Our Teachers
We pride ourselves in delivering high quality music education. Our teachers are highly qualified and experienced professionals and specialists in their musical discipline. Collectively they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our school and have studies at some of the UK's most prestigious UK based musical establishments. All of our tutors are dedicated to the success of their pupils and many of our students go on to complete ABRSM, MTB, RSL and SQA examinations, compete in local competitions and perform in concerts.
Nicole Tonner (Director)
BMus, PGDE
GTCS Registered
Nicole started her musical training early through participation in West Lothian NYCoS from age 7 as well as receiving piano and trombone tuition in primary school. At the age of 14, Nicole went on to study trombone and voice at the Junior Conservatoire for four years and held principal positions in many youth orchestras and brass bands internationally including NYBBS, European Youth Brass Band and Edinburgh Youth Orchestra. Nicole studied trombone performance at Birmingham Conservatoire with scholarship before transferring to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree in 2009 receiving tuition from some of the UK's most prestigious orchestral musicians. Deciding to pursue a career in Education, Nicole completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE Music) at Strathclyde University before accepting a post as a secondary music teacher within Dundee Council. Nicole currently holds the post of Principal Teacher of Performing and Expressive Arts at Carnoustie High School in Angus. Throughout her study and career she has performed in a variety of different settings and with a wide array of ensembles and regularly freelances as a trombonist in the Dundee and Angus area. Nicole has worked with children of all ages and abilities and has experience of delivering brass workshops, early years music sessions, music workshops for WIZ KIDZ and was a former teacher for NYCoS Dundee Area Choir. She has also delivered early and primary music education workshops to Dundee University BEd and PGDE students. Nicole pursued a life long dream of opening a music school and established Music Lessons Angus School of Music (2018), Music Collective Scotland Dundee (2020) and Perth (2021) which now delivers music lessons and classes to over 350 children a week.
Eoin Tonner
(Musical Director)
JPS BMus (Hons), PGDE
GTCS Registered
Eoin is a multi-award winning musician and teacher working professionally across different disciplines of music. Eoin studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, with a joint principal study of Trumpet and Orchestral Conducting. Since graduation, Eoin has worked professionally as a trumpet player, conductor and musical director throughout the UK and Europe. He was the musical director of the award winning Brass Band Sachsen (2011-2016) and has worked on UK touring productions as well as the multiple shows within the Pitlochry Festival Theatre including Chicago, White Christmas, and High Society. Eoin has keen interested in youth musical theatre and has Musically Directed youth productions for The High School of Dundee as well as the being the Musical Director of Dundee Youth Music Theatre. Eoin is Co-Director of Music Collective Scotland (MCS) with his wife, Nicole. MCS is a music school that delivers classes and lessons for all ages of three studios based in Angus, Dundee and Perth. Eoin also freelances as a composer, orchestrator and arranger for MCS and other organisations and his work is performed throughout Scotland. As well as a busy freelance career, Eoin was formerly a brass instructor for Dundee City Council and the High School of Dundee and has recently completed a Post Graduate Degree in Education with the University of the Highlands and Islands. Eoin currently works as a music teacher at Carnoustie High School in Angus.
Gill Simpson
Dlp Mus. ALCM
A native of Dundee,Gill started her teaching career in Angus after Edinburgh Napier,having studied with Miles Baster,Roger Foxwell and piano with Margaret Murray McLeod. She taught at Brechin High School and surrounding primaries in the area, before accepting the first full time string post at the High School of Dundee,where she currently teaches, directs Sinfonia, the Chamber Orchestra and various string ensembles. She has been the Musical Director of a variety of educational projects in Europe,Canada and America combining Classical and Scottish music, as well as projects in Juilliard in New York,and writing for the Strad magazine. She plays with Scottish Sinfonia in Edinburgh, and records with BBC Radio Scotland as a string player, keyboard player and vocalist,having made her debut recording at age 13. Her pupils have gained many awards throughout their playing careers as Classical/Scottish violinists,including the coveted Glenfiddich Championship,under 12 to Senior Championships, as well as holding the title for 8 consecutive years in Ensemble Championships in Scotland. Gill is an adjudicator,and is an examiner for Scottish Fiddle Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland,and for the past 11 years has taught early years Violin/Viola,and Chamber music with senior pupils at Edinburgh Young Musicians. She currently has pupils in the NYOS programme,EYM Orchestras and Edinburgh Youth Orchestra. She is a former Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year in Scotland and Runner Up in Great Britain.
