Information About Flora - Newtownards teacher -

(3 reviews)

Personal Description:

Growing up I did music constantly. I started at the City of Belfast School of Music when I was 7 years old and studied piano, singing, cello, music theory and recorder. When I was 13 I gained entry to Methodist College Belfast where I was part of many musical groups including Girls Choir and Chapel Choir, performing in venues like the Royal Albert Hall, Westminster Abbey, the Musikverein in Vienna and the Mozarteum in Salzburg.

I worked through ABRSM and Trinity exams in piano, cello, recorder, singing and music theory. I began tutoring students when I was still at school.

In 2008 I went to the University of York and gained my 2.1 BA (hons) degree in Music, specialising in Recorder and the Baroque period. I was lucky enough to be tutored by musicians such as Dr Jonathan Wainwright and Dr Peter Seymour.

I have had some wonderful musical training and some totally uninspiring training- and this has led me to realise that the most important thing is to have fun when you learn because that's how you really learn to love what you're doing.

Tutoring Experience:

I have been teaching on and off for the last 15 years, and now work part time and tutor part time. I love that my students have fun at lesson and enjoy coming, that's the best part. There is no need to find music frustrating, it can be lots of fun and a good kind of challenge, with the right teaching.

I have a background of working with those with learning difficulties and fun is always prioritized in these lessons. I have worked with those who have very poor communication and have seen how they gradually grow in confidence to where they chat in lessons and show significant progress in their musical studies.

No one should feel intimidated or worried about coming for a lesson, and my experiences have led me to be able to make anyone feel comfortable.

Tutoring Approach:

I have found that my pupils come for lessons to improve their skills and often to relax and do things that are totally different to their day jobs or the challenges of school.

For this reason I have decided to withdraw offering exam training. I now approach teaching by using graded scales, sight- reading, ear tests and pieces as a backbone to progress but do not put people in for exams. My pupils come to enjoy music and not to feel pressured into having to prove themselves under exam conditions.

I have worked with lots of kids who have lost confidence through exam preparation being too heavily focused on and am very happy to bring them back to a point where they actually want to sit down and play their instrument.

I work towards having confident, skilled and happy musicians of all ages, learning in the comfort of my home where there is a very friendly Labrador available for cuddles if needs be.