Learning from the Best; Interviews with Maxx Music teachers.

Evie Horton Instrument: Piano, Vocals, Violin

Evie is one of our most enthusiastic teachers, and has a great rapport with her students.

1. How long have you been teaching at Maxx Music?

I’ll be celebrating my 5 year anniversary very soon! I started while I was studying at university, but ended up dropping out to make this into a career.

2. When was the first time you realised you wanted to play music?

I’ve been obsessed with music for as long as I can remember! From singing into hairbrushes and having concerts for my family an friends, to learning to play piano on a tiny little toy piano with only 7 keys! (I won’t accept “my piano is too small” as an excuse not to practice!)

3. Favourite gig you’ve played / Weirdest gig you’ve been to?

My favourite “gig” was actually as an accompanist playing piano for a choir of two hundred people to an audience of three thousand. I made a mistake in my piano solo which was mortifying! However, I kept on going and ended up winning an award for best accompanist - whoever said mistakes were a bad thing?

The weirdest gig I ever went to was definitely a Marilyn Manson concert. I don’t think I need to say anything more!

4. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given related to music?

Music has so many incredible benefits, but to summarise some of the advice I’ve been given, it is this: that music, as a creative tool, and in all its forms (listening, playing, practicing, creating, studying, however you use it) is an amazing way to keep your mental health balanced.

5. Why do you think people should come and learn at Maxx Music?

Our music school caters to so many types of musicians - different ages, skill levels, genres and styles, from kindergarten through to university, so many different instruments, improvisation, theory, exams, composition, electronics, workshops, and if I keep going I’ll never stop writing! Our teachers are multi skilled, real world musicians, who practice hard and have a passion not only for teaching, but for learning more about music themselves.