Sarah Elgin
BMus (Hons)
DipABRSM
Sarah recently completed her music degree at Edinburgh Napier University where she graduated with first class honours, receiving the university medal for her class. Throughout her time at university Sarah worked closely with Edinburgh Young Musicians, assisting and teaching in pre-school and early years musicianship classes. As part of this she focused her 4th year major research project on the positive impact of a music education on children and young people. More recently, in the summer of 2022 Sarah completed a teaching post in Thailand where she taught music and English to the pupils of Romklao Kanchanaburi School. Sarah studied at the High School of Dundee where she achieved her DipABRSM on flute and her ARSM on alto saxophone in 2018. She currently plays and performs with the Dundee University Big Band and Dundee University Concert Band. Her previous ensemble experience includes performing with groups such as Flutes Unlimited, The Central Band Scotland, and the Edinburgh Napier University Orchesta. Throughout her time at university, Sarah has also participated in a number of projects as a studio musician and has performed in venues around Scotland such as the Usher hall and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
Daniel Fairley
BMus
Daniel Fairley is originally from Livingston where he began his musical career. He is a professional drummer and percussionist who graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Performance of Timpani and Percussion from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2018, after studying under Kurt-Hans Goedicke, Christopher S. Lamb, Eric Sammut, Dave Hassell and many other world class percussionists and drummers. Daniel has an extensive range of experience as both a performer and teacher. He has played with a huge variety of ensembles including orchestras, jazz bands, musical theatre, pop groups and cruise ship bands - and has over 10 years experience teaching privately, with local authorities and in 2018/19 as Musician in Residence at Edinburgh college. Since 2020 Daniel has been an Istanbul Agop cymbals artist and loves playing live and recording in the studio. He is currently the drummer for singer/songwriter John Edge as well as freelancing.Daniel is passionate about educating the next generation of musicians and passing on the wealth of knowledge he has accumulated in his own career and is excited to work with the students of MCS.
Lewis Warden is an experienced guitar and bass player who has freelanced throughout Scotland. He studied music performance at the University of Highlands and Islands. Lewis has taught at Music Collective Scotland for last three years across all studios. He delivers lessons in guitar, bass and ukulele and can teach a wide range of styles.
Lewis Warden
Evan Hill
HNC Performance
Evan is a drummer and percussionist from Arbroath with years of experience in performing in a variety of musical settings. At age 7, Evan began drum kit lessons and developed a keen interest in drumming and music performance. During high school, Evan also received tuition in percussion and began playing with Carnoustie & District Youth Brass Band, Arbroath Instrumental Band, Tayside Symphony Orchestra and the NYBBS. During this time, he enjoyed several successes with CDYBB, winning the Scottish and British Youth Brass Band Championships multiple times from 2010 to 2013. He has also performed with brass bands on television, radio and in the Royal Albert Hall at the BBC Youth Proms. In 2012 Evan completed a HNC in Music at Aberdeen College and went on to perform with various bands and musicians in styles ranging from big band to indie rock and heavy metal. He has enjoyed opportunities to travel through music and has performed across the UK and in Europe, including in Belgium, France, Germany and in at the royal palace in Lithuania with his traditional ceilidh band The Flingstones. Evan currently plays regularly with Arbroath Instrumental Band, Carnoustie Choir and The Flingstones and is excited to pass on his passion for music to others as a drum kit tutor at MCS.
Lizzy McDonald
BA (Hons) Musical Theatre
Lizzy is a classical singer, pianist and musical theatre performer who has recently graduated with a first class BA (hons) in Musical Theatre at Solent University. Lizzy started her musical career at The University of Aberdeen where she studied voice and piano, performing at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Youth Chamber Choir for the BBC Proms, and as part of the ensemble in Carmen. She holds ABRSM Grade 8 piano and also acquired her Grade 6 music theory. Lizzy studied musical theatre at Solent University which gave her many experiences of solo and ensemble performances as well as piano accompaniment and music directing. She played the female lead role, Hope Cladwell, in Urinetown as well as many ensemble roles. She was also cast as the Music Director for Cabaret, Flashdance and Ghost, using her music skills to provide vocal lessons, transposition of music and harmonies as well as piano accompaniment. Lizzy also has teaching experience of working as a singing and piano instructor to a variety of ages. She is a passionate performer and hopes to pass on her skills to others.
Liam James
BA (Hons)
Liam James is an educator and multi-instrumentalist from Dundee, Scotland. He graduated from the University of the Highlands and Islands with a First Class BA(Hons) in Popular Music, and was awarded both the Liam Colgan Memorial Prize for Songwriting; and the Graduate of the Year Award (Popular Music). In addition to tutoring across Tayside, Liam has over twelve years’ experience specialising in audio recording, composition, improvisation and ensemble performance. Through his work with jazz fusion group Milhouse Collective, he champions a musical community where performers and audiences collaborate and connect with music in new and exciting ways. Drawing on his diverse skillset and enthusiasm for everything music, Liam has the knowledge, skills and experience to build your confidence and increase your skill level with guitar and bass.
