CURRICULUM VITAE
Education and Qualifications:
• MMus in Performance (with Merit), Organ under Ian Curror, Trinity College of Music, London – 2008-2011
• ATCL Flute Recital Diploma (with Distinction), under Anna Noakes, Trinity College of Music, London – 2007
• Postgraduate Diploma in Performance, Organ under Roger Sayer, Trinity College of Music, London – 2003-2004
• BMus (Hons) in Performance (2:1), Organ under Dr. John Winter, Trinity College of Music, London 1999-2003
• LTCL (Flute Teaching), under Jonathan Newell, Trinity College of Music, London 2002-2003
• A-Levels in Music, Art, and English – 1999
• GCSE’s in Music, Art, Religious Studies, English Language/Literature, Science, and Mathematics – 1997
Other Music Qualifications:
• Grade 8 Organ (with Distinction) – 1999
• Grade 8 Flute (with Distinction) – 1999
• Grade 6 Piano (with Distinction) – 1999
• Grade 4 Oboe (with Distinction) – 1999
• Gardners Trust Braille Music Literacy Awards 1-5, with first place – 1996-1999
Scholarships and Awards:
• Cardnell Organ Prize for an outstanding contribution to organ studies – 2010
• VSA International Young Soloists Award, Certificate of Recognition for an outstanding submission – 2010
• The Dorothy Hay-Bolton Charitable Trust Bursary – 2009
• Costcutter Supermarkets Group Bursary – 2009
• The Great Stone Bridge Trust Bursary – 2008
• Hever Parish Church Council Bursary – 2008
• The Webster Davidson Scholarship – 2008
• Oxford Music Festival, first place for flute in the Woodwind Recital Class – 2002 & 2004
Performing Experience:
Signing of the Marrakesh Treaty at the World Intellectual Property Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland – October 2016
Performed solo classical flute repertoire in a collaborative recital and artistic exhibition in celebration of the signing of the Marrakesh Treaty on 6 October 2016.
NHS volunteer musical entertainer and therapist – February 2015-
Placements so far include those at the Edenbridge and District War Memorial Hospital, and a number of residential care homes, where I play a wide variety of music and songs for in-patients as well as more individualised therapeutic work with dementia patients.
Session musician recording at the Bridge Writing Studio, London – December 2014
Was invited by singer/song-writer Dwight Pereira to write parts for seven of his songs, including flute and Hammond organ, released on his album ‘Straw’ on 25 July 2015.
Collaborative performances at the Haninge Kulturhus, Sweden – October 2014
Performed two flute concerts with Chinese flautist Jing Wu, accompanied by pianist Irina Sjökvist, and Swedish Eurovision band One Voice.
Edenbridge & District Twinning Association 40th Anniversary – October 2013
Performed a recital on flute and organ at St. Jacques L’eglise du Village, in Mont Saint Aignan, France, on 12 October, for the 40th anniversary twinship celebrations of Edenbridge and Mont Saint Aignan.
London Paralympics Ceremony Volunteer Performer – August 2012
Performed in the Paralympics Opening Ceremony on 29 August at the London Olympic Stadium in Stratford, in the 97-READ cast group, “an inspiring movement section reflecting human accomplishment”.
Eucharistic Celebration of 150 years of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions – May 2012
Performed unaccompanied flute pieces during Mass at St Mary’s Star of the Sea in Hastings on May 31, Celebrated by Rt. Rev Bishop Kieran Conry.
Louis Braille Association of Morocco – December 2011
Performed a recital for flute/piccolo and piano, with pianist Timothy Kwan, in the Spanish Theatre, Tetouan, Morocco.
Prima Vista Braille Music Services Launch Event – December 2010
Performed a variety of micro jazz pieces for flute and piano, by and with composer Christopher Norton, at Schott Publishers in London.
World Sight Day – October 2009
Performed a selection of classical arrangements for flute with CD backing on the London Eye, to an invitation-only audience, in support of the Flight for Sight campaign Eye for Talent 2009, hosted by Blind in Business
Round House Folk – 2008-
Formed this four-part band in 2008, in which I play flute, piccolo, piano accordion and celtic harp. We perform a variety of Reels, Polkas, Jigs, Hornpipes, Waltzes, and traditional songs. We released our first CD Burnt Oast in December 2010, and our second CD Behind Bars in December 2014.
• Play frequently for private and charitable events, including wedding receptions, and barn dances with guest caller, as well as at village fetes, and regular local folk sessions.
• Accompanied dancers at the 50th Anniversary of the Kent Wildlife Trust at Bough Beech – July 2008.
