Hannah Waters

I began learning the piano at age 5, and by age 12 I was learning piano, percussion, drum kit and studying the voice. My passion for music was growing and I quickly became involved in many orchestras and choirs at both school and in the East Riding Music Service. I was Principal Percussionist for the East Riding Youth Orchestra aged 17-18, as well as being a Senior Member of the East Riding Senior Percussion Ensemble during those years. During this time I also composed and arranged music, including a glockenspiel part for an arrangement of 'Hallelujah' for a string quartet, as well as developing my piano accompaniment and conducting skills which I exercised regularly for the Beverley High School Chamber Choir. As a member of Beverley Community Church, from the age of 15 I have regularly performed with the worship team, leading the music on keyboard and vocals, doing backing vocals and playing drum kit. This has led me to being a confident performer due to having such a large amount of experience performing music to a large number of people. I have enjoyed performing throughout my life - I was a member of Yorkshire Young Musicians from age 14-17, where I studied piano, voice and percussion doing bi-monthly concerts, alongside developing my improvisation skills and learning music theory. Previously I have taken part in the Hornsea Music Festival, and performed in a piano masterclass with Martin Roscoe at the Beverley Chamber Music Festival in 2014. By age 18 I had achieved grade 8 on piano, voice, percussion and drum kit. Other solo performances and concerts have included annual performances at Beverley Community Church's Christmas Cabaret, wedding performances of various repertoire such as 'Edelweiss', 'All things bright and beautiful', and 'O Holy Night', and performing at various Church Youth movements such as Momentum as keyboardist/singer. As a soloist I performed 'Coventry Bembe' for solo Soprano and Choir with Beverley High School at the Carol Service aged 18 which inspired me to focus on my voice as a first study when I began my studies of BA Music at University of Leeds in 2015. Since being at university I have performed regularly as a soprano having lessons with a teacher from Opera North. A highlight was performing as a Soprano at a community concert taking place at Adel Methodist church in the summer of 2017. I also have enjoyed being part of various auditioned orchestras and choirs at university. During 2017 I volunteered at HOOT, a creative arts charity in West Yorkshire, as a singing assistant in an a capella group; I composed and arranged a 3-part song for this group called 'Fondly', which has sparked my song-writing passion, something I wish to pursue in the future. During 2017-18, my third university year has been a Year in Industry, in which I have been a music intern at the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Charity, based in London. During this work placement I have been assisting the music therapist who runs the Nordoff Robbins Community choir where I have helped lead the soprano section, accompany the choir on piano and teach and conduct the choir various songs including my own arrangement of 'Have yourself a merry little Christmas' and the African-inspired a capella song, 'In my heart and in my soul'. Alongside these performances I have performed as a solo percussionist (repertoire including Monti's Czardas on xylophone) and various vocal duets at termly concerts run at the music therapy centre. I would love the opportunity for more performing as a singer/pianist or as an accompanist to continue feeding my musical passion and gaining more experience as a musician in the working world.