Lesley (A. Dip. A. in Modern Voice) has been teaching and playing music for over 20 years. She started teaching guitar at the Poonindie Community Learning Centre and then took on the recorder program as well.
During her time there, she developed a French language program for children, utilising songs as a way of learning the language in an engaging way. A choir was formed, culminating in a CD, which has been used as a teaching aid throughout other schools in Australia. The French embassy liased closely with her on this project, supporting it financially and by sending a linguistic attaché across to help with the lyrics and pronunciation, who then also sang on the album!
Lesley then started teaching recorder at the Port Lincoln Primary School and in eleven years took over a thousand children through their first stages of music, including a second year ensemble, which utilized four different kinds of recorder.
She has a great passion for medieval and the early baroque period of music. She also coordinated a music program for aboriginal students at the school along with Steve Sailor, which included song and dance and instrument making.
Writing and composing has played a big part in her musicianship and Lesley has written many pieces for various groups and taken workshops on song writing.
She has played in various ensembles in Australia, England and France, which has all helped to shape her musicality, along with many years of overseas travel. She currently plays harp in a Celtic band called Triple Aspect who formed at the Stinky Creek Folk festival.
In 2004 Lesley set up the House of Creative Learning as a music school and since its inception it has developed into the multifaceted centre it is today. She is a multi-instrumentalist and enjoys working on developing her own playing and imparting this knowledge and experience with others.
Lesley is a teacher member and examiner of ANZCA, an examining body in the performing arts. Students can choose their style of learning from a more casual approach to the more formal exam system, depending on what is wanted and what suits the individual. She believes playing music is a wonderful part of life’s journey and can be enjoyed by everyone.
