Contact the adviser,Val

Where do I begin?  Well, here I go. I was brought up in Northern Ireland I started playing the recorder at Primary School, alongside the Cello and Piano.

I went to an all-girls’ state comprehensive school in Bangor, County Down, which had a fabulous music department and a dedicated team of music teachers who from the time I joined the school to leaving gave me every opportunity to learn, play, laugh and live music.

I performed at the Belfast Music Festival and throughout Northern Ireland playing recitals and concertos.I trained with Keith Rogers and Fiona Donnan, annually played at recorder play days at QUB Early Music Society where Philip Thorby and others tutored. I finished my studies at Stranmillis Teacher Training College, Queens University, Belfast. I gained my LTCL in Recorder Teaching in 1987 and have been using it ever since. The minute I could, I got on the boat and came to England. So that was that was 35 years ago.

I joined u3a  in October 2019 as I was caring for a friend with dementia and thanks to the wonderful Sutton Coldfield Recorder Group, found a home for my recorders and I. Since then, I have assisted at our meetings, arranged music on musescore for the group through lockdown and beyond, tutored some of the other members online and face to face.I helped arrange our first playday with Helen Hooker, July 2023.

I am a member of the Society of Recorder Players and have attended the annual festival for the last couple of years which is always fun.

My role therefore as a recorder subject advisor is to be there for all members of u3a, no matter what your level, beginner to the more advanced.

I am hoping to talk to all the recorder leaders about their groups in the coming weeks and see where we all are at. Especially, as post Covid things have changed across a number of groups.

I am happy to share my scores with all u3a groups and to assist sourcing music etc for you. I am available for all members especially if you are a beginner and need a hand to get started through two weekly online sessions.

I’m going to be available for anyone who has a query and needs assistance. Be it learning the treble/ descant/ tenor/ bass/ how to read music or tips on articulation and styles etc.

I will be setting up through the online learning platform through u3a Recorder Assist and learn area where scores at all levels can be accessed. Duets/Trios/Quartets and larger forces.

Hopefully, anyone reading this gets the idea that I am really looking forward to meeting with you, learning how I can be of use to you. Hopefully learning, laughing our way through any problems and creating good recorder music playing together across the u3a UK.

Happy recorder playing!