Music & More
Off-stage, Matilda (or Tilly) draws upon her personal interests and ambitions in her freelance work:
- Primary education and Early Years provision
- contributing as a small cog in a big wheel
- creating meaningful connections through accessible communication, musical or otherwise
Tilly's earliest voluntary experience was assisting with admin tasks and leading warm-ups within the Janice Thompson Performance Trust (JTPTrust), an educational singing charity for ages 4-18 years in Swindon. Eventually she took Concert Choir sectionals, ran a Beginners class; conducted; adjudicated; and chaperoned for classes, exams, festivals and events. As with all her work with children and young people, Tilly completed on-going safeguarding courses including First Aid, stepping in as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead for 12 months.​​
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An extension of this experience, Tilly became a voluntary Assistant Music Tutor in Ex Cathedra's Academy of Vocal Music years later, aiding and chaperoning their Early Years and Primary classes, before becoming a Trainee Vocal Tutor for their award-winning Singing Medicine project at Birmingham Children's Hospital. Here, Tilly learnt invaluable musical skills (and life lessons!) as she facilitated improvisatory singing play at bedsides and sensitive units; for staff training days; and for community events.
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​​Just as her maternal grandmother's teaching career focussed on Music and SEND intervention, Tilly too developed her interest in additional needs through a KS2 SEN 1:5 Teaching Assistant role in Swindon in 2019. Keen to develop adapting to varying needs within a group, she became a Music Tutor for 2 adults within Melody Music, a Birmingham charity for young people with additional needs.
Tilly's desire to connect with young people led her to revisit education in 2024 as a 1:1 SEN TA in Reception for a non-verbal pupil for whom musical communication was key. This rewarding, enlightening role enabled Tilly to develop her extended communication skills, e.g. intensive interaction, Attention Autism, and Signalong. This motivated her to gain Level 1 and Level 2 Makaton in 2025.
Tilly's first professional engagement as a workshop facilitator was for ​Birmingham Contemporary Music Group's 'Musicadoodledo' project which required reflective practice within Early Years music provision. Regular workshop planning and collaborative delivery alongside a City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra instrumentalist and Lead Mentor enabled Tilly to witness the impact of creative cross-curricular sessions for 0-5 years.
Imaginative, multi-disciplinary sessions then became key 4 years later as Musician-in-Residence within the Springfield Project's Sounds of Play initiative. A city-wide project delivered by the Birmingham Early Years Music Consortium with the aim of developing co-designed approaches to Early Years music-making, Tilly's love for creating meaningful bonds with young children and their families through music was affirmed.
Tilly has a bank of themed EYFS sessions that can be altered for participant numbers (with or without families) featuring various musical genres; sensory and messy play, storytelling; drama and movement; intensive interaction; and listening and composing.
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Most recently, Tilly's role as Entertainer at Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire saw her perform interactive shows and Meet-and-Greets as both a Deep Dark Wood Ranger and a certain much-loved beast in the Gruffalo Discovery Land for 6 months. As well as facilitating interactive seasonal stands and performing as various popular mascots, she was also promoted within her first week to Entertainment Supervisor, on-site to manage administration and oversee team training, delivery, and customer satisfaction.
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- DBS (Update Service)​
- L1 & L2 Makaton
- Willingness to complete necessary safeguarding & First Aid etc.
- CV available upon request
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