy teaching and performing schedule. In recent years he has performed and recorded albums with many acclaimed artists, notably Kate Rusby, with whom Steven performed in Hyde Park to an audience of over 58,000 people, and also Damien O'Kane, working as a core band member on "Areas of High Traffic", which was nominated for the ‘BBC Folk Album of the Year’ award. Stevens guitar playing has been praised in major national music publications such as "Guitar Techniques" and "Guitarist" magazines."
Dr. Peter Langton. MA. Ph.D.
Dr. Peter Langton is a biologist who also teaches wind instruments. He was born in South India, went to Kodaikanal School in Tamil Nadu, then Collyer’s Grammar School in Horsham, Sussex, followed by Trinity College. Cambridge. He taught for 33 years as a Head of Biology in a grammar school in England, before taking early retirement in order to work full time on his biological research. It wasn’t long before he found himself teaching wind instruments, with two years peripatetic teaching for the NEELB, followed by the then newly established Causeway School of Music. He currently teaches flute, clarinet, saxophone and trumpet and has previously also taught tenor horn, French horn, trombone, oboe and bassoon. He enjoys making music and plays electric bass with the Limavady Big Band, horn with the Dalriada School Orchestra, trumpet whenever the chance arises, conducts the Girona Community Orchestra and sings in a number of choirs e.g. the Coleraine Community Choir and the Sing Gospel Choir, when convened. He loves teaching, has been teaching now for 58 years, and when asked the question ‘When are you going to retire’ his stock answer is ‘What’s that?’ He ‘blew in’ 19 years ago and doesn’t intend to ‘blow out’, ‘blow up’ or ‘blow away’.
Shonagh Lyons B.Mus(Hons). M.Mus. Dip. LCM
Shonagh Balfour (nee Lyons) is a classically trained operatic soprano. She attended Dominican College Portstewart and had singing lessons under Mrs Lorna Palmer during which time she earned her Diploma in Musical Theatre.
During final year in school she was chosen to be part of a television documentary under the direction of UTV Music Director John Anderson after which John selected her to be part of his vocal group, 'Voices of Ireland'. She performed with this group at the event 'Opera in the Park' at the Botanic Gardens. After leaving school, Shonagh studied under opera vocal tutor Julian Pike at the ‘Birmingham Conservatoire’. Following this, she completed an undergraduate degree at the ‘University of Ulster’ Magee in Music, specialising in Performance.
Shonagh has performed as soloist for many choir and chamber choirs including Poulenc's 'Gloria' at the University of Aberdeen and the grand opening of the Chinese Confucius Institute at Jordanstown.
Shonagh has also performed in 5 operas with ‘N.I Opera’, has travelled to China to perform at the Zhejiang University of Media and Communications, and won 'Best female vocalist' for her role as 'Emma' in the Londonderry Music Society's production of 'Jekyll and Hyde'.
Shonagh is currently working as a vocal tutor at both Causeway School of Music and Ballymena School of Music, where all her pupils have achieved great results in their singing progress and examinations.
JILL GALBRAITH Dip.LCM. ALCM. ATCL. LTCL.
Jill’s enthusiasm for music started at the young age of 5. She began with piano lessons, which she enjoyed right through to the age of 18 when she completed her grade 8. Not long after starting piano Jill had an interest in the flute and began lessons on a flute with a turned head, as her fingers were too small to reach all the keys on a standard flute. She also began learning to play the clarinet which she continued through to grade 5. Flute became Jill’s first instrument which she excelled at over the next 10 years achieving an ATCL performance diploma at the age of 16.
Jill had a passion for singing through her younger years but did not take lessons until the age of 12. After completing her music grade examinations in voice she went on to accomplish three music diplomas in voice – Dip.LCM, ALCM, LTCL.
Jill studied GCSE and A Level music and teaches all 3 of her specialised instruments at the Causeway School of Music, along with using her talents to perform at special events and weddings.
SANDRA MAILEY. B.Mus. HONS. PGCE.
SANDRA MAILEY. B.Mus. HONS. PGCE.
