Information About Alexia - Devizes teacher -

(1 review)

Personal Description:

I am currently only taking on new flute students (not singing), due to other work commitments.

I am providing notes below on some of the most common FAQs I get.

Notes regarding beginners who are children:

Children do not usually start playing the standard concert flute until aged 9-10, because prior to this their hands are simply not big enough. There may be the option to start your child on the fife between ages 7-10 - this is something I could potentially offer. The fife is a very basic and small type of the flute, without keys (a bit like a recorder version of the flute), which is a much cheaper option for beginners (only c. £20 to get a myfife and the beginner workbook). As First Tutors only allows us to exchange details once I have accepted your request and you have paid a small fee to release my details (I offer a 25% discount on the first lesson to help offset most of the finder's fee charged to you by First Tutors), it is not possible for me to assess your child's suitability to start the flute before an actual paid lesson. If a flute is purchased and it turns out the child's hands are too small, then the child may need to switch to the fife or wait some time until lessons can be recommenced on their concert flute. There are some good specialist flute shops in London, including 'Just Flutes' and 'All Flutes Plus' where you could take your child to try flutes and they can advise, if you are in any doubt. They should recommend the fife if your child is still too small to start the concert flute or tell you to wait until they are a little older. Please do not go to a more general music shop as they will be less likely to understand the pre-requisites for flute playing, less likely to give good advice related to flute playing and more keen on making a quick sale! Both Just Flutes and All Flutes Plus have their own in-house expert repair workshops and all flutes sold by them will be checked, adjusted and if necessary (for second-hand flutes) mended or serviced by their expert technicians before listing for sale.

Notes regarding obtaining and caring for your flute and additional equipment required:

You (or your child) will need your/their own instrument for the first lesson. You can usually rent one or buy via monthly payments from any good music shop (such as the two flute shops mentioned - see the paragraph above). Flutes can be easily damaged. One common mistake is to open the case upside down and the flute falls out! Another possibility is damaging the mechanism whilst assembling or holding the flute. To avoid frustration and unnecessary repair fees, I recommend you avoid opening the case or assembling your flute until you have been shown how to do it either by a teacher or other experienced flute player. Your flute will need to be cleaned properly after each use and it is also recommended that you clean your teeth or rinse your mouth before playing to help prevent the pads becoming too sticky from sugary saliva, which causes an annoying sticky sound when playing! We do have ways to deal with those sticky pads though, but it is less hassle to prevent them in the first place! Please note: a music stand will also be needed as well as one or more music books related to your or your child's current level of playing (it is usually possible to find cheap second-hand versions of most music books/sheet music online). A tuner and metronome will also be required, but there are various downloadable free apps that do the job perfectly well. These are the main up-front costs involved with starting the flute.

Notes regarding my location and travelling:

I am now based in a village south of Devizes in Wiltshire and I may be able to travel to your home for lessons within the local area. (An additional mileage fee may apply for locations further afield - over 15-20 minutes by car.) If you live much further afield, I may be able to offer you lessons on a less frequent basis - perhaps once every 3-4 weeks (more suitable for adults who are motivated to practise in between), but I would need to charge significantly more to cover the time and mileage costs for travelling.

Notes about my studies and experience:

After completing ABRSM grade 8 flute and A Level music (including performance on flute and voice), I entered the University of Surrey where I studied flute, piccolo, voice and piano, as well as other subjects such as music theory, aural perception, music history (Renaissance through to **Postcode Removed**), analysis, general repertoire, historical performance practice, jazz, exoticism and orchestration. I specialised in flute performance during my final year, graduating in 1999.

I have had wonderful opportunities for musical learning and development including having taken part in James Galway's 7th Annual Flute Seminar back in 1995, various summer schools, ensembles, choirs and orchestras (playing both flute and piccolo in orchestras and having had opportunities to sing solos with choirs).

More recently I have learnt to improvise and play/sing as a community musician through the Lifemusic Facilitator training with Dr Rod Paton, Senior Music Lecturer (now retired) at the University of Chichester, as well as having discovered much about sound-healing, voice-work, mantras and Eastern music through studying yoga and through personal research. I love the way that singing and flute playing go hand-in-hand: Galway emphasised to sing your flute pieces and to make your playing sing! The power of sound to uplift, create wellbeing, change emotional states and expand consciousness never ceases to amaze me!

Tutoring Experience:

I'm an experienced workshop teacher (community music and singing) and I have regular one-to-one flute and voice students.

Tutoring Approach:

Music truly is a universal language to be enjoyed by all, and I personally believe that everyone is musical. I've seen many people who did not think they were musical transform and discover an innate musicality through the Lifemusic method. I bring this philosophy to teaching and I believe if someone feels stuck and cannot grasp something, it's just a matter of finding a different explanation or experience in order for the brain and body to assimilate new concepts. With time, passion and dedication, most things are achievable.

I offer lessons for all levels and I teach in the standard classical way, yet with the opportunity to approach your playing light-heartedly, with lots of fun and with an openness to improvisation and other styles of playing. The lessons will usually be structured around the technical and artistic development of the ABRSM grades, but taking exams is completely optional.

I am also an experienced healer, coach and workshop facilitator (community music, singing, yoga and meditation). I work holistically, holding a safe, supportive space for people to grow in confidence, and find their own creativity, inspiration and self expression.