Over the past three years my love and passion has grown for music considerably more thanks to many people that have contributed to it, musicians, teachers and many others.
Ever since my second year in secondary school, I began playing guitar and I’ve progressed even further since that very day, my dad initially got me into Pink Floyd heavily and that’s where it all started then that soon led onto bands like Queen and The Beatles.
Only until two years later until I properly dedicated myself to music, during the majority of my time in secondary school I found myself being too shy and very insecure whist playing round over students which was excellent. I eventually stepped up during Christmas time in 2016 and joined a band with three other students playing lead/rhythm guitar depending on what song we were playing. This mainly happened with the help from one of my previous music teachers, Mrs Wilson.
At the beginning of the GCSE Music studying was a bit tough amongst all of my other subjects, but she has always pushed me to go further ever since the start, she gave me piano lessons which helped me with my basic knowledge of Music Theory at the time even though piano is my worst enemy when it comes to co ordination along with drums.
Nearing the start of the new year, the band started to from my new taste and playing style when it came to music. My two original music teachers both eventually left before the new year, one retired and Mrs Wilson was planning to leave and look after her children full time after she gave birth to the one due at the time.
Within the first week within January 2017 (the 5th I think) my class were introduced to our new substitute teacher, at first I found him weird as it takes time for me to get used to new people but yet again he was still a cool music teacher. After getting to know him a lot more than I did at the time of him first joining, my taste in music yet again changed to a much more heavier and slower pace, with touches of Jazz on the side, his name is Ben Chilcott.
During that year we played three major gigs, well to me at least: Whiteley’s Parish Rooms, Meadowside Festival and the Christmas concert. It was my first time playing Meadowside and it helped my confidence massively having him by my side filling in bass for us because our bassist had a injury with her back. Whiteley’s Parish rooms were fun to play whilst representing the school, gigs like that made me feel like i was actually repaying the school for what they’ve given me so far as a musician. The Christmas Concert didn’t go particularly well for me, however it was more about the experience that came out of it rather than a perfect flashy performance. It showed me as musician what I needed to work on for the next time I perform solo rather than locking up rather than being prepared and ready for failure if I slipped on the smallest mistake.
At the beginning of the new year (2018), I began to look at myself as more of a professional musician and began to take more pride within my craft than anything else that came to mind, I thought this would be more productive rather than messing around with others and getting involved with petty friendships and all that crazy jive.
Yet again, with the help from Ben I was guided within the right direction for doing so, as sad as it may sound I preferred to spend my free time with him talking about music, literature and film rather than talking to others as they were a bad influence on me from the start. After weeks of serious practice, some tips and tricks from Ben, I eventually perfected the solo ‘Money’ by Pink Floyd and by that time I also finished the majority of the coursework for GCSE music.
Nearing the end of my final academic year at Henry Cort, the creative arts department as a whole put on a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘School of Rock’. All besides from helping out Ben and the music department where I could which I always took great pride within, the production was the best thing I had done during my time at Henry Cort. Considering that our whole pit band learned the majority of the score by ear, it went very well, it was also a good laugh amongst the band which was always fun even within rehearsal when we got occasionally fed up with it all!
At the end of the academic year, I found it very upsetting to be leaving Ben and the creative-arts department behind, but he let me know that I’m always welcome to come back and give a hand, I’ll always be there to help him out and he will always be there to help me which is nice to know.
Now that I’ve joined Fareham Music, it’s been a lot more serious which is one of the many aspects in which I like about it, even though I’m still settling in and rebuilding more confidence day by day. The lectures, Chris, Jason and Dan are three of the best people and musicians that have so far furthered my love and passion towards my craft, they are always ready and willing to help anyone out, and without a doubt make my day that little bit better.
Ever since I’ve joined, I have began to trust my abilities considerably more and with the help of Chris’ almighty influence I have finally picked up the bass properly (without a pick); I also found out that Chris used to teach Ben in college also which is a good laugh! I cannot wait to continue studying music like a professional after many dedicated years so far and then eventually within the future my end goal is to become a teacher most probably just like Ben and Chris.
But for now, I have a lot more work to do, this is me signing off…
Ellie Thornton Music 