Jacqueline Yu
ARCT (RCM)
Jacqueline is a classically trained pianist and currently a 4th year medical student at the University of Dundee. She obtained the “The Associate of The Royal Conservatory” (ARCT) Performance Diploma in Oct 2017, which is the highest academic standing awarded by The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) in Toronto, Canada and is equivalent to the Diploma of The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (DipABRSM). Jacqueline graduated from the Senior Piano program at the Phil & Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists (The Taylor Academy) in 2019 under the guidance of Dr. Michael Berkovsky. The Taylor Academy is a prestigious, highly sought-after music certificate program with limited spaces offered to advanced young classical musicians after a rigorous audition process. Throughout her piano studies since age 4, Jacqueline has had many performance opportunities both solo and with orchestras, as well as actively engaged in master classes by world renowned pianists. She also participated in and won awards from many local, provincial, national, and international music competitions. Since 2015, she has been tutoring piano students of different ages and different levels both in person and online. Jacqueline is the pianist for the University of Dundee Big Band since Sept 2019 and regularly performs at different public venues, most recently at the Dundee Jazz Festival.
Cameron Clark
BMus (hons)
Cameron Clark is a Pianist and Fiddler hailing from Dundee. Having recently graduated from the University of Aberdeen, he is now working towards his ATCL. He previously worked for Big Noise Torry and currently works for the Feis Rois’ YMI projects in Aberdeenshire and as a pupil support assistant in schools. During his time at University, he won a scholarship at NESMS and has performed with various bands and Orchestras, especially the Aberdeen Early Music ensembles where he has played original period harpsichords and violins from the 18th century. Cameron is also on the committee for the Universities Folk and Trad societies of Aberdeen which has seen him play at intermissions for the Scottish Acapella championships, play at the Comhla la Cheilie folk festival, and still find time to call at ceilidhs. Also, a keen composer having completed short courses at RCS and having works premiered by the Spectrum ensemble, he loves exploring Scottish traditional music intersections in contemporary classical music. Musically, Cameron is most interested in researching the history of traditional music, and still finds time to attend regular sessions wherever he is. Pianistically Cameron is influenced by basso continuo, jazz, classical, and traditional styles, enjoying accompanying and playing solo recitals where he can. Cameron loves creating encouraging and happy learning environments with attention to healthy practice and a keen understanding of all music.
David studied through London College of Music, obtaining his ALCM Teaching Diploma in 2012 majoring in Voice and Musical Theatre. Externally, David studied Music Theory and Piano Performance through ABRSM. In 2012, David began to work as a Freelance Music Tutor across Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. In 2014, David returned to University of study to become a Primary School Teacher. David has been immersed in Choirs and Musical Theatre for over 20 years and enjoys meeting new people, encouraging and building confidence in his students.
David Small
ALCM
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Fiona Retalic
ALCM
BA Theatre Studies
Fiona was born and raised in Arbroath in a family passionate about music, dance, and theatre. She learned piano early and taught herself to dance as a teenager. In 1986, she began running weekly modern dance workshops in Arbroath, Carnoustie, and Forfar. Her involvement in local amateur musical theatre inspired her to improve the lack of “triple threat” performing tuition for young people. She studied dance, singing, drama, and theatre at college and university alongside her financial services career, gaining certifications from Trinity Guildhall, College London, and a degree in Theatre Studies from Rose Bruford College.
After traveling and relocating, Fiona settled in Angus in 2001. She established STARS (School of Theatre Arts in Rural Scotland) in 2003, offering musical theatre classes for children aged 5-18. Initially based in Forfar, classes expanded to Kirriemuir, Coupar Angus, Brechin, and Laurencekirk, with over 200 young people attending weekly. Pupils maintained a 100% pass rate on Trinity Guildhall exams, and several pursued careers in performing arts. She also founded Rising Youngstars Junior Musical Theatre Group and retired after 20 years of voluntary leadership.
Fiona has performed widely, with roles including Mama Morton in Chicago and Miss Hannigan in Annie. As a single mother to two adopted girls with additional needs, she became aware of young people's challenges and earned certifications in Mental Health & Wellbeing and Child & Adolescent Mental Health. She founded "Acting Up!" to support young people with social and self-confidence issues through drama, music, and movement, believing self-expression unlocks potential in young people.