Biography

Simon comes from a musical family. His father, David Costa, is a semi-professional drummer and his parents, (Simon’s grandparents) sang in a choir.

According to what Simon’s parents say, as a baby, he used to sit transfixed in front of the stereo speakers listening to classical music and nursery rhymes.

He began to learn the guitar at the age of seven but gave up shortly afterwards.

In his first year of high school, Simon played the violin in the school orchestra. A year later, he decided to try the guitar lessons offered by the school music teacher, learning to strum chords to songs. This was to be his chosen instrument. It was decided that he should have private lessons. He studied classical, flamenco and ragtime guitar with Bob Oort (http://www.users.bigpond.com/boboort/), and remained his student for four years. During this time, he played in the school stage bands and rock bands, both on electric guitar and bass. He also became proficient at playing drums, copying what his brother learnt from his drum lessons.

His first payed gig came at the age of 19, playing jazz in a local bowling club. Simon was the oldest in the band! “The old patrons thought we were going to be famous like the Beatles. It was a novelty for these retired aged people to hear a bunch of school kids, especially with a female saxophone player, playing their favourite songs from Yester-year.” It led to a residency that lasted for about a year.

Simon continued to play professionally in jazz and rock bands on a part-time basis while completing his traineeship as an electronics technician. During this time, he also studied musicianship at the NSW Conservatorium of Music in Sydney.

In 1986, Simon quit electronics, and went to Israel to visit his mother and youngest brother.  He took his bass to the Pargod Theatre, a jazz club in Jerusalem where they had jam sessions every Friday afternoon.  Simon very quickly became known as the new young bass playing sensation in Jerusalem, and started playing gigs with Itsik Shetrit.  Lecturers from the jazz department at The Rubin Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem heard about Simon, and was subsequently offered a scholarship to study for his Bachelor Of Music Degree. Simon decided to enrol, and graduated in 1992, studying with Jean Claude Jones, Boris Gammer, Dan Gottfried, Steve Horenstein, Nahum Pervakovich, Slava Ganelin and Jerry Garval.

In 1989, Simon started to give guitar lessons, as well as directing youth bands in an after-school music centre. During this time, Simon had regular jazz gigs, as well as playing Israeli music, performing in wedding bands and tourist show bands. From 1990 to 1991, Simon was the resident bass player at the Jerusalem Khan Theatre www.khan.co.il, playing four nights a week, which is still there today .  From 1992 to 1993 Simon was the resident bass player in the internationally acclaimed tourist show Horah Israel, an Israeli dancing troop spectacular that toured internationally every year. Simon toured with them in France and Germany.

In 1994, Simon returned to Australia and played mostly bass and doubling on guitar in various covers bands, including Vogue (formally Princess), Sister Act and On Heat, performing in pubs and clubs around New South Wales, and went on tour to Papua New Guinea with Princess in 1996. He continued to teach guitar in a music store and in his private studio at home.

Realising that he enjoyed teaching, Simon decided to become a qualified music teacher, and graduated from the University of Sydney with a Master of Teaching Degree in 1997.

Since then, Simon has been teaching classroom music in both secondary and primary schools, whilst continuing to teach guitar part-time.

Simon continues his professional development. In 2002, he completed Level 1 of The Australian Kodaly Certificate in Music Education, and in 2007 completed Level 2 of the Orff Schulwerk Music and Movement Teacher Certification Course. He is member of the Orff Schulwerk Association of NSW Inc., and contributes lesson ideas to the quarterly bulletin. See www.ancos.org.au. In April 2008, he completed the Drum Circle Music Course (DCM) presented by Kalani Music. See www.kalanimusic.com

 In 2007, Simon's guitar tuition business boomed.  He had so many students, that he had a waiting list of about six people waiting for a suitable timeslot.  All enquiries came from parents who had spoken to other parents of students who were learning from Simon.  Simon would have students come to him who were previously with other guitar teachers, but were dissatisfied with their previous tuition.

Due to this success, Simon decided to go into guitar and bass tuition as a full-time job.

In 2008, Simon started teaching guitar and bass at Masada College on Sydney’s North Shore, as well as directing a Guitar Ensemble, the Jazz Ensemble and Klezmer Ensemble.  In 2009, he also started teaching guitar at Wahroonga Preparatory School and leading the guitar ensemble there.  Simon also continues to teach at his home studio, five evenings a week. 

Playing wise, Simon is currently the resident double bass player (and sometimes doubling on guitar) of The Northern Jazz Band, a traditional jazz group, which performs at clubs, outdoor public events, private and corporate functions.