The Abingdon Music Centre Team

Sally Allsop

Baby & Pre-school Mini Music Makers Teacher

Sally teaches our Wednesday and Friday classes. She has been teaching baby and pre-school music at Abingdon Music Centre for 18 years. She is a qualified music teacher, teaching flute and recorder pupils in Abingdon as well as at other educational settings in Oxfordshire. Sally is well-loved by her classes for making the most wonderful homemade props such as her fish and jingle blanket!

Click here to see Sally’s listing in our Directory of Teachers/Musicians.

Gillian Corrigan

Baby & Pre-school Mini Music Makers Teacher / Baby & Pre-school Music Co-ordinator / Events Co-ordinator

As well as co-ordinating our Baby & Pre-school Music programme, Gillian teaches classes on Mondays and Thursdays.

“I have a passion for sharing music with others having been brought up in a musical home where I learnt the violin, piano and oboe.  I’ve played in lots of orchestras and musical ensembles and have always enjoyed playing with others.  I have been teaching with Abingdon Music Centre since 2006 and I really enjoy working with young children to impart a lifelong love of music. I believe passionately that music really does have the power to express feelings and emotions where words fail.  Music can draw communities together and I am privileged to have the opportunity to be part of these young children’s – and their parents’/carers’ – lives.”

Frances David

Director of Abingdon Music Centre
Co-MD of ACCord / Baby and Pre-School Mini Music Makers Teacher / Outreach

Helen Eccleston

Co-MD of ACCord / Teacher of Holiday Music workshops / Outreach / Family learning projects / Co-ordinator of Primary Partnership Project

My background is in secondary school whole class music teaching, including the roles of Head of Music and Head of Faculty, and my own instruments are clarinet, baritone sax and piano. I feel extremely privileged to work with such wonderful staff and members of Abingdon Music Centre. I enjoy making music with so many different people, currently from babies to 103 years! I also teach A-level Music at Larkmead School.

Steve Gower

BA Hons, CTLLS
Teacher for Guitar Club, Adult Guitar and Ukulele classes

I have over 18 years of teaching experience with a fun and friendly approach to learning. I teach both acoustic and electric guitar.

Click here to see Steve’s listing in our Directory of Teachers/Musicians.

Ben Heaney

GmusRNCM PGCE
Musical Director of Abingdon Community Orchestra / Outreach

I have been involved with music making for as long as I can remember. I started violin lessons about aged 6 and within a couple of years started piano and trumpet lessons too. I quickly became fully immersed in the local, county and then national youth music scene and continued my studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, graduating in 1993 with a special interest in electric violin.

Click here to see Ben’s listing in our Directory of Teachers/Musicians.

Jim Hines

Trustee of The Abingdon Music Centre Trust
Organiser of Adult Recorder Ensemble

Click here to find out more about The Abingdon Music Centre Trust

Sally Mears

Musical Director of Singing for Pleasure

Sally read music at Merton College, Oxford then studied conducting as a part-time student at the Guildhall, London, becoming a finalist in the British Federation of Young Choirs conducting competition. As well as her work with Abingdon Music Centre, she now teaches piano at Chandlings School and St Helen’s and St Katharine’s School, Abingdon and conducts Headington Singers in Oxford.

She is a qualified piano teacher with an LRAM diploma and has a degree in music from Oxford University. She can also teach cello.

Sally composes music too: string trio, string orchestra, choral works and songs with piano accompaniment. She was commissioned by the Abingdon Passion Play to write their children’s song for 2019.

Click here to see Sally’s listing in our Directory of Teachers/Musicians.

Oliver Nicholls

BA Hons (Music)
Accompanist for Singing for Pleasure

As well as accompanying this choir, Oliver has also composed some lovely songs specially for this group.

Click here to see Oliver’s listing in our Directory of Teachers/Musicians.

Glyn Rowlands

Teacher for family learning and Outreach projects, including Summer School

Click here to see Glyn’s listing in our Directory of Teachers/Musicians.

Rob Thomas

BMus
Accompanist for both Ladies’ Choirs

Click here to see Rob’s listing in our Directory of Teachers/Musicians.

Mary Wade

Musical Director of Abingdon Ladies’ Choirs

Ali Will

Senior AMC Administrator, Monday – Friday (Office closed on Tuesdays)
Click here to contact Ali in the AMC office.