About Me
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I’m a flute player, teacher and researcher. I love playing flutes of all sizes (and occasional other instruments) and all sorts of styles of music. I’m fascinated by and passionate about the impact of music education and participation on people’s lives.
I grew up in Scotland, and studied music at Edinburgh Napier University. I attended St Mary’s Saturday Music School, played with my school and university wind bands, Lanarkshire Schools Orchestra, Edinburgh Children’s Orchestra, Edinburgh Youth Orchestra (including performances at the Edinburgh Festival and a tour of Scandinavia), Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra, Meadows Chamber Orchestra, the Tomlin Consort flute quartet, for weddings and in pit bands for shows. I took part in the Edinburgh Competition Festival and the Audi Junior Musician Competition. Now based in Sheffield, I play flute, piccolo and alto flute in orchestral and smaller ensemble concerts, for shows and recording sessions. I'm a member of Yorkshire Wind Orchestra, Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra, St Matthew's Orchestra, rarescale Flute Academy and the National Flute Orchestra. I play regularly with the Platform 4 contemporary composers’ ensemble and as a duo with Tim Knight on piano, harpsichord and organ. My upcoming and performances are listed here, and you can hear some soundclips and video here. |
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Photo © Fox Moon Photography
I teach a wide range of students in Sheffield and North East Derbyshire. Currently they range from seven years old to in their seventies, learning recorder, fife, flute, piccolo, alto flute, bass flute and music theory, from beginners to diploma level. Many of my students play with folk bands, wind bands, orchestras and other groups in their school or community. Recent students have gone on to study music at Leeds College of Music and the University of Oxford.
I love seeing students enjoying and developing their playing, and sharing their music at our regular student concerts. I organise workshops with visiting tutors to help flautists explore different perspectives on playing and benefit from expertise in different areas. I regularly attend courses and conferences to keep improving my own playing and teaching skills and knowledge. I run Sheffield Flute Choir, a group for adult flute players which meets monthly to rehearse - and to have lots of tea and cake - and performs at events in and around Sheffield.
I am Secretary and Events Co-ordinator for the British Flute Society, Europe's longest-established flute organisation. As well as music, I have lots of experience in administrative roles, and often have a couple of arts/ education administration or research projects on the go (I've worked for universities in administration and research, for the UK Research Councils, and for the Social Research Association).
I have diplomas in flute playing and teaching, an Open University degree which includes philosophy, literature and linguistics, and a Masters where I used linguistic analysis techniques to research how adult music learners describe their experiences of learning music. I’m currently expanding this research as a part-time PhD student. I blog about my research and other aspects of playing and teaching, and I review new sheet music for the British Flute Society magazine, PAN. I’ve loved writing and been fascinated by language possibly for even longer than I’ve played the flute, and I enjoy supporting other people with their writing too. I offer academic writing support to diploma and university-level students in music, linguistics and philosophy.
I volunteer for chamber music organisation Music in the Round, doing assorted tasks from admin and mail-shots, to helping out front-of-house and at schools concerts, and in particular page-turning, which I really enjoy!
I love seeing students enjoying and developing their playing, and sharing their music at our regular student concerts. I organise workshops with visiting tutors to help flautists explore different perspectives on playing and benefit from expertise in different areas. I regularly attend courses and conferences to keep improving my own playing and teaching skills and knowledge. I run Sheffield Flute Choir, a group for adult flute players which meets monthly to rehearse - and to have lots of tea and cake - and performs at events in and around Sheffield.
I am Secretary and Events Co-ordinator for the British Flute Society, Europe's longest-established flute organisation. As well as music, I have lots of experience in administrative roles, and often have a couple of arts/ education administration or research projects on the go (I've worked for universities in administration and research, for the UK Research Councils, and for the Social Research Association).
I have diplomas in flute playing and teaching, an Open University degree which includes philosophy, literature and linguistics, and a Masters where I used linguistic analysis techniques to research how adult music learners describe their experiences of learning music. I’m currently expanding this research as a part-time PhD student. I blog about my research and other aspects of playing and teaching, and I review new sheet music for the British Flute Society magazine, PAN. I’ve loved writing and been fascinated by language possibly for even longer than I’ve played the flute, and I enjoy supporting other people with their writing too. I offer academic writing support to diploma and university-level students in music, linguistics and philosophy.
I volunteer for chamber music organisation Music in the Round, doing assorted tasks from admin and mail-shots, to helping out front-of-house and at schools concerts, and in particular page-turning, which I really enjoy!
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Qualifications:
DipABRSM Instrumental Teaching (Flute) DipLCM Flute Performance (upper level) Higher National Diploma in Music - Edinburgh Napier University BA(Hons) Humanities - Open University MA English Language (distinction) - Lancaster University ABRSM Grade 8 Flute (distinction) ABRSM Grade 8 Music Theory (merit) Safeguarding training (NSPCC Child Protection Awareness in Music) Effective Mentor's Toolkit - OCN qualification in online mentoring DBS (CRB) Enhanced Certificate |
Professional memberships:
Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) - ISM Registered Private Teacher British Flute Society |
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