Penguin Music

Liz Nicholas trained as a musician and composer at Leeds College of Music and Huddersfield University. After graduating with a BMus (Hons) Liz started to work for the Cheshire Music Service as a Wider Opportunities teacher. Since then Liz has completed a Masters by Research in New Music looking at engaging children in music making combining her Kodály and New Music backgrounds. 

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Liz is always on the look out for new courses and approaches to teaching music to allow all the children she works with to get involved. She has completed courses through Trinity Guildhall designed to support Wider Opportunities teachers as well as attended workshops led by the amazing Dr. Shirley Court and by the Voices Foundation. 

 

14 Years ago Liz attended a weekend of workshops put on by the British Kodály Academy. 

 

This workshop changed not only the way she thought about teaching music but also about herself as a musician. After that she attended every course she could find including two study tours to Budapest and Kecskemet to see the Kodály Kindergartens and Primary schools in action. 

 

Liz has attended several British Kodály Academy summer schools, taught on one and has sat both on their Board of Trustees and on their education committee in the past.

 

In 2013 she completed the British Kodály Academy and Roehampton University HE3 Springboard qualification in Primary Teaching.

Liz has also completed the British Kodály Academy's Elementary and Intermediate Musicianship Assessments.

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For a more in depth background of this approach have a look  at this Music Mark Article written by Liz last year here.

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In 2019 Liz went to Paris to study with TCM, on a vocal science course. Liz uses this within all her sessions to ensure from the start both children and adults understand how to use their voices well and safely. 

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The last 3 years have seen Liz working with the Phoenix Collective as a member of the support crew and teaching on their instrumental and creativity in the classroom modules. 

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Liz has worked with schools across Cheshire, Halton and Warrington as freelance and for the Halton and Warrington Music Support Service. 

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Liz runs 'Penguin Music School' for Home Educated children and works with families across the UK. You can find out all about that here. 

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With the wonders of Zoom Liz has run sessions that have included multiple countries and all ages of children and adults. Have a look at our workshops page for more info on upcoming sessions for adults.