georgebevan.com

MMus(RCM), BMus(Hons), ARCO(CHM), ARCM

After more than 30 years in the classroom, and with twenty of those as a Director of Music, I took what felt like quite a brave decision in April of this year to come out of the classroom and to earn a living as a freelance musician. Six months down the line I now know full well that I needn’t have worried – it has been a liberating change!

Herewith, a short run down of how I now spend my time:

Piano teaching I have nearly twenty piano pupils, whom I teach at their own homes in Bath every weekday afternoon once schools are out. This seems to work really well: having me arrive on their doorstep each week is very convenient for families. It also means that I can take my time with each lesson since I am no longer constrained by the limitations of school timetables.
People ask me if I have any talented pupils, and they all get the same answer – I’m simply not interested in talent, I just enjoy teaching those who want to learn.

Organ playing I am the organist at St John the Evangelist in central Bath, playing for mass every Sunday morning in addition to feast days, weddings and funerals.

Accompanying I am the accompanist for Bath Choral Society, and I take sectional rehearsals as required. I was acting MD from November 2021 to December 2022, directing a total of four performances of Handel’s Messiah to capacity audiences in Bath Abbey.
I now cover on a regular basis for Bath Minerva Choir, either as accompanist or to take rehearsals when Gavin Carr is unavailable.
I am also the official accompanist for the Mid-Somerset Festival and the Longwell Green and Kingswood Performing Arts Festival.

Choral directing In 2010 I founded Monkton Combe Choral Society, giving a total of 20 concerts with professional orchestra and soloists over the course of twelve years. The choir quickly gained a reputation for being one of the best choirs of its kind in the Bath area. Sadly when I left Monkton the choir was disbanded.
I have been privileged to have been connected with Voices for Life since its inception, playing the piano for the first performance of Stardust in Bath Abbey in October 2021. I directed Stardust in 2022, and also the premiere of Extraordinary! in June 2023. 2025 is set to be an exciting year as I take the helm of performances in St George’s Bristol, and also for the opening of Bath’s Party in the City in May.

Tone-deafness During my time as Director of Music at Monkton Combe School (2009-2021) I developed a passion for enabling self-confessed ‘non-singers’ to reassess their skills, founding a Choir who can’t sing to prove that anyone can learn, regardless of how bad they think they might be. I’m happy to help anyone who thinks that they are beyond help! Our strapline was ‘enabling every pupil to find their own voice‘.

Sight-singing/musicianship I have decades of experience in this field, and my work with amateur singers has always included the ongoing development of reading skills. Far too many singers in amateur choirs rely heavily on those around them, and on learning by repetition. Sight-reading is not a gift, it is a skill which can be learned. Just a few lessons can make such a huge difference in equipping choristers with the basics, which they can then build on by themselves for years to come.

And finally… I have reached that moment in life when I can actually spend an hour playing Bach every morning!

If you are interested in engaging with me in any of the above, please do feel free to contact me directly, either by email georgebev4n@gmail.com or by mobile 07723 350939. George