Music and Me!

My two favourites

 

"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Helloooo :)

I thought that seeing as I addressed 'Why Music?' for the pupils yesterday, I would write a wee post on 'Why Music?' for me! How come I've ended up as a Music Teacher? My dream job.

 

I was 4 years old when I played my first piano notes, chords of a Richard Clayderman piece. My Grandad was an organ fanatic, buying the latest Hammond organs of the time and playing them into the early hours of the morning. My head is filled with memories of lying in bed upstairs and the beautiful music floating up for hours and hours, I was enchanted by music from this early age. 

 

 

 

 



My father has been a church organist since he was 14 years old and still plays the organ faithfully every single Sunday in the same church. My Granny, who passed away just in October there, was a wonderful singer, loving to solo and sing as part of a choir - I guess it is fair to say that appreciation of music runs in my family.

 

With all of these influences in my life, my passion for music grew from a very early stage. I began with piano lessons - briefly - but unfortunately the tutor I had really put me off, and I quit! This didn't stop me wanting to learn - I continued the piano, but teaching myself, and also started a new instrument .... the saxophone! I caught onto this instrument very quickly and thinking that Woodwind was my 'thing,' I also started the clarinet - wow, what an instrument! I fell in love with it and have to say, this is the instrument I love playing the most.

 

 

 




 



 

 

I like to play around with other instruments, not an accomplished performer on any of these, but I have an accordion, violin and drum kit - oh and a didgeridoo too! - that I like to unwind with, just playing by ear and enjoying making music! My next purchase is going to be a soprano saxophone, very soon!

 

Before becoming a teacher, I was part of a choir, a church band, a youth orchestra and my university band & choir. My best experience was playing alongside the Ulster Orchestra, what a magical performance. I always knew I wanted to have music as part of my career - time was spent in my school library looking up various music careers and I very nearly embarked upon an Ethnomusicology course. With a passion for being creative and working with children, I settled for a teaching degree.

 

For me, music is an immense part of my life. "What would life be without music? How would we be able to feel or hear about people's emotions? Our body would not move to rhythms nor shed tears to beautiful melodies. Music is the base of our body. It begins with the rhythm from your heart and spreads out through your soul." - The Music Foundation (2004)

 

I have to say as cliche as it sounds, I'm really living the dream right now! Sharing my passion for music on a daily basis with my pupils is fantastic, seeing those who respond to my enthusiasm for music is even more fantastic and inspiring children to start an instrument is just 'wow'  - long may it continue!

 

A :) x