Member Biogs, Post yours here! Options

[thouston]

After reading several really interesting posts from new members who describe themselves, their situation, their plans, etc, I thought how it would be good to have a thread where the existing members can put up a potted biography.
If you don't think it's a good idea, simply ignore this post and it will drop off the page into obscurity. If you do, then post something about yourself!

Here's mine:
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Boring stuff: Female, mid-forties, married, no children, no pets.
Location: Originally from South England. Currently living and working in North Italy.
Profession: statistician/data management.
Biggest career challenge: giving a 3 day statistics course in Inner Mongolia through an interpreter.
Nearly ditched it all in 2 years ago to become a singing teacher, but got the offer to go to Italy instead. Still have it at the back of my mind for my "final" career.

Main instrument: Voice
Dabbled in classical guitar as a teenager and got it to a reasonable level (grade 4-5 ish though never took any exams).
Keep meaning to take it up again one day. Want to play piano (would be hard to teach singing without) but haven't got very far yet (though I can play "In the Pink" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) )

Musical history:
Started singing in school choirs from about age 8 and never stopped. Choir member (though never soloist) all through school and Uni.
didn't sing for a year after Uni (finding jobs, moving house, blah blah).
Got into Amateur Operatics by chance (fell into conversation in a lauderette. Life's full of things like that)
Member of several companies from 1984 till I moved country.
Played in lots (lost count - more than 30) of shows, operettas and a couple of operas. Major or minor roles in a fair few of them (tend to prop up the chorus or dance in the modern shows and get something to do in the operettas/G&S)
Favourite parts: Elsie (Yeomen of the Guard), Josepha (White Horse Inn)
Also lots (double figures) of cabarets/sing for your supper/old time music hall/etc productions
Member of a quartet who entertained regularly for charity (we were a hit with all the local WI groups)
Competitions most years.
Singing lessons for approx 10 years.
Suddenly decided to do grades at the ripe old age of 40 something and did G5 theory, G8 and DipABRSM in 3 consecutive years 2003-5.
Biggest musical challenge: has to be the DipABRSM.

Since the move to Italy it's quietened down a bit. Joined a choir (back to my roots), get pulled out for the occasional solo.
Have been booked for a couple of local entertainment slots - some more beginning to creep in on the horizon as contacts widen.
Have started to give a few lessons - so far only ad hoc (hard to fit in round a full time job), to friends and not for cash. I take this as good experience for if/when I decide to do it properly.

Musical Future: After I took the Dip I thought: that's it. But I have to confess to looking longingly at the LRSM syllabus lately. Maybe in a couple of years...

[jennthesaxplayer]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/niceThread.gif)


-Name: Jenna
- Female
- Age: 19
-Hometown: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
-Occupation: YEAR 2 University Student @ Bournemouth Uni, studying Music
-1st Instru: Saxophone
-2nd Instru: Piano
-Career Goal: Professional Music Teacher + Session Musician

Musical History

- started saxophone at the age of 7 in primary school
- professionaly taught from 7 - 11, and was introduced to graded exams
- got into local jazz band/windbands while at primary school. Played at a local/national level
- did Music GCSE, 2004. Was getting into keys a bit more from here!
- got into local bands, and got a flare for live performance whilst gigging lots with mates!
- studyied at college to gain a BND Music Practice Qualification. Music Business became more of an interest.
- becoming interested in the theory of music, than just the practical from studying at Uni


FUTURE:

* continue with graded exams in both theory, and practical.
* looking to undertake a C&G Teacher Training course from September 2007, to start getting myself into the teaching profession.
* gain a BA Honours in Music in the next 2 years, and then leave full-time music study. Planning to gain Masters level when older
* get into a PGCE course after 3rd year graduation, and work towards teaching higher education students

[fsharpminor]

Name: Brian
Age: 60
###: Yes (sorry I mean male)

