Inspired music coaching to help you feel good.
I'm a singer, multi- instrumentalist and coach with over 30 years performance experience as a musician in the UK & Europe. I like to focus on the lighter side of music and life, and am proud of the way I put my students at ease and help people feel good making music.
I've been coaching music at TCR Hub in Barnard Castle since 2017, and have a broad range of experience working as a coach in the UK and internationally.
About Me
I have a knack for making singing, playing the piano and reading music feel simple, because it really can be. I'm passionate about helping people enjoy making music, because it helps us feel great, and it has a knock on effect on the rest of our lives, and everyone around us.
Singing makes me feel glad to be alive. My voice, and all the people it helps me meet, are such wonderful gifts- I'm so grateful to do what I do.
I started singing and teaching professionally in my early 30s. I'd had a couple of careers already, in corporate coaching and then in the arts sector. I thought I wanted to be a curator in a gallery, but after I finished my Master's Degree I started having my own singing lessons and that led me back to my true vocation.
You can learn more about my inspiration for starting my music business on my blog.
I'm really enjoying writing a book about singing at the moment, featuring inspirational stories from my studio and my musical travels, alongside practical tips to help you sound and feel great.
To be the first to know when it's available, and receive musical insights in your inbox, join my free email VIP list below.
Feel Good Singing!
I'm here to help you feel good about your singing voice. For easy tips and inspiration straight to your inbox, you can connect with me here.
For more musical fun and events, come and connect with me over on the socials
Music for Mental Health
I know first hand that music changes our lives for the better, and it's my pleasure to help people enjoy the many health benefits of making music. I believe music connects us with all the best things in life and helps us communicate more easily.
I'm happy to be neurodiverse - there's never a dull moment and it's very helpful for making music (many of my students are neurodiverse too). Having highly sensitive hearing and being good at organising things are very useful strengths for me, and I don't find it a great loss that it would be easier for me to visit the moon than to go to the Metrocentre!
Everyone is welcome in our studio. It's a gift to work with such a wide range of people, and one of the best things about coaching is I learn new things from my students all the time.
Time Off
Relaxation is very important for good singing- so I take it very seriously! I love living in the countryside with my partner Richard and our daft dog Bee, our small but mighty pug cross rescue. We all enjoy walks by the seaside, usually with fish & chips (what can I say, you can take the girl out of Fleetwood...), mooching around stately homes and taking off to new places in Eric- our little pop- top caravan.
Fleetwood is a former fishing port with a ridiculously beautiful beach, in Lancashire where my extended family have a yummy set of fish & chip shops.
My Dad John, my very favourite singer, at his volunteer post with the National Coastwatch in Fleetwood. He's retired now because he recently moved to Barnard Castle so he could hang out with me more ( and join our choir!)
To relax, I love listening to music on the radio (the proms on Radio 3, Desert Island Discs and Good Morning Sunday are my favourites) whilst generally pottering about the house.
I love the simple pleasures in life. I love to pick flowers and herbs from the garden and the countryside around our village and arranging them in vases all over the house, I think if I wasn't a musician I might quite like being a florist. I love listening to the birds singing on our dog walks, and I really love discovering a good charity shop where there is still vintage treasure to be found at a tantalising price!
Whilst I don't often attempt cooking during my upside down week (singing is generally an afternoon/evening thing), at weekends I like having the time to make 'everything in the fridge' soup/curry/chilli for hearty meals to keep me going during the week. My partner and my Dad say I'm the queen of poached eggs, and my roast potatoes are sent from Maris Piper heaven (they only come down once a year, at Christmas!)
I love watching films on the sofa with Richard and the dog, and I'm usually not very far away from a nice cup of Earl Grey tea . To keep me and my voice healthy, I like doing Pilates, swimming, and getting sweaty lifting weights with my friends in the garden at Headlam Hall. I like to watch the birds then reading an entire magazine in the hot tub (yes, they do get a bit soggy sometimes!)
I have a master's degree in medieval art history, and I'm slightly obsessed with old churches, Tewkesbury Abbey is one of my favourites- it's dog friendly and it's even got its own emotional support dogs, Eric and Flo.
So, as you can see, whilst I may be a classical singer- I'm very rock and roll! :)
One of my very favourite things is singing with my friends at choir. In my experience, there's not many situations that can't be improved, even just a little bit, by belting out some tunes then having a nice cup of tea.
So if you've thought about joining a choir, but you're not sure which is the one for you, please get in touch and I'll be happy to help you.
