Staff

Summer 2010 Staff List:

Peter Cash - Business Manager Joined the team in 2009

Peter has had a long career in business working as a Company Director, Business Development Manager, Project Manager and Trainer.  He is currently on an 18 month sabbatical as a Personal Advisor for JobCentre Plus  He is also working with Mark Rolfe to progress the the growth, development and future success of the Music Makers. Peter has had a passion for music throughout his life.  He is the “biggest fan” of Joni Mitchell and Steely Dan. A keen Bass guitarist he has been a member of several gigging rock bands and is currently working on a new blues rock venture - soon to be unveiled.

Peter often surprises people with his musical connections. Sinead O’Connor once had a bath at his house. Last year he sat next to Micky Dolenz on a flight from LA, and he was recently spotted in a pub in Nottingham with the drummer from the Prodigy……….

Mark Rolfe - Course Director/Music Teacher Joined the team in 2008

Mark Rolfe grew up in Nottingham and as a child taught himself to play piano, drums and guitar and has been actively involved in music since. Mark spent most of the mid-nineties and early 2000's as a live musician touring and playing throughout Europe with the band Lorna, which also included a celebrated concert in Hollywood in August 2005. In the summer of 2000 having just started working at Nottingham Girls' High School, Mark signed a 25 year deal with EMI International Publishing as a songwriter and composer. Inspired by the joy of Music Education, Mark returned to Education in 2003 studying Music Theory, History and Composition and developed a keen interest in the life and works of Edward Elgar, Aaron Copland and neo-classicalism. After working at a school run Easter music course in 2007, Mark decided to form The Music Makers business in 2008.

Mark is a passionate educator teaching Classical and Electric Guitar and Music Theory alongside running many orchestra's, chamber ensembles and bands. Mark holds a Bachelors Diploma in Music, A Diploma in Guitar, Grade 5 in Clarinet and is registered with the RGT (The Registry of Guitar Tutors), He is a keen composer and arranger and has recently completed a project writing a new arrangement for the musical "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" premiered at Nottingham Girls High School in March 2010. As well as having a huge love for Classical and traditional music, Mark is also a an enthusiastic advocate of contemporary music genres such as indie, rock and folk music and is a big fan of Neil Young, Bjork and many underground bands and singer songwriters. Alongside writing, playing and performing music Mark is a huge animal lover and has a cat named Juno. He is also a bookworm curry connoisseur and movie buff and cites Return of the Jedi, Amelie, The Straight Story and The Lost Boys as his all time favourite films. Mark is a big sports fan and is a season ticket holder at The Nottingham Panthers Ice Hockey Club and watches Notts County "whenever possible". Mark is also a huge fan of American Football and has been to the states to see several matches and can often be found playing the "big game" in Nottingham on a Sunday morning!! not a pretty sight...

Lynn Kawalec - Music Teacher Joined the team in 2009

Lynn Kawalec, 21 (for the second time) has had a love of music her whole life. She began playing piano at the age of 7, and achieved Grade 8 before she went on to study A level Music at Bilborough College. Following this, she studied a B Ed in Expressive Arts at Rolle College in Exmouth and has been teaching for the last 23 years. Her last 10 years has seen her teaching in Derbyshire, where she has led a Junior School Choir to great success; having won the Best Choir in Bolsover award a number of times in the last few years. Not satisfied with this level of singing and conducting prowess, she went on to establish a community youth choir; ‘Elements’. They’re pretty good, even if she says so herself. To add to this collection of choral achievement, Lynn has also worked with the Bestwood Male Voice Choir, and is involved with the national ‘Sing Up’ initiative, as a co-facilitator on one of their Vocal Force teams. Lynn feels that her greatest achievement was making Rolf Harris a cup of tea in her very own mug at school, when her school choir supported him in recording a song! Rolf later went on to perform this at Glastonbury! The mug has never been washed since, bids on ebay, anyone!?

 

Emily Cash - Music Teacher Joined the team in 2008

Jenny Morton - Music Teacher Joined the team in 2008

Jenny works as a music teacher within Nottinghamshire and has been teaching at Music Makers since its launch in summer 2007. She is primarily a peripatetic music teacher of flute and clarinet, delivering whole class instrumental tuition to year 4 pupils and large group tuition to pupils in year 5 and 6, and Djembe sessions to KS3 special needs pupils. As well as this she also works along side the class teacher delivering curriculum music to KS2, devising fun and exciting ways to bring music into the classroom.

