Pictures & Music 2019

ABRSM Representative

A great professional asset to my teaching role is the opportunity to represent Newport as the Honorary Local Representative for the ABRSM at St Woolos Cathedral in Newport. Experiencing the training, going to the teacher’s Conference in London, meeting the examiners at Newport and organising the exam sessions with our genial stewards Jean and Clive has really been beneficial to my own continuing professional development. My many years of teaching and performing experience and being involved with teaching is useful for organising the running of the exam centre.

The ABRSM higher scorer’s concerts are on the calendar for the candidates who take exams at St Woolos too. The first took place in summer 2019. Higher scoring exam candidates have the opportunity to replay an exam piece in a beautiful and supportive environment while family and friends are invited to be part of an appreciative and encouraging audience. The special guest presenter in 2019 was Councillor Debbie Wilcox, who is now a peer at the House of Lords.


Since joining The European Association of Piano Teachers and have attended one of the advertised EPTA CPD courses, the Cambridge Suzuki Training course run by Jenny MacMillan. The experience of listening to the guest trainers, Mrs Caroline Gowers , Mrs Heather Clemson and Graham Rix and Jenny MacMillan have been refreshing and their wisdom and teaching experience is inspirational. There is a tremendous amount of care and attention and sensible thought in the delivery of lessons on the course and I enjoy learning about this teaching pedagogy and am now a teacher in training.

Association of British Choral Conductors

This year has seen a definite boost to my cpd .I am not only re viewing some of the piano teaching techniques I have been using for many years to help students become accomplished musicians and pianists, but I am training with the Association of Choral Directors for my new role as deputy conductor of the Chepstow Male Voice Choir assisting MD Ian Russell.

To ensure that I am an efficient leader in May I began choral conducting training with the Abcd in London and Birmingham and have improved in confidence and ability. I have passed the “Leading the Singing” initial level of conducting and now look to the next course. My debut conducting the male choir was at my own High Scorer’s concert for the ABRSM at St Woolos cathedral.