“Excellent teacher! Very friendly and supportive, and her hard work over the years I was with her helped me achieve Grade 8 distinction. When I first started working with her I was about ready to give up the flute but her patience and enthusiasm has transformed me musically! Would recommend Catherine to any young flautist in the BANES area.” – Student
Mrs Catherine Hurley
About
I have 15 years of experience teaching flute, fife, building up my own private practice and working in different educational establishments. I teach a variety of ages from beginners, intermediate to advanced working with both trinity and abrsm syllabuses. I work as a session musician and with different ensembles in a variety of genres. Recently I have written, recorded and released my debut album Wild and Free.
I studied Flute with Kenneth Bell and then at Bath Spa University with Richard Dobson, achieving a 1st for my final year recital. During this time I became Assistant Co-Director for Wessex Flute Band where I took sectionals for the younger musicians and also conducted the band. I worked for Bath University as their consultant flute tutor, where a few of my students carried on lessons once they had left the university. I organise and co-ordinate lesson times, negotiate teaching times, spending time planning lessons and preparing students for exams and concerts. Being self-employed I produce invoices for parents and manage my own accounts.
I also teach flute lessons online via zoom.
Qulifications
BA Music Honours 2:1 Bath Spa University
A level Music C Purcell School of Music
9 GCSE’s Sacred Heart High School
Grade 8 flute and Grade 6 Piano Associated Board Royal School of Music
What I / we help young people achieve
I successfully deliver private flute lessons from beginners to grade 8 and above and music theory teaching up to grade 5. I can arrange ensemble music and duets, and accompany the children in lessons on the piano for beginners. I am CRB checked and have a 100% exam pass rate with many merits and distinctions.
I especially enjoy working with students to find their enjoyment in music that they can carry on in all their musical experiences. Helping them increase their confidence in their own ability. I have had many students from beginner level ups o grade 8 and positive feedback from parents and students.
I am flexible and creative in how I teach using memorising and improvisation, to encourage students to learn and practice, responding to pupil’s individuals needs, and at the same time the learning objectives.
I am a member of the Musicians Union and keep up to date with latest developments from ABRSM and Trinity.
I teach face to face and online via zoom.
Opportunities for children & young people
- To learn to play an instrument and / or develop skills on an instrument
- To create / write music and / or lyrics
- To play, perform music with others
- To work with and support other young musicians
- To develop their wellbeing
Also Works With
Class teacher for the Little piccolos specialist music classes for under five’s for the Bath area.
www.littlepiccolos.co.uk
Times
- Term Time
- Drop in
Taught Instruments
- Woodwind
- Music Theory
Ages Taught
- 4 and under
- 5-6
- 7-10
- 11-13
- 14-15
- 16+
Level Taught
- Beginners
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Tasters
Qualifications, Grades & Certificates Taught
- Instrument grades
Musical Clusters Covered
- Chippenham
- B-on-A / Corsham
- Calne & Melksham
- Trowbridge (CSL)
Endorsements
“Thank you so much for all the great lessons and all your help and encouragement” – Student
My Training & Development
I feel its important to regularly look at my own teaching methods and learning, through training and development and newsletters. In the past I have attended workshops and conferences and I regularly read up on new techniques and developments. As examples I share teaching resources and discuss techniques with fellow teachers. Through my compositions I have actively sought criticism to inform the songwriting and recording process. I actively engage with examination boards, i.e. through revising new syllabuses through completing questionnaires to help inform my teaching for the coming year. I volunteer to visit local schools and nursery’s to play music to them and run informal music lessons. I have written, recorded and released my own album and have used this to help students with their own creative journeys.
I have recently attended an all day training course for teaching music and dyslexia with the British Dyslexia Association, and have experience of Kodaly through teaching music classes to under five’s.
I have attended and completed a training course for Makaton with singing with Susie- Nowell- Kelley.
Over the last few months I attended a webinar on social media, teaching online, and using body percussion. I’m currently working towards a qualification in kodaly.