Born and brought up in West Yorkshire. Local old style Boys Grammar school with corporal punishment !
Started piano lessons with local teacher at age 5 (January 1953) , she got me right up to ALCM at age 16, during which I entered a few music festivals. Active in Junior choirs etc and Methodist church. Started organ lessons at age 11 when I could reach the pedals. Had my first organist postion at age 13 at a small chapel, then moved back at 15 to be the organist at my own church.
Got to Grade 8 Organ in 1964, would have got a distinction if I hadnt fouled up Aurals, which I always used to get full marks for !
At school did all GCE O and then A level a year early, so already had done them before I applied to Uni to do chemistry. Left school Christmas 1964 and worked for ICI before going to Nottingham Uni in 1965. Graduated 1968. At Uni, formed a duo with a violinist from Hong Kong, played in concerts etc. Also in Uni choir (Music Professor was Ivor Keys !!) Highlight at this time was singing War Requiem (It was only 4 years old then)
Went to work (1968) in nearby Spondon (Derby), so continued social life at the Uni even though I had left. Met my future wife in this period in summer 1969, engaged 1970, married in Beccles Parish Church Suffolk 1971.
By then had moved companies and was working in Leeds. Daughter born 1976.
Company was taken over and had to move south to Selsdon Surrey in 1977, son born 1978.
Occasional organist at Selsdon and Coulsdon. Left company in 1987 for a job in Liverpool so moved to Wirral.
Subsequntly changed jobs for another Leeds company in 2002 , a chemical trading company (T/O £10 million) of which I am a Director. Didnt move back to Yorkshire., still on Wirral. Go to Leeds to work two days a week, staying over, and work other days at home. Thats why you get weather reports from Wirral and from Headingley!
Organist at a chapel in Hoylake. Most music is now for my own enjoyment.
Today is our 36th wedding anniversary.

[sbpiano]

Today is our 36th wedding anniversary.

Happy Anniversary F#Minor!

Name: Sally
Started piano at age of 6 with local teacher who wasn't very nice! Continued doing LCM exams to G8 when I threw a wobbly and packed it in. Came back to it after getting music O Level and continued to A level, recommencing lessons with lovely piano teacher who also taught our A level course, and subsequently took G8 ABRSM. Had a whale of a time,at sixth form - partying, clubbing and generally doing very little work so no great surprise to spectacularly fail A levels in 1983! During this time also played violin (badly) then viola (even worse, never really got to grips with that Alto Clef) with county youth orchestra, and managed to blag my way onto tours to France and Far East in 1983 / 84)
After scraping required A level in music contined to HuddersfieldPoly in 1984 to have a wonderful 3 years there. This was followed by a term of teacher training (can't deal with more than 1 child at once. respect to all of you who can), meeting future hubby and then 10 years in computer industry looking after spare parts. Had my daugter then moved on to working in motorcycle industry importing bikes into markets in Europe, Middle East and South Africa. Never got further than Italy (unless you count a short visit to Milwaukee USA to the warehouse when I couldn't cope with the jet lag and was asleep most of the time when I wasn't driking Cosmopolitans!!!)
Now settled back in NW England doing what I love most - playing and teaching, and DESPERATELY excited to be going to Chets on Saturday!!

[anacrusis]

name: easily forgotten, as it's a bit odd.
age: work it out (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

musical history: learned recorder a bit at primary school, also sang in primary school choir, learned piano right up to failed grade 7 level, and oboe to about grade 5. Stopped playing at university because everyone else was very much too good and felt self-conscious. Oboe then broke, and since I was broke too, I got a recorder instead. Then everyone told me that the descant didn't have as much repertoire, so saved for a long time and bought a treble, tried teaching myself and maybe got to about grade 6. If yer lucky.

Met a harpsichord museum curator, played a few duets and got married.

Stopped playing because was working 84-hour weeks, then had kids and was up all night for them as well (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) .

