Author Archives: rachel

Pupil Concert thanks 2022

Huge thank you to everyone who helped our students perform this weekend. It’s been such a long time since we had the chance to play to one another. We played in 3 smaller groups this year, which made it a super encouraging environment. Some fabulous playing – individual items and duets, everyone chose something they loved to play. We’ve collected cash and online donations, and sent £150 to the Sheffield Children’s Hospital, which is just fantastic.

Thank you to St. Andrew’s Psalter Lane church, to Debbie and Helen for being wonderful hosts. And also to Fiona and Jenna who did an amazing job serving refreshments and helping me clear up.

Beautiful rendition of Magic Gate from Fantasy Piano
The Blue Lagoon from Tales for Peter Pan

Pupil Concerts 2022

Hot off the press! Pupil’s concerts 2022 – a chance for everyone to perform to one another and to parents on the wonderful grand piano at St Andrew’s Psalter Lane Church

(Click for Concert Programme).

Saturday 8th October 2022

4.30: Foundation students – beginners to grade 2

5.30: Advanced student recitals – grade 6-8

6.45: Intermediate students working at grades 3-5

Tea and cake after each recital. Get your baking things out… all money from tea and cake donations will be sent straight to Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

A small £4 fee will be added to Autumn invoices to help towards the substantial hire cost of such a prestigious venue. Super super exciting!

New lesson times available from Jan 2022

Exciting news! Due to a change in my in-school teaching hours I will have some new lesson times opening up from January 2022. Lessons are available in flute, clarinet, theory or piano at these times:

Monday 4.10-4.40 (could be extended to 4pm if you are grade 5+)

Wednesday 4.20-4.50

Thursday daytimes will newly be available for 6th formers / students / adults / home school families between 9-12 and 1-3 in 30 or 45 min lessons. 

Lessons can be in person or on Zoom if needed. All new lessons begin on Monday 10th January. Please spread the word.

Emily has capacity for 2-3 more flute pupils on a Friday between 5-6 or on Saturday at midday.

 

September 2021 news and updates

Welcome back everyone! I’m really looking forward to seeing you from Sept 6th. Please check the timetable and get in touch with any questions, or problems.

Lessons will continue socially distanced and ventilated for now. I’ll still be teaching using the Korg digital piano station, and ask if any students are at all poorly, that they just switch to Zoom for that week, so we avoid passing around illnesses (especially Covid).

Huge congratulations for fabulous merit and distinction Summer term exam results to Enoch (Grade 4 piano), Caleb (Grade 5 clarinet) and Poppy (Grade 2 piano) as well as those who recorded exams earlier in the year.

The Autumn term should see exams back to ‘normal’ for those who are considering taking a grade. I will be getting in contact with dates and info for those who need it this term, and helping lots of you prepare for Spring / Summer 2022 as well.

A big welcome to my daughter Emily, as she starts out flute teaching. I’m super proud of her grade 8 exam result, and am looking forward to mentoring her as starts teaching this year (mostly to save money for university!) She’s preparing for her flute diploma, and enjoys playing with the City of Sheffield Youth Orchestra. She is currently teaching Fri after school and Sat mornings if there’s anyone else who would like to try some flute lessons. Discounted cost this year of just £10 per half hour whilst I’m mentoring her 🙂

We will have a concert this year, likely to be in the Spring. I will let you know when I have booked a date. I am also hoping some of my advanced students will play in other local concerts through the year, I have started asking and looking for contacts / connections.

Finally, both my choirs are back this Sept after a long (20 month) break. My Tuesday evening group – Stocksbridge community choir (Waldershelf Singers) is always happy for new members, we welcome teenager members too, as long as they come with parents / grandparents. The choir has a Christmas concert planned with brass band, and a 60s celebration concert next year. It is a bit of a drive (30 mins), but a genuinely fab group if, like us, you like singing as a family! My secondary age children have always been involved in some way! 
My Male Voice Choir is further away (Millhouse Green – nr Penistone), an older group, mostly retired, but def looking for new baritones and basses as we restart, numbers have naturally declined over lockdown which is super sad as they’re a fabulously talented group, and I’m looking forward to helping them rebuilt! Please do spread the word to anyone you know who might be interested. 

 

 

Lockdown lessons!

The pandemic, a year on! It’s almost a year since our March 8th concert 2020… the last time I heard live music before lockdown!

How fabulous have you all been in adapting to online lessons! I love seeing everyone weekly, and you’ve all as families worked hard to get well set up and it’s lovely to see you all weekly!

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