Zoom helps Ross-shire music students hit the right note during coronavirus pandemic as they gain distinctions in music exams although Black Isle tutor still has issues with w-fi signal
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While Covid-19 made a lot of things more difficult for everyone in every area, one Black Isle music tutor found a new way of teaching students – who got better than expected exam results.
Wendy Mullery, from Bayview Crescent in Cromarty, teaches a variety of instruments including: guitar, piano, keyboards, fiddle, ukulele and mandolin as well as music theory.
She has been playing various instruments since primary school, because of her love of music, and originally started learning a cello which was almost as big as she was.
When lockdown restrictions were first introduced it meant that face-to-face teaching was prohibited so she decided to move all classes online.
She said: “I subscribed to Zoom and moved lessons from our cabin in the garden to inside the house because of the signal – boosters didn’t help enough. I am still restricted by internet issues but continuing to teach.”
In December a total of 24 of her students took guitar grades – from preliminary through to grade six – and more than half of them achieved distinction which was a massive achievement considering the current situation.
Mrs Mullery said: “I was gobsmacked and very proud of the students. It was harder for them to learn via Zoom and I am blown away at the high results.”
And Ross County FC also helped out by providing rooms large enough so that the exams could be conducted in a socially distanced manner following the guidelines.
She said: “They provided a large room for us to tune the guitars, and help keep the student calm, and of course the directors suite for the examiner to hold the exams.
“There were 24 amazing students this year who are a delight to teach on a weekly basis and have gone on to do themselves and their parents proud in such difficult circumstances. I could not be more proud of their achievements.
“Many of my students have taken part in various charity events over the years, including a six-hour guitarathon where every student played at various times throughout the day.”
She teaches up to 60 students.
