How Playing the Flute Inspired a Music School

10 inWay back in 1980, I decided that I wanted to learn how to play the flute. I would never have imagined that 26 years later this one small action would inspire a Music School.

I was studying music for my HSC at the time, and realised that I really didn’t sing well enough to do very well in the performance section of the exam. Inspired by a visit with a friend, who is now my husband, to the local Concert band rehearsal, I decided that the flute was an instrument I really wanted to play.

My wonderful Dad bought me a flute that Christmas and I proceeded to teach myself over the following 4 weeks of the school holidays. Amazingly enough I had picked an instrument that really suited my quiet nature and I proceeded to come 2nd in my year for Music.

Over the next 10 years I played with the Campbelltown Camden District Band eventually on the1st seat of the flute section, and found that a few people were approaching me for lessons for their kids. Feeling a bit out of my depth I took myself (and my 2 little girls) off to Springwood in the Blue Mountains each week and studied under the tutelage of Naomi Halls (an AMEB examiner). Surprisingly enough I had taught myself well and completed grade 3, 5 and 6 Flute exams with Naomi. Following the birth of Alex in 1995, I continued my studies, this time with Roma Dix OAM in Mittagong, and completed grade 7 and 8. This began my afterhours tutoring that grew steadily over the next 12 years

Most people don’t know this, but 18 years ago I was a qualified Radiographer and Ultrasonographer and had been working in the medical field for 22 years. 17 years of scanning patients had left me with a chronic shoulder injury and unable to work in my chosen career.

This is the point where my life turned in a very unexpected direction and a Music School was born.

Originally when we opened the school we signed up with the Forte School of Music Franchise. This was a great start for us as we didn’t really have a business background and did need some help getting started. The next 5 years saw a decline in the franchise and in April 2012 we rebranded our business as Dynamic Rhythms Music Centre.

The last 2 years have been tough but we successfully pivoted to online learning and managed to maintain at least 50% of our students whilst in lockdown in 2020 and 2021. Now in 2022 we have a growing business once more. We employ local talented musicians who love teaching and are passionate about music and their chosen instrument. With the amazing growth in the local area we anticipate strong growth in our business over the next 5 years and we are prepared for whatever the future brings.