Emma Nottage
Music Tutor & Life Coach
I have been interested in and surrounded by music all my life. My mum and dad used to sing me nursery rhymes and mum also played the piano. We always listened to records and the radio. My big brother loved listening to his heavy metal favourites and my sister played the clarinet. I began learning the recorder in primary school and went on to take piano lessons. In secondary school I took up the French Horn and had singing lessons.
I went on to study music at South Downs College in Hampshire and achieved a 2:1 degree in music (BA Hons) from the University of Exeter. I followed this with a PGCE in Primary Music.
I have been a primary school teacher for twenty-one years, often holding the position of Music Co-ordinator or Performing Arts Co-ordinator but since March 2020 I have stepped backfrom the classroom. I have also been a private one-to-one/small group music tutor alongside this for eighteen years. I teach a range of instruments and voice to adults and children. I am based in Ilfracombe in North Devon UK. In the light of the current global pandemic I transitioned to offer online lessons via ‘Zoom’ . I now offer online music lessons to global sudents as well as face-to-face in-person lessons to local students in my home in Ilfracombe or in pupil’s homes in North Devon. if preferred.
During the last year I have also embraced other online opportunities and I am now a published best-selling author after contributing a chapter about resilience in life and business to a collaborative book by successful female entrepreneurs in the online space. My chapter includes details of my faith, personal and musical journeys. I am now writing my own full non-fiction book about ‘Music and Well-being’ which will feature chapters exploring music’s relationship to our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social health.
Over the last few years my work with adult music students led me to want to add a coaching stream to my business. I have come across so many people who have low self-confidence or limiting beliefs that have prevented them from following their musical dreams in the past. This can stem from negative words that others have spoken over them or from a lack of oppotunity. I see it as my mission to turn these negative memories of music lessons/lack of music lessons into new, far more fun and joyous musical experiences. I realised that this issue of low self-esteem and limiing beliefs applied to many more people, not just musicians so I felt drawn to develop my skills to help a broader range of people. So I am now also an accredited NLP Practitioner/Timelines Coach/ Life Coach and I have launched my coaching business alongside my music teaching business.
In the summer of 2021 I also achieved my Level 3 Supervisiory Level certification in First Aid for Mental Health as I believe that this is also relevant to the work that I do.
Over the last year I have appeared a guest on several podcasts, online summits/conferences and been interviewed as a guest in other people’s Facebook groups. This is an area that I want to do more in.
When not working I enjoy singing and playing my musical instruments for fun and being a playing member of ‘The North Devon Sinfonia’ and ‘The Petrovian Orchestra’. I am also the co-conductor of ‘The Petrovian Orchestra’, and the Bandleader of ‘Ilfracombe and District Youth and Community Band’ – ‘Blazing Sounds’. I am also a soprano in ‘Teacher’s Rock’ choir and I sing in the worship band of my local church. I am also a volunteer children’s and youth leader at church as well as being one of the Safeguarding Officers. I also enjoy taking part in online classes in ballet fitness, Pilates and dance and I love exploring the beautiful North Devon coastal walks near me with my lovely husband of nineteen years, Stuart. I also love elephants and my favourite colour is purple.
The Musical Diamond 