Claire Brown

What do you do?

I am Head of Music at Hayle Academy

What is your background?

I am a Secondary School Teacher teaching music and music technology from Penzance in Cornwall. I studied music at the University of Surrey and am a singer, pianist, alto sax and clarinet player. I spend my summers performing in the Festival Chorus, Chamber Choir, Gospel Choir and Big Band at Dartington International Summer School. I have recently become a Subject Leader of Education in Music with the National Teaching School and our department has just been confirmed as a Challenge Partners area of excellence until 2022. We have also recently won the Music EXPO winner of best recording studio in the South West for 2019.

What aspects of the Musical Futures approach are you currently using?

I have enjoyed networking and sharing ideas with other music leaders and educators, learning about new software and developing skills to perform live using Ableton. I live in a very isolated area of the country, so rarely get the chance to spend a lot of time talking to other exciting music educators.

Five Words that sum up Musical Futures

Inclusive, relevant, engaging, practical, forward-thinking

What music are you listening to at the moment?

We have a lot of original music from our record label which I love. Strong female vocalists such as Laura Nyro, Laura Mvula, The Staves. I also love revisiting old heavier classics at the moment – Limp Bizkit, Tool, Dream Theatre