About us

Samantha Coe is a teacher with more experience than her years would suggest. Since passing her teaching diploma at the age of 16, she has been a member of a girl band, supported Take That (Gary was her favorite), played to audiences exceeding 15,000, written with some of the best songwriters in the world, worked internationally with the musicians behind the Oscar winning film "Slum Dog Millionaire" and recorded tracks for the Indian music and film market. All this after years of a strict, classical musical education!

Its this classical technique that Samantha believes has helped her achieve what she has so far. Now, using these techniques and theories, Samantha has created The Wharf Academy. A Contemporary Academy of Music taking classical teachings and making them relevant and current using modern, dynamic teaching methods.

Samantha started The Wharf with the vision of creating a space that budding musicians and singers could come to and be completely expressive and creative in their chosen subject. She looks forward to welcoming you to her pride and joy!

Mark is a seasoned guitarist, with vast amounts of experience in performing live, session work, recording and songwriting. He has gigged and written with numerous musicians around the country (including our Director!) and we are incredibly lucky to have him on board here at The Wharf.

With a fantastic knowledge of the guitar and the numerous styles of playing, Mark is the ideal person to tutor beginners through to the experienced player. Charasmatic, personable, adaptable, motivational.....that's enough nice things about him, he'll get a big head and we won't be able to fit him in the studio.

If there is one person you would want to teach you to dance (and Anton or Erin are busy) then Niall would be the one! With a deep passion for his discipline, Niall will have you moving around the room with the grace of a swan before you know it! This man really can work miracles, but he does it all with the biggest smile and an infectious enthusiasm for Ballroom.

Niall is currently a very busy man tutoring dancing around East Anglia, therefore we are again very lucky to have him on board. As mentioned earlier, The Wharf only offer the best....and we had to pull a few strings to get this one!

Joe Ringer is 25 years old and has been singing for around ten years. He has performed lead roles in shows at the regions biggest theatres including Les Miserables, Fiddler on the Roof, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Oliver, Footloose and The Full Monty (where he did bare all!!!). He also sings regularly with the Jonathan Wyatt and Eddie Seales Big Bands as well as numerous other jazz and function bands across the region - and can even sometimes be found indulging in his classical repetoire!

In 2007 he started his own performance and events company Mixed Voice with which he has performed shows and events across the region to great acclaim. He was also head judge in this years 'Norfolk's Got Talent'!!!

As well teaching at The Wharf, Joe works during the day as a Graphic Designer for the Archant Newspaper Group - AND he has just started his very own weddings/fuction band, aptly named The Joe Ringer Band. He’s an avid fan of football, boxing and the food channel and is afraid of sharks!

Leigh Sullivan is an extremely talented guitarist, both as a performer and teacher.

He studied with our neighbours at Access To Music Norwich where he studied their Performing Musicianship courses. Leigh trained here for 3 years and earned a GNVQ Advanced passed with Distinction (equivilant to 3 A levels at A*).

He then went onto the British Academy Of New Music to study for a Bachelors in music, then onto his Masters.

Leigh has a grade 3 RGT passed with honours which he attained when he was just 15 (!)

Leigh has been teaching for over 4 years, covering all styles from jazz, folk, punk, rock, metal, neoclassical, funk, reggae, ska, blues, fusion and so on. He is currently working on a number of projects (including the Joe Ringer Band!) and has also been gigging and performing with our Director.