Since 2016, I’ve been privileged to share my passion and enthusiasm for music, teaching hundreds of students across a very wide range of age and ability (4 – 70+) and in a number of settings.
Prior to undertaking PGCE studies, freelance peripatetic music tutor, offering guitar, beginner piano and beginner ukulele lessons to primary schools in Devon and Somerset. Each week I guided 70+ students through the excitement of discovering music, building and/or developing upon the rudimentary foundations of musical practice, inspiring and preparing them for a long, fulfilling relationship with music.
My lessons are highly personalised to fit the abilities and temperament of each student (or group of students) and I’m happy to log and communicate their progress as is deemed appropriate. In encouraging musical problem-solving, I draw upon developing knowledge of music, as well as other areas of the curriculum such as mathematics and language.
During my previous engagement as ‘Session Manager’ at five private music schools for The Rock Project in Devon, I was entrusted with guiding, inspiring and safeguarding over 120 students per week, managing a team of five tutors, preparing sessions and leading groups of 20-30 young musicians in musical activities such as guided rehearsals, as well as providing instrumental tuition to smaller groups.
From 2016 – 2019 I enjoyed fulfilling the same functions for The Rock Project in Surrey, leading sessions for adults in addition to those for children. During both tenures, I supported and presented regular public performances, preparing and encouraging the students through coached rehearsals, enthusiastically developing musicianship and stagecraft.
A scarcity of resources delayed the start of my own musical journey proper, but in so doing, created the opportunity to spark a love-story that continues to this day. With little chance of buying my first instrument, I built a bass guitar for a GCSE Technology project and taught myself to play it from a book. Although my ‘homemade’ bass has long since been retired (full disclosure: it was a terrible instrument), the passion it fuelled will remain with me for life.
Seizing upon a single, fleeting opportunity ultimately led me to a BMus and out into the world on an enthralling adventure to far-flung countries, revered stages and studios, sharing countless thrilling musical experiences with many wonderful musicians, connecting with a combined audience of several lifetimes of humans. My bass gave me a creative voice, opportunities to contribute to numerous recordings and original compositions and a vehicle through which to forge lifelong friendships. I am deeply committed to opening the door to ‘the opportunity of a lifetime’ for others.