Hitchin's acclaimed Benslow Music is hosting an online event aimed at supporting freelance musicians strengthen and diversify their skills.

The site on Benslow Lane is gearing up to host the virtual event with registration now open for the programme in March, which includes keynote speakers Paul Harris, Lucinda Mackworth-Young, Dr Penelope Cave.

A recent survey of 2,000 members of the Musicians' Union found that 34 per cent are considering abandoning the industry completely because of the financial difficulties they face during the Covid pandemic.

As performance opportunities are severely curtailed, many freelance musicians have and will turn to teaching as a source of income.

Benslow Music promotes lifelong learning and employs hundreds of freelance musicians every year to tutor on its residential and online courses.

As a hub of education, they bring together amateur musicians, performing artists, music lovers, young people and families to share knowledge and experiences.

This online colloquium, focussing on guidelines and best-practices on group teaching, adult teaching and teaching children, aims to support freelance performing musicians to strengthen and diversify their skills.

Registration: £20 per device (21/OL49)

This event is supported by the Incorporated Society of Musicians.

Schedule

10am: Welcome and Introductions

1015am: Keynote: Lucinda Mackworth-Young

Is music teaching your vocation? Or a necessary option?

In this inspiring and refreshing presentation, Lucinda will guide us to renew and strengthen our own personal teaching philosophies, providing psychological insight and understanding together with practical strategies to help us teach as effectively and enjoyably as possible.

She will include consideration of how to motivate all pupils (including the more challenging ones), establish good working relationships with parents and promote, and feel secure in, our own professional standing.

1115am: Break

1145am: Keynote: Paul Harris

Teaching Unconditionally

So much of life is dependent on conditions.

But, in the teaching context, can conditions be responsible for blocking the flow?

Paul will explore and investigate the kind of conditions we might impose on ourselves and on our pupils and suggest that possibly aspiring to a more unconditional approach may be a more positive way forward.

1245pm: Lunch

2pm: Workshop: Lynn Davidoff

It's Not Just About the Notes!

A 'how to' workshop for teaching essential habits for woodwind and brass beginners in large groups with diverse instrumentation

3pm: Break

3.30pm: Keynote: Dr Penelope Cave

Style and Substance

From her considerable experience as a teacher of keyboard and chamber music, with expertise in historical pedagogy and style, Penelope offers a practical talk.

The renowned speak travels from the nuts and bolts of beginners' first lessons, to group-teaching, and the importance of stylish ornamentation and articulation in historically informed performance, for both children and adult pupils, from Grade 1 to diploma level.

4.30pm: Close

For more information visit Benslow Music's website here