Educator

Growing up in a household of teachers, education was always familiar to Joe. It therefore only made sense that, whilst studying at the University of Kent, Joe chose to enrich his linguistics degree with his two passions, music and teachings. His dissertation, investigating how language can be taught through music to a range of students, his role as musical director, teaching over 200 songs to university students over a year and several pedology and language acquisition modules led Joe to consider a career in musical education.

Realising that he got the most out of contributing to communities otherwise isolated from the musical experiences and opportunities he had during his childhood, Joe joined Every Child A Musician, in Newham, East London. This social enterprise scheme delivered 12,000 lessons a week, and nearly 1.5 million lessons a year, all for free. Whilst teaching classes of 35 children different instruments, including guitar, piano, trumpet, ukulele and singing, Joe also lead the ECAM youth choir, who later performed at Newham Town Show and Music for Youth at Birmingham Symphony Hall. 

Joe is currently the head of Music at Gordonbrook and Eliot Bank Primary School. He teaches singing assemblies for nursery up to classes of year six, engaging with over 1000 children a week. Joe also teaches ukulele and recorder classes of 35 students, and conducts two choirs of 50 students each, who recently performed at Blackheath town hall. Aside from instrument specialist classes, Joe teaches curriculum music, and was awarded the Music Mark national music award, whilst receiving teaching training in singing from Friday Afternoon and ABCD. Joe teaches recorder and is the choir lead at Newham Curwen Primary School, Tap Scott Learning Trust. Under Joe’s leadership, Newham Curwen Primary choir performed at the BT Sport Christmas Dinner. Joe composed two Christmas choir pieces, which Sing Up has voiced interest in purchasing for the upcoming festive season.