探花直播

Welcome to听our weekly series highlighting the great work that RBC alumni are doing in the field of music education.

Each week our guest will reveal insights such as what led them to do what they are currently doing, the projects they have been involved in since graduating, what inspires them on a daily basis, and what advice they would give to any music student considering working as a music educator in the future, whether full-time or as part of a rewarding portfolio career.

Episode 7: Dan Milverton

Years studied听听2009-2016听

Course听BMus (Hons),听MMus Performance and Pedagogy

First Study听Saxophone听

I studied BMus and MMus Performance and Pedagogy at Royal 探花直播 Conservatoire from 2009 to 2016. During my BMus, I took part in the pedagogy modules run by Interim Vice Principal (Learning and Teaching) Luan Shaw, which first got me interested in music education.

As a result of this module, I took the MMus Performance and Pedagogy course to increase my knowledge and confidence in music education. This was a fantastic and insightful course that really made me consider how to be the best teacher I can be. I quickly found there is more to being a good teacher than just explaining how to play an instrument, and the course made me examine and evaluate how I relate and communicate with students.

Aspiring to create a life-long love of music in students is an incredibly rewarding vocation. Since leaving the Conservatoire, I have worked on various education projects with different orchestras and charities including the , and . These projects immersed me in different settings from using music to engage and motivate students in low socio-economic areas to writing operas with children from special educational needs schools, which they then performed at 探花直播.

Currently I teach saxophone at and , and work with a variety of ensembles from saxophone groups and jazz bands to concert bands. I鈥檓 fortunate to work in fantastic departments and with some incredibly passionate and talented students. The end of year concerts always amaze and fill me with a great sense of pride. Seeing hundreds of musicians come together and play some incredible music is always a privilege and a humbling experience. I also manage a busy performing career in pit bands and as part of a contemporary music duo based in the Midlands.

I would certainly encourage anybody to get involved in music education to share their love of music. The best advice I could give is not to be afraid to ask for help and support. Try to observe others teaching and try out your teaching on friends. There is a wealth of knowledge out there, and, in my experience, people are more than happy to share this when asked.

If you are one of RBC鈥檚 alumni and would like to take part in this feature, contact听Interim Vice-Principal (Learning and Teaching) Luan Shaw,听Head of Pedagogy Dr Adam Whittaker听or听Head of Learning and Participation Richard Shrewsbury.