I'm Nathan Hill (with my brother Ryan), and I run The Hill Brothers from our home base in Portsmouth and the wider Hampshire region. Our core offering is live music session coaching, helping singers, instrumentalists and bands sharpen their:
Alongside coaching, we also perform and host live sessions and gigs ourselves. Our work blends performance mentoring, song arrangement support, and stagecraft coaching.
I come from a lifelong love of music (so does Ryan). We both grew up playing in pubs, small venues and open mics, experimenting with acoustic sets, harmonies, set lists and audience connection. Over time we saw how many genuinely talented musicians struggle when stepping into live performance or collaborative sessions. I wanted The Hill Brothers in Portsmouth to bridge that gap.
Ryan and I felt that many music students get stuck in rehearsal rooms or isolated practice. They don't get enough exposure to live interplay, improvisation or reacting in the moment. I knew then that offering session coaching, rehearsal with performance-level feedback, could help artists level up. My aim was to bring real stage experience, not just theory, into coaching. We named the business The Hill Brothers as a reflection of our partnership and our shared identity in music.
Starting out, I balanced coaching with doing actual gigs (weddings, local venues, acoustic evenings) to keep both sides active. That dual role keeps me grounded: I know exactly what it's like to face the crowd, and I bring that directly into teaching.
I began by offering small group workshops and one-to-one coaching in Portsmouth, Southsea and surrounding towns. I used my own network, open mic nights I played, venues I already performed in, to spread the word. I offered free taster sessions in local cafés, invited emerging musicians to sit in for "jam nights," and slowly built word of mouth.
One challenge was convincing musicians that coaching in performance, not just theory, added real value. Some saw "coaching" as only for beginners. I overcame that by recording live sessions and comparing "before and after" performances, showing clear growth. Another issue was scheduling: people are genuinely busy. I introduced flexible slot bookings and shorter "boost sessions" (60 minutes) rather than full 2-hour blocks. That lowered the barrier for many.
We also had to manage expectations: some musicians expected instant transformation. I made sure from the start to frame coaching as steady progress, focusing on small wins like:
That helped maintain trust.
Over time, we've expanded our reach. We now coach clients from across Hampshire, the south coast and sometimes further afield (online sessions when needed). We also combine coaching with real gigs: we host and perform in live music sessions, putting our students on stage to actually test out what they've learnt. You can see our upcoming gigs on our website.
We found Facebook and Instagram to be strong referral channels by sharing short video clips of coaching moments, rehearsals, live performances, behind-the-scenes content, and testimonials. Regularly linking coaching sessions with real performance clips helped build trust and visibility. We also partnered with local venues and open mic nights, such as Casemates Studios, to host “coach-and-play” evenings where clients could perform live in a supportive environment. Local media coverage, including a live performance and interview on Express FM about our Christmas shows, added genuine local credibility. Our offer continues to evolve with short masterclasses on vocal harmony and improvisation, weekend “crash course” intensives, and hybrid online/in-person programmes.
Looking back, I would have started inviting more guest coaches or collaborators early, to diversify style input. I'd have developed an online curriculum earlier (videos, modular lessons) to scale beyond local reach. Also, I would have tracked metrics more systematically: from day one I would log:
This would help me see what actually worked faster.
Looking ahead, I want to build a recorded video coaching library, modules on harmonies, improvisation, live arrangement, accessible to members. I also plan to run mini-festivals or live showcase events where our students perform publicly, gaining real exposure. I intend to deepen our online coaching reach, offering more remote sessions, but always tied to actual performance chances locally.
I'm also exploring collaborations with music schools, academies, and local arts organisations across Hampshire to embed session coaching in existing programmes. Lastly, I aim to publish short performance tip videos (for social media) more regularly, to grow awareness and help musicians even before they become clients.
The Hill Brothers provide live music session coaching based in Portsmouth. Their focus is on helping singers, instrumentalists, and bands improve their performance skills, build confidence for live shows, and enhance their musical interaction in real-world scenarios. This includes performance mentoring, song arrangement, and stagecraft coaching.
The coaching is for any musician who wants to bridge the gap between practising and performing live. It's suitable for singers, instrumentalists, and full bands across genres like folk, pop, and acoustic. They help both emerging artists and talented musicians who find live collaboration challenging.
Their approach is 'performance-first'. Instead of just teaching theory in a rehearsal room, they coach you under the pressure of a live jam setting. With years of their own gigging experience, Nathan and Ryan provide real-time feedback and practical advice that you can use on stage immediately.
The Hill Brothers focus on steady, tangible progress. They have a track record of helping musicians improve, often using 'before and after' recordings to show clear growth. They also offer flexible booking slots and shorter 'boost sessions' to fit your schedule, making it easier to get started and see results.
