Meet The Music Teacher #4: Tiernán

The bould Tiernán

leverly bringing together music teachers of all chords and creeds, Darryn and Elaine Scott have high hopes for their Harmonics Music School.

Especially given that everyone involved loves what they do.

Just how much, we decided to find out by asking each of the teachers involved just where their passion for music came from.

And how it got them from getting down in front of their bedroom mirror to teaching classes on Theatre Lane.

Third up to the podium, it’s Tiernán Shortt, who teaches piano, singing and theory…

When did the music bug first bite…?
From an early age I always loved to perform and express myself through music and song. As a child my parents encouraged me to attend piano and drama lessons and I sang in the school choir. These were always my favourite activity during the week. As I got a bit older, I began to perform in musicals where I discovered I could join my two favourite pastimes, music and drama, into one. Since then I have jumped at any opportunity to get on stage and perform. My first big role was as the title character in Bugsy Malone when I was 10, in the then-named Greystones Theatre, which is something I will never forget.

Was there a point when it went from a hobby to a passion, to something you wanted to do for a living?
From the moment I first got on stage all those years ago, I knew that performance and music was my calling. As a teenager I began to take singing lessons with Dara MacMahon who encouraged me to explore some of the classical repertoire. This area of music was something that I really enjoyed and I began to take my singing a lot more seriously, entering competitions such as the Feis Ceoil, completing grade examinations and joining every choir I could in secondary school. All the while I was continuing my piano lessons with Doreen McCormick, which helped to give me a better understanding of music theory and the classical repertoire I was singing, along with the benefits of learning the instrument itself. With the help of my two fantastic teachers, I began studying classical singing and piano in the TU Dublin Conservatory and pursue music as a career.

The fine art of teaching has as a degree of the Yoda about it, given that it involves the passing on of magic, when did you decide to become a Jadoo master?
Music has always been a form of self expression for me and was a fantastic creative outlet for me as a child and teenager. The privilege of being able to pass on my knowledge to students who can gain as much enjoyment and develop their own passion for music has been so fulfilling for me. I decided to specialise in pedagogy in my BMus degree to improve my skills as a teacher and expand my knowledge in the fields of teaching psychology and musical philosophy. The pedagogy modules gave me the opportunity to learn from some of the top music teachers in Ireland and helped develop my own teaching methods and ideologies.

Finally what can students expect from your particular class, what’s your approach?
Students can expect a fun and open environment in my lessons, where they feel comfortable enough to ask questions, explore new ideas and techniques and feel free to express themselves without any judgement. An element of fun will always be at the heart of my lessons but they will also be challenging and productive, so my students can reach their full potential.

You can find out more about the Harmonics Music School on their website here, or contact them directly on [email protected].