Music and drama teacher helps rising stars through lockdown
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A LOCAL independent teacher has been using technology to carry on instruction throughout the coronavirus lockdown.
Heather Hatch of Forres-based singing group Rising Stars and Eden Court Theatre's Stagecoach Theatre Arts has managed to support 20 students aged eight to 18 via online video communications.
She said: "When the lockdown started I was worried about how I was going to keep working with my drama and singing students. I decided to learn how to teach using Zoom. It wasn’t easy but after practising with friends I made it work."
Seven Rising Stars have been able to carry on with singing lessons while 13 Stagecoach students are still acting and singing via video links with Heather.
One of the student's mums said: "Eva has really enjoyed her weekly drama class on Zoom. She thinks Heather is a great teacher and enjoys learning techniques from her while seeing her friends."
Heather also taught an online acting class on behalf of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
She said: "It's been lovely being able to carry on seeing all of my students every week. We have had some really fun, crazy sessions dressing up and performing plays using props from their own homes.
"My drama students have been writing their own lockdown monologues and I’ve been working with my singing students to put together a song."
She added: "I love working for the Theatre School in Inverness so when we had to close in March it was such a shock. I really missed seeing the children.
"It’s difficult to know when our industry will get back to normal. I’m so glad I could keep my pupils going through this tough time."