Jenny has directed whole school singing and choirs, and in years gone by set up a choir of non- musicians for a charity concert, its inspiration came from the TV program "The Choir", but she now prefers to dedicate her time to instrumental tuition. Jenny also runs a school Orchestra and is part of a team of music teachers who run after school concert bands in various areas of the City as part of Nottingham Music School. Occasionally Jenny takes on supply work for the County Music services on Saturday mornings.

Previously at Music Makers Jenny has been involved in the running of keyboards, improvisation, hand bells, concert band and choir. As well as teaching in schools Jenny is a pianist and recently passed her DipABRSM on piano and is a piano teacher and accompanist for exams and performances. Jenny is a keen supporter of www.pasic.org.uk and in previous years she has directed 2 charity concerts alongside Mark Rolfe to raise funds for the charity. She is currently in the process of preparing for a piano recital in June to support them again.

In any spare time Jenny has left she is practicing piano for concerts and overseeing her three children's instrumental tuition on guitar, violin, flute and voice, writing arrangements for the primary bands and orchestra and is also trying to keep up with learning the violin herself! For Jenny, life is all about music!"

Yolanda Mitchell - Music Teacher Joined the team in 2010

Yolanda Mitchell, aged 25 is a local girl from Mansfield who returned to her roots after leaving for University in 2002. She is a keen violinist, pianist and now calls herself a saxophonist after passing grade 3 (a monumental achievement to say that she struggles to play it in tune!!!!). After leaving school she went to Leeds Universtity and studied for a BA (Hons) degree in music specialising in composition and performance. During her time at University she played as lead second violinist in various orchestras, chamber ensembles and even sang in the choir. She then went on to do a PGCE in secondary music education and is now in her fourth year of teaching music at Ashfield Comprehensive School, Kirby-in-Ashfield. Alongside her full time position, Yolanda is the strings, percussion and steel pans teacher for 11th Session music workshops which runs on a Saturday morning at Redhill Secondary School, Nottingham.

In her spare time Yolanda plays violin for the J26 Sinfonietta, a local chamber orchestra and accompanies the school choir at numerous venues around Mansfield. Her taste in music can only be described as diverse with her main love being for Muse, Pink, Linkin Park and anything that she can "dance" to.

Tom Limb - Music Assistant Joined the team in 2010

Tom learned to read music as a church choirboy in the 50s, and hasn’t stopped singing since. He met his wife leading a children’s choir as she played piano. He worked through the grades on trumpet as a youngster, but it’s as a singer that he’s entered for Grade 8 this year. “I thought after all this time I’d take lessons and learn how to do it properly,” he quips.
He has had a career in primary education leading music in schools: recorder ensembles, classroom percussion, KS2 Music and beginner orchestras. He currently teaches djembe drums and guitar as part of his work with boys excluded from schools.
He is completely dotty about J.S. Bach and currently sings with Nottingham Bach Choir where he is Concert Manager. He took up piano when his wife got a new one some years ago. “Now I’m quite addicted to pressing black and white things,” he adds, “and I’m determined to play a Prelude and Fugue even if it kills me! No need to worry for my health just yet!”

Alice Armitage - Music Assistant - Joined the team in 2010

Alice Armitage was educated at Nottingham High School for Girls, before leaving to study human biology at the University of Birmingham. She has played the violin for 13 years, and the piano for 5 years. She was a member of Nottingham Youth Orchestra for 4 years, participating in 4 European tours, and is currently a member of the University of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. She enjoys reading, music (obviously!), running and badminton.

Alice has ridden an ostrich, and lives to tell the tale!

Gabi Wright - Music Assistant - Joined the team in 2010

Gabrielle Wright was educated at The Becket School, West Bridgford, where she studied A-level Music, French and Geography and will continue her studies at Leeds University next year, reading for a BA Music degree. An active musician in the community, Gabrielle was involved in the Nottingham Youth Orchestra over 7 years, including leading the viola section. She also played with the Nottingham Youth String Orchestra for 4 years, and spent the final year as lead violinist. This year, she has progressed onto joining the Nottingham Symphony Orchestra as well as the East Midlands String Orchestra. This summer marks the end of a year which Gabrielle has spent volunteering with various musical charities and local schools to build up a strong portfolio of experience with music and youth. Gabrielle is a keen chef and legendary double-chocolate cake is famous throughout Nottingham!