Music was a major part of Sandra’s life from the age of 8. She started on the cornet, followed by the piano and then the oboe at age 12. She loved the challenge of trying many different instruments but the piano and oboe were by far her best loved. Sandra was especially grateful for 2 exceptional tutors she had while studying music at university, Dr. Don Cullington on piano and Brian Overton on oboe from the ‘Ulster Orchestra”. These years of learning were to pave the path of a long and enjoyable musical journey. Sandra spent 20 years teaching music at secondary level, devoting much time to the extra-curricular activities and heading up a busy music department. She particularly loved involving every pupil to gain their full potential in whatever musical instrument they had chosen.
In 1991, Sandra introduced the first post-primary steel band to Northern Ireland. This new venture gave many pupils (who may not have had the chance to play an orchestral instrument) an opportunity to learn to play a steel pan and be part of a band. For the next 20 years the band travelled to perform at many prestigious functions and venues across N.I. Including the Royal Garden Parties. Sandra arranged many styles of music for steel pans during these successful years and took the band members on several trips to London for workshops. The highlight of the steel band years was when they entered a world competition in Barbados in 2000 at which they achieved a 3rd place.
During her teaching life she had always felt the need for a specialist music school in the area which could offer pupils private tuition on their chosen instrument.
In January 2006, Sandra set up ’Causeway School of Music’. Within 2 years of this initiative growing rapidly, she decided to give up full time school teaching and devote her efforts to C.S.M which has grown from strength to strength. It is her aim to maintain a very high standard of tuition for all the students who enrol for lessons at C.S.M
Dr. Alyson Roberts B.Mus, MA, Ph.D, PGCE, LTCL
Music was a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started piano when I started school. At secondary level I added on recorder, clarinet, bassoon, guitar and violin. After school I went to Queen’s University where I studied music gaining my Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in musicology. While there I developed a deep interest in woodwind instruments and added flute and oboe to the instruments I played. Also during this time I was principal bassoon teacher at the Belfast School of Music.
After university I was a full time Music specialist in a Belfast primary school for four years before I went to Cologne, Germany to study for a Ph D in Musicology in the field of organology, which is the study of musical instruments. I choose the early bassoon as my research topic. I returned to Northern Ireland after successfully completing my doctorate and returned to teaching as Head of Music in a local secondary level school.
During my teaching career I was Head of Music in both Secondary and Grammar schools as well as music specialist at primary level. Finally, I added the harp, both lever and pedal, to my list of instruments. The harp now fills most of my time, teaching, performing and composing for it.
Molly Mitchell, B.Mus (Hons), A.R.S.M, Dip. L.C.M.
I started my musical journey at the age of 7 when I started piano lessons. As I grew older I wanted to learn more instruments to develop my knowledge of music so I started playing the clarinet and receiving singing lessons at the age of 12. Since then I have completed up to grade 6 piano, A.R.S.M Diploma in Clarinet and a Diploma L.C.M in Voice.
My music has taken me many places across the world from singing with my school chamber choir in New York’s Carnegie Hall and Belgium with the North Eastern Education Board Youth Orchestra.
With my love for music a decided to study it further at university and graduated with B.Mus (Hons) from Queens University Belfast. During my time at university I was a member of the Queens University Symphony Orchestra and the Queens University Chamber choir, which allowed me to socially develop my instruments and teach me so many skills. I also carried out work experience at the Queens University Junior Academy of Music where I learnt so many new teaching skills and gained teaching practice experience that I am now able to apply to my music tuition.
The examining boards used by the Causeway School of Music are:
Trinity College London - visit their website
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music - visit their website
RSL Awards (Rockschool) - visit their website
Trinity Rock & Pop - visit their website
London College of Music - visit their website
Fees are payable to enter the examinations. These fees are set by the examining authority
Please note the A.B.R.S.M., Trinity and L.C.M. examinations require instrumental and singing entrants to be accompanied by a pianist (Piano examinations excepted). This will incur an additional charge which is payable direct to the accompanist on the day of the exam
Please visit our contact page for more information
