David Barton Music

06/10/2026

I wonder how many other teachers are still teaching from the books they themselves played from? I did this piece for Grade 1 some 30 years ago! 😮🎶😂

06/10/2026

You don't have to teach everyone.

When I started teaching, I accepted every student who enquired. I taught every age and every level, because I was simply grateful to have students!

It took me a long time to realise that my strengths, interests, teaching philosophy and even my energy could all play a part in deciding who was the right fit for my studio.

And something rather interesting happened when I became clearer about that…

My enquiries actually increased.

This week's new entry in The Notebook explores how to attract the right private music students for you - and why you don't have to be everything to everyone.

It's about knowing yourself as a teacher, communicating what matters to you, and giving yourself permission to say "no" when you're not the right teacher for someone.

Because finding the right students isn't just good for us. It's good for them, too.

How to Attract the Right Private Music Students for You is now live over on The Notebook at David Barton Music.

05/10/2026

A beautiful programme of music from Birmingham Bach Choir coming up in November 👇

We're delighted to be presenting a concert jam-packed with beautiful English choral music at St Francis' church, Bournville, at 6pm on Saturday 21 November.

In the words of our conductor, Paul Spicer, 'This concert will be a memorable and moving experience for choir and audience alike. Three titans of the British musical scene in the early 20th century fill this programme: Hubert Parry, Vaughan Williams, and Holst. The two major works are absolute classics of the choral repertory: Parry’s powerful "Songs of Farewell" and Vaughan Williams’s beautiful "Mass in G minor". The whole programme essentially uses two choirs, and the Vaughan Williams adds four soloists to this, creating a rich tapestry of choral sound. Parry’s amazing partsongs have some of the most moving music to be written at this time. To these major works we add Holst’s glorious vocal dance, "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day".'

For more information and to book, see: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-very-english-concert-tickets-1999370668491?aff=oddtdtcreator

05/10/2026

Several David Barton Music students sing with The Palace Singers, and I’m sure this will be another excellent concert 👇

An afternoon of delightful carols in Lichfield CIty centre - break up your Christmas shopping day, and perhaps visit a local restaurant or bar afterwards. And it's free (but donations welcome of course!)

04/10/2026

Just a few hours remaining if you’d like to receive Letters for Your Musical Journey tomorrow morning 👇

Starting on Monday 5th October, I'm going to be sharing a gentle Monday letter by email, with a little encouragement, inspiration and space to reflect ✨

If you're not yet signed up to my mailing list, you can add your name and email address here to receive Letters for Your Musical Journey: https://davidbartonmus.myflodesk.com/lettersforyourmusicaljourney

Monday's letter is already scheduled and I'd love to share it with you ❤️

03/10/2026

A little thank you to everyone who has supported my work by buying me a virtual coffee on Ko-fi.

Whether it has been a one-off coffee or a small monthly contribution, I’m very grateful. It means a great deal to know that the things I write, share and create here are useful, encouraging, or simply resonating with other teachers.

Everything I share is freely available, and these small acts of support help me to keep writing, sharing ideas and quietly growing this work.

Thank you for being part of the journey ❤️

01/10/2026

Starting on Monday 5th October, I'm going to be sharing a gentle Monday letter by email, with a little encouragement, inspiration and space to reflect ✨

If you're not yet signed up to my mailing list, you can add your name and email address here to receive Letters for Your Musical Journey: https://davidbartonmus.myflodesk.com/lettersforyourmusicaljourney

Monday's letter is already scheduled and I'd love to share it with you ❤️

27/09/2026

It was a pleasure to accept my British & International Federation of Festivals 10-year long service award at last night’s Lichfield Festival of Music Festival Concert!

When I took on the role of Secretary in 2016, I’m not entirely sure I knew what I was letting myself in for!

10 years on, it’s been a joy to see the Festival grow - 89% since 2022 - and to be looking forward to our 50th Anniversary in 2027.

In an increasingly artificial and superficial world, live music matters, and the Festival and I remain committed to providing performance opportunities - often for people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access them.

27/09/2026

A big thank you to everyone who has been part of this year’s Lichfield Festival of Music! We look forward to seeing you again on 6th, 13th and 20th November 2027 for our 50th Anniversary! 🎉

🎶 That’s a wrap on the 2026 Lichfield Festival of Music! 🎶

Three Saturdays.

