Our Team

Dave Holland

Founder and Musical Director

Dave Holland is a British-born musician and educator based in Dubai, UAE. He obtained his BMus (Jazz) Hons from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, UK; MA Ed from Middlesex University and a variety of additional accolades in the music and education sphere.

He is the Musical Director, Conductor and music enthusiast that formed the Emirates Youth Jazz Orchestra (EYJO); a forum for young and passionate jazz musicians to collaborate and thrive in the UAE.

Dave has enjoyed performances, tours and recording sessions at home and abroad with innumerable local and international artists including; John Legend, Will I Am and the Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson and the O'Jays. This has taken him to many major venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in the UK, the Coca-Cola Dome, Soccer City and Orlando Stadium in South Africa as well as the Burj Khalifa, Yas Marina Race Track, Emirates Palace and Dubai Opera in the UAE.

As a freelance session saxophonist, Dave is familiar with many styles of music but his passion still lies where it all started; jazz. He arrived in Abu Dhabi in 2014 and has worked with many well known groups including the Dubai Opera Big Band, National Symphony Orchestra Big Band and the Swing Revue whilst arranging music outreach projects for young people with Wynton Marsalis and Nile Rodgers.

Andrew McCoy

Director of Digital Media and Integration

Andrew McCoy is a musician, educator and digital media specialist from Northern Ireland based in Dubai, UAE. He studied at the Royal College of Music Junior Department before completing his BMus(Hons) at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and his MA(dist) from the Royal Academy of Music.

As a trombonist, Andrew was principal trombone of the European Union Youth Orchestra as well as guest playing with many of the London Orchestras including the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Regularly performing at Europe’s most prestigious concert halls including London’s Royal Albert Hall, Amsterdam’s Het Concertgebouw and Berlin’s Konzerthaus as well as recording in studios such as Abbey Road and Maida Vale, Andrew has continued to perform in the UAE, notably for Pope Francis’ Papal Mass to over 85,000 people, the first in the Middle East, and with visiting artists to the region including Andrea Bocelli and Hans Zimmer.

Specialising in all forms of digital media from Photo, Video and Audio production to Web and App design, Andrew has worked with record labels such Linn Records and Outhere Music, had photography published in media outlets such as Corriere della Sella and BBC Music Magazine, as well as producing content and title music for broadcasters such as the BBC.

Our Tutors

  • Janelle Bernardo

    DRUM SPECIALIST

    Janelle Bernardo is a Filipino session drummer, artist, and music teacher based in the United Arab Emirates.

    He has performed at various prestigious events such as the Dubai Jazz Festival, Mother of the Nation, Viva Las Vegas Festival, Fridge Concert, and many others.

    He is currently the band leader of UAE's number one swing band and Timeout Dubai awardee, "Swing Revue".

    In addition, Janelle is a very passionate drum teacher and a member of the BSAK music department, committed to providing solid education and instilling a love for music in all of his students.

  • Niel Engel

    TRUMPET SPECIALIST

    Neil Engel, originally from Cape Town South Africa, is a trumpet player, pianist, composer, producer and singer who is proficient in a number of genres. He studied BMus jazz at UCT. This emerging artist loves to take audiences on a diverse musical journey.

    Artists he arranged, recorded and/or performed with include: Jazz at Lincoln Centre Big Band, Hugh Masekela, Abdullah Ebrahim, Sibongile Khumalo, Nduduzo Makhathini, Black Coffee, Selaelo Selota, Maysa Leak (Singer for Incognito) and Katherine Jenkins among others.

    Neil has also taught at various institutions such as the University of Stellenbosch in Cape Town in 2005/2006 where he taught the trumpet, history of jazz and jazz improvisation. He also directed an 18 piece big band. He was involved in many community development projects in Cape Town. He was a part-time lecturer at Wits University in Johannesburg teaching Jazz Composition and Arrangement to 3rd and 4th years from 2017 to 2022. He has composed and arranged music for the Netflix show: ‘Blood and Water’ and for the Amazon show ‘Bosch’. He has also performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Hague.