Freelance Work

I am available for work on a freelance basis. Below are some core threads in my practice, and institutions I have worked for or collaborated with. You can also read feedback from my sessions.

It has been a pleasure to work with Bobbie on several occasions – her approach to music education in general and piano playing in particular has always demonstrated a deep warmth and understanding for the subject. Anyone having the good fortune to study with her is lucky indeed.

Paul Harris

Please get in touch if you would like further information on booking me for workshops and presentations. I love creating bespoke sessions for your context and audience.

Core Threads in My Work

• Professional Identity – how it can work for you
• Learning Environments and knowledge emotions
• Theory AND PRACTICE of Motivation
• Reflective Practice for growth
• Piano Practice for all ages and stages
• Piano Technique Clinic
• Metacognitive Modelling
• Understanding the piano action to improve technique and musicianship
• Playing Piano Duets and Trios
• GenAI and what it offers teachers
• Neuromyths in Education
• Values-Led Teaching
• Creative Student Feedback
• Dialogic Learning – let them do the thinking!
• Learning Alignments
• A Coaching Approach in Teaching
• Performance Coaching
• Doing your own action research

Here are just a few examples of how these ideas can come to life in workshops and presentations. Each one is always shaped to fit your context and your people—no off-the-shelf sessions here.

• Sound Technique: Demystifying the piano action for better tone and artistry
• From Passion to Profession: Lifting the Lid on Piano Teacher Identity
• The Power of Two: Growing Musicianship Through Duet Playing
• Let Them Do the Thinking: Inviting student voice through dialogic learning in music and beyond
• GenAI in Education: Friend, Foe, or Facilitator?
• What’s Driving You?: Values-led approaches to decision-making in teaching
• The Emotionally Tuned Teacher: How belonging and positive regard transform learning environments in the performing arts
• Teach Smart: Integrating GenAI Without Losing Ourselves

‘The best transformational space is always preparing the ground for its own transformation’ attributed Jack Mezirow

• ABRSM (repertoire consultant, augmented reality testing with student)
• BAST (Professional development podcast – Learning Environments for Children)
• Casio Grand Hybrid Teachers
• Curious Piano Teachers (Curiosity box on the piano)
• EPTA (Article – Professional Identity and Piano Teachers)
• ESTA (Summer School and Piano Teachers PGCert Course running sessions on piano technique, pedagogy and getting to know the piano)
• Guildhall School of Music and Drama (Workshop facilitator, professional identity)
• Italia Conti (Staff inset day professional development running a session on Student feedback literacy)
• Steinway and Sons
• University of Chichester (PGCert and MA tutor)
• Writing, Pianodao, Tim Topham (Top Music), Skoove Piano App

It’s really exciting to hear you talk about the research, and there feels like there’s so much potential to develop it going forward.

Guildhall Research Seminar

Thank you so much for being with us yesterday and for sharing these resources so promptly. It was wonderful to have you with us and very nice to meet you. We received so many great comments about the day.

Italia Conti

And thank you again SOOOO much for contributing to our latest Curiosity Box – it’s a truly fab set of resources, both videos and PDF content too!

Curious Piano Teachers

Found it relieving to hear all these aspects and case studies. Felt less ’alone’ / lost with what to do.

Professional Identity Specific

Good to be asked to think about my PI strengths and weaknesses. Hopefully being honest with myself can make me a better musician and a happier person.

Professional Identity Specific

Really nice to take time to think about things the a wider scale. I am used to just hopping from one thing to the next, good to take a step back.

Professional Identity Specific

Inspiring lecture thank you! Clearer understanding of PI and general identity.

Professional Identity Specific

Realised my strengths and weaknesses as musician outside of my playing.

Professional Identity Specific

Thought provoking into how our studies / what we’ve learned at guildhall has built into our identities.

Professional Identity Specific

I find it helpful to see that all these questions / thoughts are not only of my own but something that occurs often – also that there’s a lot beyond playing an instrument and that the human part of our work has a strong impact.

Professional Identity Specific

It is very helpful to have a language for thinking and talking about PI.

Professional Identity Specific

Workshopping with colleagues was very helpful and engaging.

I also really appreciated the feedback session very much it has opened new perspectives I did not think about.

Thank you so much. It is absolutely one of the best and most thoughtful things.

It was really brilliant! Great structure, lovely pacing, fab to have all the space for unpacking the examples. You were a wonderful facilitator, listening superbly and really enabling them to progress their thinking.

You’re an amazing teacher and I very much appreciated you’re considered and empowering feedback!

You are an innovator ultra! These are such good ideas, and obviously scalable.