Tom Coirie: Music Technician/Assistant - Joined the team in 2010

Tom is a 33-year-old French expatriate settled in Nottingham, currently bringing up two little boys bilingually with his Irish fiancée. He has been teaching his native language in further education and corporations, but is now preparing to go into primary teacher training, volunteering at the Walter Halls Primary School and studying Children's Literature at the Open University.

He has nurtured a love for all things musical since his teenage years in Paris, learning the classical guitar and joining local bands as a bass player. He then discovered computer-aided music, trained for a BTEC in Music Technology and Recording and joined a Nottingham dance company as a composer and stage performer, playing Glastonbury Festivals between 1999 and 2003. He also played a number of French festivals as a solo act, and with his former band Elixircus. His music has received airplay in several countries, and was released on compilation albums through French and English labels.

Tom is a bit of a film buff and a fan of David Lynch, and loves DIY, gardening and hiking. He is also a keen collector of small and unusual instruments, including a variety of H’mong harps (Vietnamese jaws harps) and children’s toy instruments - which he has to share whenever his offspring manage to sneak into his studio!

Mark Randell: Music Technician/Assistant - Joined the team in 2010

Mark currently works for Nottingham Trent University at their Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism.

He also works for the 11th Session Workshops as a guitar teacher, helping to develop up and coming bands. He has an HND in music performance and is a qualified music teacher. Mark has many years of experience as a music technician working for Castle College, where he supported staff and students with music resources and equipment. As an experienced music technology teacher, Mark has recorded many local bands helping them achieve good success.

Mark has worked with live sound in pubs , clubs and festivals and is no stranger to working with musicians of all ages and genres. Mark has performed and toured across the UK with his band Blinded playing many venues and festivals. He is currently in the middle of recording for a new project called “The Guilt Ridden Authors”. He plays Guitar, Bass and Banjo.

Along with music Mark has a love of film, and has worked on the creation and editing of several independent film projects. When not making music he spends his time watching Top gear, Family Guy and out walking his dog. 

Mischelle Parris-Elvey: Childcare Manager - Joined the team in 2010

Mischelle is a teaching assistant at Horsendale Primary School, working with the thirty-one very youngest members of the school in reception and foundation stage as well as with year 5 children at the older end of the school. She has worked with all age groups from age 4 to age 11 and is very involved in one-to-one personal support sessions with special needs children. Mischelle’s ethos for working and teaching is lots of hands-on fun and enjoyment surrounded by care and special attention for all. Her lively enthusiasm will be there to support all of the children attending The Music Makers and her infectious personality is guaranteed to bring a happy smile.

Out of school, Mischelle enjoys a regular fitness and weight training program, inspiring her two children aged 11 and 9 to take part in many sports and activities,  including Boys Brigade, kick boxing and Badminton. They enjoy music and both are learning to play the piano and are steadily progressing through the grades.

Sally Morton: Trainee Music Teacher - Joined the team in 2008

Sally is 15 and goes to the Nottingham Bluecoat School. She plays the electric, acoustic and classical guitar and is preparing to sit her Grade 8. She also plays the ukulele and quite impressively, the tambourine. Sally enjoys music, drama and comedy and hopes she will someday have a job that includes one or all of these. However, the things she doesn't like include butterflies, overuse of the word "legend".

Rachel Louca - Childcare and Admin Manager - Joined the team in 2010

Rachel's profile is under construction - check back soon!

Julianne Oakes - Childcare and Admin Manager - Joined the team in 2008

 

Julianne has been involved with the music makers since the beginning and has made the role of childcare and admin manager her own. Shared with Rachel Louca, Julianne is repsonsible for the day to day pastoral running of the music makers and will know everychild's doctors details, allergies, and shoesize! An absolute proffesional with a background in business, Julianne has a very musical child Samuel who plays Piano, Oboe and Guitar.