Heard Piers Adams playing and started trying to play again.
Got lessons four years ago. Found myself doing exams a year later, now appear to have a diploma and be working towards an attempt at another (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) .

STILL CAN'T GET MANY GIGS, tssssss.

rest of life: GP, wife, mum, and do a bit of ice skating, dressmaking, DIY, gardening, embroidery, knitting, drawing.......

[zypianist]

Name: He Zongyi
Gender: Miss ;-)
Age: 16 going to 17
Country: Singapore
Education Level: Junior College Year One

Primary Instrument: Piano
Others: Choir
Current Level: LRSM in piano performance

Piano History:
Age 5: Enrolled into Yamaha Junior Course
Age 6: Enrolled into Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) School of Young Talents (SYT) Gifted Young Pianists Course (GYPC)
Age 8: Grade 4 & 5 Practical ABRSM Exam -Distinction
Age 10: Grade 7 Practical ABRSM Exam -Merit
Age 11: Stopped piano lessons due to National Exam
Age 13: Grade 8 Practical ABRSM Exam -Distinction
Age 14: Grade 8 Theory ABRSM Exam
Age 16: Diploma (ABRSM) in piano performance
Age 17: Studying LRSM in piano performance

Choir History:
Age 8 to 11: Alto One member or Pei Chun Public School Choir, won Silver followed by Gold award in 2 Singapore Youth Festival (SYF).
Age 12-16: Alto One member, Alto Sectional Leader, Pianist of Xinmin Secondary School Chorale, won Gold award in SYF 2005. Performed in Victoria Concert Hall twice. Went to Perth for a Choir Exchange Trip.
Age 17 (current): Alto One member, Alto Sectional Leader, Pianist of Anderson Junior College Choir, won Gold award in SYF 2007, Gold award in A Voyage of Songs-International Chorale Festival 2007 in Pattaya, Thailand. Performed in Esplanade Concert Hall as a chorister and pianist


My life:
Learnt Ballet, Drawing, Recorder
Learning Yoga, Hip Hop Dance

[lizbun]

Name: Liz
Age: 14
Gender: F
Country: UK

Instruments: Piano, Violin and Oboe.

Musical history:

I started the Piano and Violin when I was 6, and I did....
grade 5 and 6 abrsm piano
grade 3 abrsm violin

I started the Oboe when I was 13, and I did
grade 5 trinity

I am in the school concert band and school orchestra.


Other things:
Swimming, Reading(?) and sometimes drawing

[Phil Dixon]

1966 Born.
1976 Took up guitar.
1977 Took up french horn.
1978 Gave up french horn.
1979 Took up baritone. Took up bass guitar.
1980 Gave up baritone. Took up tuba.
1982 Left school. gave up tuba (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
1984 Joined a rock band.
1985 Joined Durham Choral Society as 1st tennor. Sang Messaih, Elijah, C minor mass, Verdi's Requiem.
1990 Moved to midlands gave up everything (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
1997 Joined church music group as guitarist.
2004 Played tuba in school re-union brass-band concert (Bricey's Last Bash) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
2004 Started singing for church music group.
2005 Joined Northampton Orchestral Winds (tuba).
2006 Started teaching singing and cornet.
2007 Joined Daventry Choral Society. Sang Mozart's Requiem.
2007 Started teaching guitar.
2007 Sang in opera 'Tobias and the Angel'
2007 Started my own wind band (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
2007 Got my first student through her grade 1 cornet (merit).
2007 Took my one and only music qualification - grade 5 theory.
2007 Convinced Jod to teach me to sing properly (What have I let myself in for?)
2008 Who knows...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Clariano]

Age: 15
Where I currently reside: outskirts of Edinburgh
Education Level: Going into S4 on Monday (arghhhhhh)

Primary Instrument: Piano
Second Instrument: Clarinet
Current Level: Grade 6 on both of them

Piano
Started playing at age 5 (lessons were my b'day present!!!)
At age 9 I did Grade 1 and remember not knowing what distinction meant (awww, I was so confused, I thought it was bad!!!). Went to high school being grade 4. This year I did Grade 6; justnow I am building up some repetoire!!!

