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Who and Where? |
| Deirdre Hamilton (Cheshire and
North Wales): an experienced, Scottish-trained primary teacher who has been
introducing children to music since 1986. She trained at Jordanhill College of
Education, specialising in the teaching of French and Music. After several years teaching experience in primary and nursery schools in Glasgow, Leicestershire and North Wales, Deirdre became interested in the idea of applying and combining her experience of teaching language, reading and music in primary and nursery schools to create a totally new approach to the teaching of music in informal groups. She set up, and continues to teach, the workshops in Chester where she lived with her husband and three children. The course was an immediate success and produced pupils relaxed and confident about sight reading music and eager to perform at every opportunity. Over the years, Deirdre has developed and refined the course, producing a series of attractive, child friendly and effective books to accompany the course. Kirsty Hamilton (The Glasgow Area): In 2001, Deirdre was joined by her daughter Kirsty Hamilton, who has been involved with the workshops since her schooldays, learning the skills and techniques that make the course so enjoyable and effective. Kirsty graduated with an honours degree in Psychology and Sociology, submitting as her dissertation, a study; "The Therapeutic Effects of Children's Music Making". Her research was conducted partly in the Chester workshops. At present Kirsty runs Quavers Music workshops in Glasgow and is also leading the Music Machine Initiative in East Dunbartonshire, where all 19 local authority nurseries are assimilating The Music Factory course into their curriculum. She has also adapted the course for children with motor impairments at The Craighalbert Centre in Cumbernauld. Kirsty has found her Quavers experience and techniques invaluable in her work with various groups of special needs children and adults over the years. She has taught in California and Japan. The Music Factory is The Quavers Music Course when adapted for use in nurseries and schools. Such has been the success of the course in producing eager and competent young musicians in the Chester area, that Deirdre had the idea of taking the method into schools, training staff alongside children in schools and nurseries so that the benefits of this effective course could be enjoyed by a greater number of children. Deirdre and Kirsty are now working together to bring The Music Factory to many schools and nurseries. The course can be adapted for use with any age group within the pre-school and primary school years 1-3 and can be extended to develop the children's musical skills right through to the end of primary school.. |
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