Dru Irving, a dedicated and experienced private music teacher based in Greenside, is striking the right chords nurturing the next generation of musical talent.
Dru is currently mentoring Hannah Stanton from Wylam, a talented 16-yearold guitarist and singer. Recognising Hannah’s exceptional voice early on, Dru has been guiding her through the process of recording and producing music. They have collaborated with young engineer Adam Forster at Old Church Studios in Thropton, near Rothbury, to record two songs. These tracks have been released on an EP titled Four Stories.
“Hannah has made tremendous progress in her musical journey, and it’s been a privilege to support her,” said Dru. “Her passion for music is evident in everything she does, and I’m excited to see where her talent will take her.”
Hannah herself speaks highly of Dru’s mentorship: “My guitar playing, singing, and musical knowledge have improved immensely, thanks to Dru’s great teaching and guidance. He’s always willing to go above and beyond, advising me on performing in public, helping me with songwriting, and finding equipment. He even invited me to sing two of his songs in the studio, which was an amazing experience. We’ve also started songwriting together. I don’t come from a musical family, so having someone like Dru, with all his knowledge and experience, is invaluable. This support has enabled me to take my first steps and make music such a big part of my life.”
“I look at my start in life with no qualifications and wonder where I may have been if someone had shown an interest in me. That is why I put everything into working with my students and I’m getting a great deal of satisfaction out of seeing how well they are doing in the music industry,” he added.