Clarinet
Started playing at 11 after getting full marks on the test to get lessons (woo!!!). Skipped Grade 1, and did my Grade 2 when I went into primary 6!!! Went to high school being Grade 3, and soon caught up with my piano grade this year!!! My clarinet teacher hopes I'll be Grade 8 by the time I leave school!!!

Other Stuff
I like reading, drawing, playing golf, listening to music, reading some more, writing

[BBTOTW]

Piano:
Started when I was 4, took grade 8 last March (merit). I do some accompanying and I'm in the piano trio at school (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Flute:
Started in Yr 9, self-taught before that. About to do grade 8...! In flute choirs etc at school, and hoping to do DipABRSM after grade 8.

Clarinet:
Started in Yr 7, did grade 5 and stopped in Yr 8.... I still play the clarinet in orchestra and jazz group though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Other things:
I love to read, play tennis/golf and to sing in choirs (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[DString]

Name: Dstring
Location: The line between Violin and Viola (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Pets: 2 cats 2 dogs, fish: too many to count!!!!!
Plays: Violin(Grade 5 abrsm Grade 6 Nov)
Piano(Grade 5 abrsm doing grade 6)
Viola(no grades)
Singing(Grade 4 abrsm)

I think thats it
Oh and Theory Grade 5 (abrsm)

Dstring

[chocolatedog]

Name: chocolatedog (the real one.......)
Age: nearly 3 now.......

Hobbies: playing with my doggy friends, eating, sleeping (usually on the sofa), cuddles, dog class, saying hello to all mummy's piano pupils........especially the ones who bring me doggy biscuits! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Qualifications and awards: Bronze level certificate (Kennel Club Good Dog Citizen)
Silver level certificate (ditto)
several rosettes at last year's local dog show (missed this year (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) as mummy said I had a slight eye infection.........


Mummy's name (not telling - and I'm not giving away her age either.....but she plays the piano pretty well and has lots and lots of really nice piano pupils! She's done concerts and things and occasionally goes out on a Saturday evening to play for wedding receptions at a local hotel (pays for the dog food, so I can't complain.....).
She also accompanies the local Christmas Gala concerts (looks very smart, all dressed in black......better than wellies.....) She says she used to play and teach the flute - I think that must be the smallish black case on her bookcase which she never seems to have time to get down and use. But I don't mind - if she had to practise on both piano and flute, when on earth would she have time to cuddle and play with me???!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) She keeps saying she wants to do another big concert but I'm not sure I should allow her to do that, as it'll mean more time not paying attention to me.......at least she always remembers to feed and walk me - I think she enjoys me taking her for walks, especially after she's been practising for a while (she says something about blowing out the cobwebs, but I never see any spiders......... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) ) Anyway, that's us...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Malone]

Victoria
20
Born and raised in Aberdeenshire, dad is from Preston, mum from Macduff.
I have a little sister called charlotte (14), and older brother called Tom (30) and an older sister called Kate(26 or so!).
I am a christian, a member of the church of scotland. I was baptised in a river in 2004 - wonderful experience!! Anyway, I dont take any credit for my musical gift, this is my spiritual gift from God and sacrifice alot of my free time to work with young (and old) musicians in the church.
Flute - DipLCM ALCM
Clarinet - Grade 7
Recorder - Grade 8
Piano - Grade 6
Trumpet and cello - about grade 4
Horn and Oboe - just for fun
Bassoon - play in an orchestra - woo!
Saxophone - Grade 6 ish
And the rest!

I keep chickens - 3 golden silkies, 4 Partridge silkies, 6 White silkies and 2 indian runner ducks.
I also have a dog - a black lab called meg. And a hamster called monty. My dad keeps several hundred bats in the wall cavity of our house and wont get rid of them, and also something much bigger which is in the loft. It breathes and scampers, but its bigger than a rodent, to scared to find out what it is!

