About

Jo is a professional musician, currently located in Andover. She obtained an honours degree in music at the age of 20 specialising in saxophone, piano and composition she also holds ABRSM Grade 8 in both saxophone and piano.

Jo then spent three years in Africa teaching both peripatetically and for an established music school, gaining experience in a variety of methods of teaching and with different instruments.

Returning to the UK in February 2011, she established Storm Dynamics Music School a peripatetic service delivering lessons in the comfort of your own home and working with a number of school to provide lessons during school time.

As well as teaching in small groups, Jo is a First Access Provider who enjoys expanding the programme to include giving the children the opportunity to listen to and discuss music they would not have come into contact with before.

Jo is an advocate of public performance and so established the Storm Dynamics Concert Series which gives her students the opportunity to perform in a free concert twice a year. She also works with the schools she teaches in to provide concerts within the school.

Jo currently plays saxophone in Rock’n’Roll band The Bird Dogs and flute in flute trio the Woodwind Belles

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What I / we help young people achieve

Storm Dynamics Music School was founded on the philosophy of teaching music, not simply teaching an instruments. Students of the school are taught on the principal of simultaneous learning to help achieve this. The principals of music (such as key signature, intonation and music theory) are actively taught as a part of the lesson itself.

For example, in a typical lesson a teacher will ask the student to play what they have practiced. The teacher will then react by correcting any problems and set new work for the next week. If they are working towards an exam students are shown how to play scales then asked to practice and remember them. In this way the student progresses and results can be seen once the piece is learnt.

A Simultaneous learning lesson may begin the same way but important questions are also asked such as:
• What key is your music in? How can you tell?
• Can you please play me the relevant scale for your piece?
• What style is your music in? What gives it its characteristics?
• YouTube (with a parent) your piece and find three different version of it. Please tell me what you liked/disliked about them and why.
• Can we apply anything you heard to your piece?

In this way we have incorporated music theory, aural and technical work without having the student learn lists of musical terms or mindlessly repeating scales which they can’t find a use for outside of examination.

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Opportunities for children & young people

• To learn to play an instrument and / or develop skills on an instrument
• To learn to sing
• To create / write music and / or lyrics
• To play, perform music with others
• To learn things about oneself , other subjects or life-skills through musical activity
• To work with and support other young musicians

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Times

• Term Time
• After School
• School Holidays
• Project based

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Working with special needs

Jo currently works in First Access groups where a small number of the children within the group have SEN requirements.

For pianists Jo uses the figure notes system for teaching those with learning disabilities.

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