When the Patricia Newman School Of Dance & Theatre decided to include singing lessons at their Friday afternoon Stage Academy, I was delighted to be taken on as their voice coach. But I knew it was going to be a challenge, as my experience teaching kids to sing or play an instrument had been, to date, limited to just one or two individuals at any one time and these were to be multiple classes of around 10 kids in each, and that was new for me. Fortunately I had plenty of experience at engaging crowds of all ages at the many events I had performed at over the years and I was going to need all my skills if I were to keep a group of young students, already 'demob' happy and full excitement for the pending weekend, engaged for the entire duration of a lesson. I needn't have worried. The kids were thrilled at the opportunity to sing and their eagerness to learn made my job all the more easy. I was welcomed into the school from day one by both students and staff and immediately adopted as part of their Friday afternoon routine. I walked home with a smile on my face that day, already feeling part of the family and reminiscing at how well 'my' kids had sung on their first day. I soon found this had become one of my favourite times of the week.
After two amazing terms had shot by, I was invited to join the team again for their annual Showtime Summer School held at the Parabola Arts Centre in Cheltenham. A week of intense but fun workouts for the kids - singing, dancing, acting and just generally having an awesome time. Ten minutes into the first morning I'm on stage with nearly sixty kids ranging from 3 to 16 years of age. I don't think my experience in crowd control had quite prepared me for this but I was ready for the challenge. And so were the kids! I launched into some fun vocal warmups and they responded as one, all eyes on me eager for the next instruction. They trusted me to lead and I trusted them to follow. After the warmup we had a go at one of the selected songs 'A Million Dreams' from The Greatest Showman. Hearing more than fifty enthusiastic young voices belting out such an uplifting song gave me chills and the sense that what I do for a living suddenly had a whole new meaning.
If you have any budding young dancers, singers or theatrical performers I recommend you check out the Patricia Newman School Of Dance & Theatre and keep a lookout for their next Summer School early August 2022 at the Parabola Arts Centre.
Or if you or your child would like one-to-one private lessons in singing, guitar or ukulele, please contact me on 07487 271719 or by clicking the button below.