Job Profile Questionnaire

Susan Bisatt - Vocal Animateur

Tameside Music Service

Describe a typical working day
Very varied. My days consist of delivering INSET for teachers, training youth choirs, teaching alongside teachers in our schools, administration (not my favourite bit!), meetings with colleagues in other authorities.

What attracted you to working for us?
The job must be one of the best in the country. I have the opportunity to make a huge difference to the quality of music education in Tameside.

Helping people to sing better is so rewarding, everybody would like to sing well and so many people can if they are given a few simple guidelines and a bit of confidence.

What advice would you give someone looking for opportunities in this area?
Get lots of experience working with groups who make music, from infants to community choirs. Volunteer to help run an after school choir somewhere.

Contact the local education authority music service; we often use visiting tutors so you may find they are looking for someone with your skills.

Keep looking in the TES and Music Teacher magazines, these jobs are advertised.

What qualifications or experience are essential for this kind of work?
A Music degree, or perhaps a performing Arts degree with music as a specialism.

Lots of experience working with youth groups, especially out of normal school hours.

What is the best thing about your work?
My colleagues in Tameside Music Service and the young people we work with.

What opportunities does your local authority provide you that you cannot get elsewhere?
Support for ideas involving youth music in all it's forms.

Support from the highest level of the Life Long Learning department in terms of my own development musically and professionally.

Working as a team with other like-minded professionals.

Flexibility in my working pattern.