Janice Making Music

How did we all get to where we are now on our musical journey?

For me it was a slow start. I didn’t get much chance for music lessons in childhood. I had about ten guitar lessons and the same amount of piano lessons.

I often begged to own a keyboard and ended up with a mini piano! It was about 5 cm by 3 cm and played a high pitched do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, doh of one octave only. I spent hours playing this tiny piano with one finger, only it didn’t enhance my skill in playing or bring joy to anyone!

Eventually earning my own wage, I purchased a small keyboard and a guitar and learned to play a few tunes for myself. I learned to play basic chords on the guitar and hereby started playing in church. Later, working in local council, I would take my guitar along to Christmas dinner functions and play a few pop and folk songs at the evening.

When I had my first child, I didn’t want to go back to work and pay for childcare, so I had it suggested to me that I could teach guitar. I quickly took a couple of the grades, and put my name in the local music shop, offering guitar lessons for beginners. From there I was teaching, while still putting in the work to go up the grades myself. Eventually I reached grade 8, and similarly was teaching students who had got up to grade 6! Over the years, I have taught about 100 students, several up to and including grade 7 and with great success.

Alongside this we purchased a digital piano, which I loved to play, again, teaching myself mostly to play chords and simple melodies by ear, and a little bit of note reading to expand my learning. When I began working in a care home, I would sit at the piano they had and play for the residents and fellow staff members. We also ran a choir in the home for a little while, a wonderful opportunity for me to realise the benefits of music for the lives of people, especially such as those suffering with dementia.

Through attending a toddler group, when my children were young, and then attending a ladies morning at church, I spent time with children with disabilities, also recognising the way music could enhance their lives and wellbeing. It fuelled the desire I had to pursue music more.

That was when I decided to undertake a music degree, and having a family to look after, the best option for me was the Open University degree, which I began back in 2018. The music degree has opened more doors, as I have pursued music making further, joining a choir, playing in folk sessions in a downtown bar, and collaborating with my step-daugher and a guitar student, to play and sing in a local care home, something I have done on numerous occasions.

I have played with a friend in the park bandstand, played at my sister’s wedding, played and sang at a funeral, played in my front garden where the neighbours could hear, sang to clients as I work as care worker and much more.

As I continue down the pathway in my music making, what I wish to do is take my passions and desires to help others through music further and continue to develop what I do, using this project to help me enhance my artistic identity. In particular I will be sharing ideas on my Janice Making Music Facebook and Instagram pages.