I joined the army after having had my parents spend thousands on my education at a private all girls school. Got a heart thing, so was medically discharged. I now study music in Aberdeen whilst being a woodwind teacher and a poultry farmer.
When I grow up I want to be a forensic pathologist.
I like coronation street.

[matthew_o50]

Name: Matthew (encase the username didn't give it away (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) )

Age: 20

Location: Belfast

Occupation: part-time cashier/customer service rep in a toy shop (I am a big kid after all (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ). I am however a full time student, going into my 2nd year studying a BEd in Business Studies and Music on my way to being a secondary school teacher when I graduate in 2010 which seems ages away from now but I suspect the time will fly!

Music Background: From a very early age my parents knew I would be musical. As soon as I started to talk I started to sing and from about the age of 5 I battered away at the old keyboard we used to own. When I was 8 I started to learn the tin whistle and taught myself many traditional Irish tunes by ear. In 1996 at the age of 9 I started getting lessons on the Flute after wanting to play for years but I was told my arms were too short! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/angry.gif) Around the same time I began to teach myself the mandolin, accordion and guitar and in 1998 I bought myself a violin out of the money I received for my Confirmation. After a year or so of teaching myself that I began lessons with the string teacher in school and worked my way up to grade 6 before leaving school in 2004 when I also got to grade 8 flute. I began teaching myself clarinet around this time too but i've not been very successful with that.

During my time in school I was always found lurking around the music room every break and lunch time. I was in several school bands, the orchestra, choir and even did duets with the music teacher for many occasions including another teachers wedding. I also played Flute in the school of music's Intermediate and Concert Bands for a few years. I then went on to do my A-levels at a different school where I was also heavily involved with music. I began to work with some of the younger children during my free periods helping out in their music enrichment lessons whilst also being in the choir and other groups. In September 2005 I finally started to take piano lessons whilst continueing my flute lessons and got grade 5 by the time I completed my A levels last June. I then had my first attempt at the DipABRSM in Flute performance last July but sadly failed. After that and not doing as well as i'd have liked in my A level music I stopped playing for several months until I started uni and returned to Flute and Piano lessons. I also bought myself a cello and began teaching myself that. I then joined the flute group, choir and orchestra at uni, started the recorder more seriously and began to practice the violin again.

I just had my second shot at my flute diploma in July and I should be doing Grade 6 piano and putting myself through Grade 7 violin in November. I'd also like to do some exams on the cello, clarinet and recorder just for the fun of it.

Other Interests: Apart from music which takes up much of my spare time I like working with computers. I used to love building them and taking them apart although i've not done this for a few years now! I also enjoy going for long walks, reading and spending time with family, friends and my doggie.

Future Aspirations: I want to own my own music shop and have a instrument teaching facility in it once I have exhausted teaching in the classroom. I also want to be able to play and own every instrument in the orchestra!

[ShArOn_StAr92]

Name: Sharon How Hui Shan
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Country: Singapore
Education Level: Secondary school, next year taking GCE O'level

Main Instrument: Piano
- 08 years old: birth of my musical journey with a private teacher
- 09 years old: switched to Cristofori Music School
- 10 years old: gr2 practical exam (130/150), gr1 and gr2 theory exam (97/100 and 98/100 respectively)
- 11 years old: gr3 practical exam (120/150), gr3 and gr4 theory exam (94/100 and 91/100 respectively)
- 12 years old: gr4 practical exam (135/150), gr5 theory exam (91/100).
- 13 years old: gr5 practical exam (133/150)
- 14 years old: gr6 practical exam (131/150), gr7 and gr8 theory exam (74/100 and 81/100 respectively)
- 15 years old: currently preparing for gr8 practical exam next year

Musical Future: well, who knows? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)


ShArOn