Whilst studying Art at Edinburgh College of Art in the mid 80s I bought a saxophone which I attempted to play in bands with my friends in Edinburgh and then after I moved to London in 1986. I was always frustrated by my lack of skill and inability to keep up with my 'musical' friends. While attending Goldsmith's College for a Certificate in Music Workshop Skills I was introduced to solfege by the tutor, Phil Mullen. It instantly made sense to me and I started to take evening classes with David Vinden. I attended David's elementary and intermediate classes and eventually progressed to Yuko's advanced course. In 2003-4 I went to the Kodály institute in Kesckemét, Hungary where I completed the Diploma in Basic Kodály Pedagogy.
Solfege has opened the door for me to a level of musicianship that I thought was for 'talented' musicians only and I have had musical experiences that would not have been available to me without it. I enjoy teaching music to children using these ideas because I believe that by educating our children to be musicians we can create happier and more creative adults.
Through studying in this way I have developed my singing and I now perform in a duo, the C siders with Robert Storey: http://csiders.bandcamp.com thecsiders.wordpress.com
I am very interested in words and song and I am a member of a poetry group which meets regularly to write and critique poetry.
I have also recently started to draw again, following my attendance on the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brian course: www.learn_to_draw-right.com
From September 2013 I am going to start training in the Alexander Technique: www.alexandertechnique.com
Solfege has opened the door for me to a level of musicianship that I thought was for 'talented' musicians only and I have had musical experiences that would not have been available to me without it. I enjoy teaching music to children using these ideas because I believe that by educating our children to be musicians we can create happier and more creative adults.
Through studying in this way I have developed my singing and I now perform in a duo, the C siders with Robert Storey: http://csiders.bandcamp.com thecsiders.wordpress.com
I am very interested in words and song and I am a member of a poetry group which meets regularly to write and critique poetry.
I have also recently started to draw again, following my attendance on the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brian course: www.learn_to_draw-right.com
From September 2013 I am going to start training in the Alexander Technique: www.alexandertechnique.com