Information About Andromachi - Oxford teacher -

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Personal Description:

Andromachi (Maggie) was born in Greece. She is a Qualified Music Teacher (UK and EU QTS both in Primary and Secondary Education), Composer, Professional Singer (Mezzo-Soprano), Pianist, and also a Humanities teacher.

Her studies have concentrated on different areas of the Arts and Sciences and achieved a Distinction in her Diplomas in Music. The studies in music were focused on the areas of Advanced Music Theory (Composition, Fugue, Counterpoint, Harmony), Vocal Studies, and Piano. She is also very interested in combining Music, Arts and Sciences as she has obtained a BA (Hons) in European Civilization (Humanities). Believing in sustainable lifelong learning and always being energetic and motivated in achieving high standards both as a teacher and performer, Maggie completed her Master`s in Music (MMus) in Composition (Instrumental & Vocal) at the University of Manchester as a full-time postgraduate student. Apart from Greek (native speaker) and English, she also studied German and Italian.

As a Composer, many of her compositions (for string orchestra, ensembles, mixed a cappella choirs, and soloists) have been performed in well-known concert halls across UK, USA and Greece including the Whitworth Art Gallery, Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, St Michael Church in Ancoats, Asheville of North Carolina, Megaron - The Athens Concert Hall, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Conference and Cultural Center of the University of Patras, Technological Educational Institute T.E.I. of Patras, American College of Greece-Deree, Orfeio Conservatory of Athens, etc. As a Mezzo-soprano and Choir Conductor, Maggie has performed operas, oratorios, lieder, contemporary compositions, musicals, jazz songs and other genres of music at many prestigious venues in Greece such as the Odeon of Herodes Atticus – Festival of Athens 2004, Conference and Cultural Center of the University of Patras, French Institute of Athens, Apollo Theater of Patras, OLPA open theatre in Patras, Diakideios Sxoli Laou Concert Hall, Technological Educational Institute T.E.I. of Patras, etc.

Moreover, she has participated in seminars and conferences (Managing the Tricky Class, NEU Classroom Management: Classroom and Behaviour Management with a focus on the effects socio-economic conditions can have on disengaged and hostile students, Training on returning to school with Covid- 19 as Teacher, Team Teach, 3rd International Symposium on Movement & Computing, the Alexander Technique, etc.), CPD programs (Young People and their Mental Health, Covid-19: Psychological Impact, Wellbeing and Mental Health, Special Educational Needs, Exploring Play: the Importance of Play in everyday life, Caring for Vulnerable Children, Childhood Adversity: the impact of Childhood Maltreatment on Mental Health, Child Safeguarding Training, Management and Leadership: Growing as a Manager, Train the Trainer-level 7, On-line tutoring, etc.) in the UK, USA and Greece.

Tutoring Experience:

Maggie has taught Music theory and Advanced Music theory (music history, music analysis, instrumentation, harmony, harmonization in piano, ear training exercises, solfege, counterpoint, fugue, composition, orchestration), Vocal lessons, Choir and Piano at KS1-KS5 (A-level) in schools, preparing for GCSE/A-level and ABRSM exams, and undergraduates (entrance auditions) achieving a 100% success rate. Furthermore, she has conducted and accompanied mixed voice choirs and ensembles, and has taught in higher education and conservatories for 28 years working with different age groups (6-18 years old and adults) and abilities in 1:1, medium and large class sizes.

Tutoring Approach:

In her pedagogic approach, her main concern and focus is the participation and learning of the student and the student`s family during the whole educational process. Thus, she is dedicated in working meticulously, efficiently and effectively in providing tailor-made, up-to-date lessons motivating thus her tutees to discover their own unique talents, limits and achieve their goals and aspirations. Each lesson includes theory, practice, use of CDs and DVDs accordingly to each student`s unique abilities, interests, skills and pace of learning. Maggie has strong work ethic and is patient, respectful to the students, flexible, with positive attitude, open minded, a good listener able to solve problems while meeting the students’ diverse needs, in a friendly and supportive way.

The course of Music Theory not only provides students with the necessary skills to read and write western music notation, but also enables them to become familiar with more advanced concepts in music including the course of harmony, music analysis, instrumentation and basic principles of composition. Each composition session constitutes a new magical world for the tutees as they learn to compose different music genres, motivating them to search and discover their own unique compositional style, and become composers and potential performers.

The course of Vocal Studies-Singing provides the singers with a great opportunity to express themselves through the use of their body and face. Singing has physical, psychological and emotional benefits according to researchers, helping people to become healthier and happier. Technique is of great importance in singing (circular breathing technique, movements of the whole body and face, ear and pitches training) as our body is our instrument; it is so complicated but at the same time a challenging process. A singer always needs to express his/her soul, to explore famous compositions from different genres, prepare and perform them. Is there a better way to challenge, search and learn about oneself other than by performing?

The piano is an extremely fascinating instrument. As tutor, Maggie educates students to realize that piano can sound like an orchestra as this instrument has the range of an orchestra, and the pianist is able to play many notes simultaneously in many different ways. Moreover, piano is the perfect visual representation of the whole music theory and the ideas that derive from this knowledge. Therefore, as tutor, she focuses in combining the music language with the Alexander and fingers technique, appropriate style and emotion in order to transform each tutee into a well-articulated and solid artist. In this line of thought, the student is taught the most appropriate for each composition piano technique (body position, right movements, breathing control and right poise) and style, a good step for an efficient performance; but more importantly the tutee is motivated and inspired to search, discover, feel and express his/her own thoughts and emotions (introspective experience). The learning process is unique and customized for each student as each one person has different personality with different skills, abilities, background and needs.