• Performed as part of the Pig’s Ear Kentish Folk Ale Festival – May/June bank holiday weekend 2008-2020.
The Stilgoe Family Concerts at the Royal Festival Hall
• Performed part of Holst’s The Planets with the London Philharmonic Orchestra – 2002.
• Performed preludes to the same concerts – 2000 & 2001.
Record Breakers – National Indoor Arena, Birmingham – November 1998
3,503 musicians set a new record as the World’s Largest Orchestra. Conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, the assembled orchestra played Sir Malcolm Arnold’s Little Suite No. 2, for 7 minutes and 40 seconds, for which I played first flute part.
Church Organist:
Organist and Director of Music at St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Church Hellingly, East Sussex – 2022-
• Directing and accompanying a small choir for weekly Congregational services, including weddings and funerals.
• General development of the musical culture of the church, including that for flute, piano, piano accordion and Celtic harp, for both indoor and outdoor events.
Organist and multi-instrumentalist at St. Peter’s Church Hever and St. Paul’s Church Four Elms, Kent – 2006-2022
• Music has included hymns and psalms, Eucharistic settings, and voluntaries, with frequent opportunities for improvisation.
• Frequently required to prepare arrangements of pieces/songs for weddings, Baptisms and funerals, accompany other instrumentalists, as well as to offer my services as a flautist, pianist, piano-accordianist and harpist.
• Committed to writing own hymns and sacred songs, both words and music, which have been included during worship services.
Freelance Church Organist (please refer to Freelance Organist) – 1999-
• Acted as organist for a Choral Evensong at Worcester Cathedral – 1999.
• Served as relief organist accompanying weekly services from Advent to Epiphany at St. Peter and St. Paul, Edenbridge.
• Served as relief organist accompanying services during 2005 at Holy Trinity, Crockham Hill.
I play for many formal and informal events, includingWI presentations, charity dinners, wedding receptions, garden parties, and in restaurants/pubs; music includes that played on flute, pianoforte and piano-accordion, ranging from classical to popular.
Teaching Experience:
Residential Braille music tuition course – July 2019
Hosted a 10 day residential Braille music tuition course for two visually impaired music students from Latvia, a flautist and a saxophonist. my work included preparing topics and areas of study from beginner through to advanced, as well as providing supplementary practice materials, for up to six hours of training per day.
Flute Teacher: Sackville School, Hildenborough – 2011-2018
• Teaching individuals and small groups aged 11-18.
• Composing and arranging pieces, as well as transcribing and transposing pieces according to students ability.
Flute and Melodica Teacher: Four Elms Church of England Primary School, Kent – 2009
• Teaching small groups of beginners aged 7-11.
Flute Teacher: Hildenborough Church of England Primary School, Kent – 2004-2013
• Teaching individuals and small groups of beginners aged 7-11.
• Preparing pupils for graded examinations.
• Arranging public performances, including involvement in the Sevenoaks Music Festival.
• Composing and arranging pieces, as well as transcribing and transposing pieces according to students ability.
Visiting Braille Music Instructor: Blackfen School for Girls – 2009-
Visiting Braille Music Instructor: Crownwood School, Eltham – 2004-
• Teaching Braille music, music/theory, and accessible technology to visually impaired students.
• Providing support with GCSE and A-Level music requirements (four pupils achieved grade A at GCSE, and continued to study music at music colleges).
• Preparing pupils for the Gardners Trust Braille Music Literacy Awards 1-5.
• Preparing and compiling supplimentary Braille exercises according to students ability, in addition to using instructional publications.
Aditional Skills, Interests & Achievements:
• Have released three CD albums: “Reawakening: Original Works for Flute and Organ” (2011); “A Maiden’s Prayer: Meditations Arranged for Flute and Piano” (2013); “String of Purlls: Celtic Inspirations” (2015).
• Fully competent in reading and writing Braille music.
• Advanced ability to learn and play music by ear.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office.
• Proficient in the use of the music production programme Lime Aloud and Goodfeel.
• Experienced with self-recording and editing using Sony Soundforge.
• Experienced in playing other musical genres, including folk and jazz.
• Experienced in playing many different instruments from around the world (please refer to My Instruments for more details).
• Arrange and compose my own music for a variety of instruments.
• In 2009, I established a Braille Music Chat emailing forum, offering Braille music and accessible technology support to sighted and non-sighted students and teachers worldwide.
• In 2002, I suggested a class for organists form part of the Oxford Music Festival, which has since become established in memory of the late Brian Hitch, under the Michael Popkin Memorial Award.