Hundreds of performances.

Performers of all ages travelling from across the region and beyond.

And an enormous amount of music shared, enjoyed and celebrated. ❤️

As we bring the 49th year of the Festival to a close, we wanted to take a moment to say a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has helped make this year’s Festival possible.

🎵 To performers - without you, there simply would be no Festival. Thank you for sharing your music, taking to the stage and giving us so many wonderful performances.

👩‍🏫 To teachers - thank you for all the preparation, encouragement and support you give your students.

🎹 To accompanists - thank you for giving your time and musical expertise to support performers on the day.

❤️ To parents, families and friends - thank you for all the lifts, rehearsals, encouragement, nerves and applause that happen behind the scenes.

🎶 To our British & International Federation of Festivals adjudicators - Sarah Jefferies, Nancy Litten, Kathryn Page and Steven Roberts — thank you for your expertise, encouragement and thoughtful feedback.

🙌 To our stewards and volunteers - and especially the many new stewards who joined us this year - thank you for helping everything run so smoothly.

📸 To Kevin Terry, our Festival Photographer - thank you for capturing the Festival for us.

🏛️ To Wade Street Church - thank you for providing such a welcoming home for this year’s Festival.

🎹 To Vale Pianos and Kawai, thank you for helping us provide the pianos that our performers relied upon throughout the Festival.

And to our wonderful sponsors and supporters — Access Bookings, Chris Melloy Piano Services Ltd, EVC Music, Moseleys Solicitors, The Arts Society: Needwood-Lichfield, all 15 of our trophy sponsors, and Shakespeare in the Park, Lichfield - thank you for your generous support.

Your contributions make a real difference to what we are able to offer.

This has also been a significant year for the Festival itself.

✨ Since 2022, Festival entries have increased by 89%.
✨ For the first time in our history, we expanded to three days of Festival classes.
✨ And our performers have travelled to us from across Staffordshire and the West Midlands, as well as from Cornwall, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Manchester and Derbyshire.

In a world where so much is increasingly experienced through a screen, we think there’s something wonderful about the continuing appetite for live performance, shared experiences and making music together. 🎶

And now we look ahead to something very special…

🎉 2027 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Lichfield Festival of Music! 🎉

We’ll be returning to our traditional November dates:

📅 Saturday 6 November 2027
📅 Saturday 13 November 2027
📅 Saturday 20 November 2027

We’re already beginning to make plans for a very special anniversary year - and we’d love you to be part of it.

For now, though, from all of us at the Lichfield Festival of Music:

Thank you! ❤️

Thank you for performing.
Thank you for supporting.
Thank you for volunteering.
Thank you for listening.
And thank you for helping us keep live music-making at the heart of our community.

See you in 2027! 🎶🎉

25/09/2026

If you’re in or around Lichfield, come and join us for the final day of the 2026 Lichfield Festival of Music! Instrumental classes begin at 10:30am, and the Festival Concert starts at 6:30pm 🎶

🎶 Day 3 of the 2026 Lichfield Festival of Music is TOMORROW! 🎶

After two wonderful Saturdays of music-making, we’re looking forward to welcoming our performers, teachers, families, friends - and members of the general public - for the final day of this year’s Festival!

📍 Wade Street Church, Lichfield
📅 Saturday 26 September
🎻 Instrumental classes
🕥 Classes run from 10:30am-3:05pm
🎶 Festival Concert - 6:30pm

If you’re not performing yourself, why not come along and enjoy some wonderful live music? Everyone is welcome! 🎵

A few reminders for performers:

• Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your class
• The entrance for Festival classes is via Frog Lane (WS13 6HS)
• There is no parking at the church, but several car parks are nearby
• Please remember that photography and filming are not permitted during classes 📵
• Programmes are £3 and day tickets are £5 for adults - available on the door; performers, accompanists and under-18s are free

And then, after the final classes, we’ll be back in the evening for our Festival Concert at 6:30pm - a special celebration of some of the wonderful performances we’ve enjoyed across all three Festival days. ❤️🎶

🎟️ Concert tickets are £7.50 for adults, with under-18s, performers and accompanists FREE.

We’ll be there from 10:15am, ready for the final day of our 2026 Festival.

We can’t wait to welcome you for Day 3 - and to celebrate the Festival with you at the Concert! ❤️🎶