I am a musician, performer, teacher, and workshop leader with over 15 years of professional experience. I have lead, rehearsed and played in a group that toured the UK as well as composed and performed for various award winning ensembles, short films, and radio plays.
I received first class honours studying music from the University of York, and completed a year long scholarship in the Indonesian conservatoire ISI Surakarta studying classical Indonesian music (Karawitan/Gamelan).
I currently run the Ashburton Arts Centre Gamelan for children and adults, and before that the Sharpham Community Gamelan Gadhon.
I have worked for several charities and facilitated workshops including teaching young children to write music, and facilitating deaf and severely handicapped children to play Gamelan.
I have grade 8 piano and can teach aurally or theoretically, and I have a good grounding in western music theory from studying musicology as well as an outsider perspective from studying Indonesian music.
Mark Farrin
I hold a music degree from Dartington College of Arts and also studied at Utrecht Conservatory in the Netherlands. I am a member of the Registry of Guitar Tutors. I am a very experienced instrumental tutor teaching and running music workshops in various schools and privately.
I teach a wide variety of musical styles and have a very holistic and student centred approach to music education. My lessons are great fun and full of musical content. I am passionate about helping my students enjoy reaching their musical goals and potential.
I co-lead a Young Carers Music group in Torbay and Beginners groups for the Torbay and South Devon Music Centre.
Harriet Oakley
Harriet Oakley is a professional singer, conductor and singing teacher. Since moving to Devon in 2019, she spends the majority of her time teaching as a peripatetic across Devon, including tuition of the Buckfast Abbey Choristers. In November 2022, she conducted the South Devon Singers at Exeter Cathedral for their Royal British Legion remembrance concert.
Prior to moving to Devon, Harriet was the musical director for Holy Redeemer’s professional choir in Clerkenwell, London and sang with the award-winning ensemble, Epiphoni.
Harriet studied music at Bristol University majoring in vocal studies, where she also ran the University Chamber Choir and played the lead role in Rossini’s opera, ‘Cenerentola’.
Kip Pratt
| I am a violin, ukulele, recorder, pitched percussion, singing teacher and music workshop leader. I have an MA in Music Education and used to work as an MDL with Devon Music Service, after which I spent 7 years running the music specialism courses on the BEd and PGCE at Plymouth University. I also play in Blue Jewel Ceilidh Band and the Lyric Chamber Orchestra. I have 35 years experience of working with young people in all sorts of musical settings and I specialise in working with whole classes on instruments or in composing work. I also run a workshop called ‘Stories and Music’ for KS1 and 2, telling stories and helping children to improvise and compose music to illuminate them. I have run a number of projects for DMEH in conjunction with Elfyn Jones, including ‘Let’s Play’, ‘Sonorities’ and ‘7 Days of Music’. I spend my days travelling round Devon making music with young people! |
Rose Sage B.A. (Hons) MEd PGCE Dip ABRSM
| I studied music, specialising in flute performance and teaching, at Dartington College of Arts in the 1980s. I also gained my PGCE in primary teaching and worked as a primary class teacher in the 1990’s. After having my two daughters I returned to full time peripatetic teaching in 1998. Along the way I also gained my Dip ABRSM Flute Diploma and have taught flute to this level, with pupils moving on to study music at university and specialist music schools such as The Purcell School.
I have taught First Access whole class recorder lessons to classes in primary schools for 16 years in Torbay, with groups being invited to play for the Torbay Music Festival Live Concert Experience Days and as an example of good practice for Primary Teachers CPD workshop days. I am passionate about the art of teaching and I get tremendous pleasure from introducing different styles of music to my pupils. I teach children and adults from age 7 upwards, with my specialist instrument being the flute, from beginners to Grade 8 and beyond. Since I started teaching, whilst still a student in the 1980’s, I have become increasingly interested in teacher training particularly in the area of training non musician primary teachers to feel able and confident to teach music to their classes. I have delivered in service training for Devon Youth Music, Torbay Council and Trinity College London and I am particularly interested in working with primary schools to help them integrate musical literacy into their music curriculum teaching. I believe that music teachers should practice what they preach! I am the Principal Flute with Torbay Symphony Orchestra, the Concert Band of Britannia Royal Naval College and also am the joint director of the Shine Steel Community Band in Dartmouth, which gives me the opportunity to play many different styles of music every week, alongside my teaching. If you are an individual or from a school, get in touch to enquire about my availability to start or continue your musical journey as an instrumentalist or musical primary class teacher. |
Rebecca Judson
My name is Becca and I’m a qualified primary school teacher. I’ve been teaching for 12 years in a mix of roles, starting off as a class teacher, and more recently moving to being music specialist teacher. I have a BA in Music from York University and play violin, piano and sing – all to a grade 8 standard.
I have previously led adult and children’s choirs (mostly gospel music) and currently teach whole class music at the school I am working in, as well as more recently, 1:1 piano tuition. I would like to expand to violin and singing teaching too. I currently teach in Reception and Nursery as part of my job and am developing skill and experience in Early Years music. As a songwriter, I enjoy writing music with children – both sung, lyrical music, and composition on percussion instruments that we have in school.
With my varied experience in class, choirs and 1:1 tuition, I feel I have a lot to bring to the table as a Visiting Music Teacher.
Lynn Davidoff
I am a Canadian music educator who has moved to the Exeter area. I have a DBS, the right to work in the UK, am certified to teach in Canada and have a QTS for the UK. I am also Orff certified. My training as a North American music educator has given me the skills to teach all instruments at all levels in mixed groups, ie: Band Class (north American style).
My most recent employed teaching of twenty years, ending in 2018, at the American School of Budapest and before that the Jakarta International School, included instructing and directing full wind band and string ensembles, chamber ensembles, musical theatre performances, IB Music, music technology and general music classes (similar to GCSE music).
I look forward to being able to contribute to the music education of Devon and am willing to accept work in a variety of musical situations. One thing I can do is come into a school and create a band program with full instrumentation right from the beginning as is done in Canada and the US.
Lisa Rowe
I am an experienced ex primary and Early Years teacher living in central Devon. I taught in primary schools in Devon, Bath and London for 26 years, including two years as solely a music lead working within a local MAT. This entailed leading choirs and school bands along with the regular curricular input. In the past two years I have left my school based role but now work as a music teacher inside and outside of schools. I also teach violin, guitar and occasionally accordion privately. I have studied on an MA in music therapy and often use these principles in my work, especially supporting those with SEND.
I now lead an Early Years music group for babies and young children in Exeter, teach violin 1:1 as a peripatetic, and also cover PPA in a local primary school where I lead WCET sessions in violin, ukelele, guitar, steel pans, whistle and other instruments. This involves also covering curricular music. Recently I also headed up a group of young folk musicians, helping them to arrange and play music together for a young person’s music festival.
I am looking for further work in any of the above areas, and will consider anything within reasonable driving distance of East Dartmoor, both in and outside of schools. I can provide references in advance if required!
Lindsay Braga
A professional, classical violinist who specialises in orchestral playing and chamber music. A committed and experienced violin teacher with training in Suzuki, Kodaly and the Voices Foundation. Runs the Dartmoor Strings group for 10-18yr olds in Ashburton.
Sarah Steed
| I am an experienced woodwind and piano teacher working with students from 4 to 80 in the local schools and my studio in North Devon.
A qualified classroom music teacher who chose early on in my career to concentrate on my first love of instrumental music. I have taught for Surrey Music Service, Hampshire Music Service and spent 10 years in America teaching the band program in a middle school. I have conducted wind bands, a jazz ensemble, flute choir and clarinet choir. Qualifications: |