Alison

I teach Music Theory! That may sound dry and boring but I really enjoy it and love sharing my enthusiasm for it with my students. I specialise in Theory Grades 1 - 6. (And Cello grades 1-5. Scroll down for cello tuition) So Theory:
whether you need a few booster lessons before an exam, or a more sustained chance to build confidence and understanding, I am sure I can help. Although I have been a teacher for many years, I haven't always taught Music Theory, so for me it is still exciting and fresh. Here's a bit about my background: All my life I have loved both music and dance. I taught myself to play the recorder when I was 8, went to a ballet school and began learning the piano at 13, became one of the very first cohort of students in Europe to do a degree in Performance Arts way back in the 1970's, and qualified to teach both subjects plus a whole lot more when I completed a PGCE at Goldsmiths' College, London. (Keep reading for Cello...)

Tutoring Experience

As a Primary school teacher, I soon found my specialism would be Music and I became Music co-ordinator first in a small junior school and then in a large junior school. I was a 'whole class' teacher until 2005 and then began specialising in just music and dance. I began learning the cello at the age of 38 and while I was teaching music and dance I completed all my grades. Feeling pleased with myself, but convinced there was still something missing, I applied for some Dalcroze training. This is a method of teaching musical concepts through movement, widely used in youth music programmes and ballet schools. I found myself training to become a Dalcroze teacher and when, in 2010, I moved to the North East, I was able to use my training to teach Musicianship and Cello on the Foundation Strings programme at Sage Gateshead. I taught KS2 children on Saturdays, Key stage 1 children during the week (outreach) and eventually Dalcroze and Theory to Key Stage 3 students on a Sunday in the CAT programme. In July 2019 I decided to reclaim my weekends so I could spend more time with my family, but I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching cello face to face and music theory online and would love to do more.

Tutoring Approach

I am a conscientious teacher, dedicated to finding ways to empower students with understanding, not just facts. I prepare lessons for individual learning in mind and love to share the light bulb moments when students realise that actually music isn't as confusing or difficult as they thought!