"I have left his lessons feeling as though I have the perfect secret weapon to becoming a brilliant horn player."

"After being taught by Pip for a couple of years I've sorted my technique out completely. I can happily go without a lesson for quite some time and not worry about my practice because a self-teaching thing has been well instilled in me. He can nail every aspect of one's playing technique in two years at the most so one won't have to spend a fortune on him."

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"When I learned with Pip the idea of the horn being a difficult instrument vanished and problems disolved in the same way. He has a remarkable ability through his teaching and playing to instill confidence and to exploit a players natural aptitude.
Pip's vast knowledge of the mechanics of the human body in relation to horn playing results in fast learning and a direct route to the desired technique/sound/style. I don't know what I would have done without him!"

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I started studying with Pip Eastop two years ago, while looking for a teacher who could guide my horn playing further. Pip was recommended by several other students, and the level of playing that his students were at spoke for itself. I now find him to be one of the best teachers that I have ever worked with. As well as being an amazing player and role model, his skill at digging deep into a problem and conjuring up the seemingly magical solution is extraordinary. His positive teaching methods, and his ability to inspire one to work and practice are some of the many things that I have benefited from while studying with Pip. I feel as if he has made teaching into an art form, and my dramatically improved horn playing, as well as many other students' is the proof.

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As a student of Pip's for the past six years I have found his teaching methods concise, positive, thoughtful and unique. I find his formidable skill and experience as a performer very helpful - he is more than able to convey musical concepts practically. He's highly versatile as a teacher - advanced technically and encouraging musically - his lessons are always uplifting. No two lessons with Pip have ever been the same because he's always finding different ways to tackle technical problems - I've (even in five years) have never had a boring lesson. I accredit my entrance to the Academy and successes gained since entirely to Pip's teaching. I've not yet come across a more meticulous teacher and I look forward to studying with him for my final at theAcademy.

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Pip's great experience as a teacher of the horn is coupled with a freshness of approach, and a commitment to develop teaching in a way that is relevant to each particular student and their problems. He belongs to no fixed "school" of teaching and lessons are always a very real two-way process of discovery and debate. It is extremely rare to find a teacher who has questioned and tested all the "handed-down" theories and techniques which are printed in most of the available tutor books, ones which are reinforced by more conventional teachers. Although some of these words of wisdom have great validity there are also ideas taken as gospel, passed on without question by many teachers, which are very dubious when examined in detail. Pip's knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, from his training as a teacher of the Alexander Technique, enabled him to challenge many of my misconceptions about breathing, and to analyse clearly the musculature of the embouchure, tongue and throat. With his guidance it is possible to really home in on a particular concern and isolate the root cause - most of the way to solving the problem. Pip never shrinks from "thinking the unthinkable", and will investigate any possible avenue before drawing his conclusions. He will always prove these to you through his playing, to which he has applied just the same processes and techniques, and achieved an ability for whom no challenge of technique or stamina is too much. He can communicate his ideas to you very clearly and succinctly, by extremely careful choice of language. The student is left in no doubt, and there is no possibility of confusion.

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A hardened tenor horn player, I began playing the French horn when I was sixteen years of age at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music. I continued to play the tenor horn alongside the horn but when I started a degree course at the RCM, I found it increasingly difficult to develop my French horn playing. After studying with various teachers and going through a major embouchure change I found myself stuck in the no-mans-land of horn playing. This went on for a long period of time and I often thought about leaving college and giving up. Then it was suggested that I study with Pip Eastop. I have found Pips advice inspiring and I find he has a wonderfully refreshing approach to teaching. I look forward to each lesson and in my eight months with him my horn playing has really taken off. Any nerves have vanished and now with my new 'Pip-Stick' I can really relax and concentrate on developing my playing rather than my posture! Pip has taught me to how link all aspects of horn playing together, by using a daily workout - which I now swear by. Above all, I have renewed confidence in myself as a musician and I look forward to my future playing both the horn and the tenor horn.

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In my first year of college I was diagnosed as having a back injury and at the same time a requirement of the college was that I experience at least on other of the college horn professors. Fortunately, I chose Pip and having told him of my back injury he suggested I try his invention, the "PipStick". This amazing gadget supports all of the weight of the horn which means that I am not in as much pain and my stamina and concentration are used totally for my playing. Now, without the PipStick I would not be able to practice for long enough each day because I am sure the pain would return.

At first I found lessons with Pip very hard. He wanted me to play things I thought I couldn't do - or thought I wasn't supposed to do - simple things like playing louder, taking really deep breaths and playing longer notes! With a lot of persuasion and encouragement from Pip, we finally got past this barrier and with the help of Pip's unique work-out I have gained more stamina and strength which has given me the confidence to take charge of my playing.

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