Hello 2025…….I’m Back!!!!

Hello 2025!

I’m back!!!!

Hello all, I hope that you are well and happy.

I am just updating my socials as I had to take leave from them due to some highly emotive personal things that developed from March 2023. Some great, some not so great. All incredibly life changing.

I just did not have the emotional space left to share my music far and wide. I did however, keep performing, but a bit more under the radar.

Add to all of this emotional upheaval, I moved house, again 🙂

So here goes, a bit of a list of what I’ve been up to musically and also to let you know that I am back and available for performances on piano, keyboards, sax, singing, songwriting and a new show that I am working on, on guitar…rock favourites from the ’70s up. Think, The Joker, Ring of Fire, Jolene, and Time of Your Life…Greenday Of course I am always available for tuition in many different genres etc and accompaniment.

One of my favourite things that I started last year was a Singing Group…The Accapella Good Vibes Singing Group…not a choir.

Why not a choir you ask?

Because I know that there are many people missing out on the joys of singing in a group because

a. they can’t sing…NOT TRUE! NOT TRUE!

b. they don’t know how to read music.

It is a lovely group of about 15 people and the group is all about singing and happiness and inclusivity.

We’ve had people from 5 months old to 98 years old turn up with our 98 year old friend singing a solo song that was pitch, word and emotionally beautiful. We were all in tears at the end of it. He had never sang in public before. It was amazing. Another amazing thing is that I got people to write down 2 lines of what makes them happy and I turned it into a beautiful song of which we are going to go into a professional music studio in April and record. I will then make a you tube clip for the group. So exciting and beautiful to watch it grow.

I did a concert with the fabulous Greg Sheehan in July 2023. We did our seperate shows and also collaborated together on some different musical pieces. One of my favourites was playing an encore combing piano with his wind up toy playing Fur Elise…it was a hoot and everyone was amazed and laughing…a great way to end a show.

I also collaborated with the amazing Ian Jefferson who writes and gets large groups of NSW students performing at the Opera House and the Department Of Education.

We worked together on a tour of the Northern Regions of NSW in February and a Compass Workshop at Coffs Harbour in June, 2024.

With my ongoing brain injury, it is always my most difficult task to “read the dots” as an accompanist so I have to lock myself away and keep emotionally and physically well to be able to achieve the high standard of playing expected of me…plus I’m definitely not allowed improvise!

In January of 2024 , I was invited by UMBL Music to perform on their outdoor stage, an original set, which I loved. You can see some of the songs on youtube https://youtu.be/2BGU7sGH0uc?si=RoFT0dZ5sVPBpjmi

I ,of course , have been teaching a variety of instruments and songwriting, AMEB Theory exams and 7th and 8th Grade classical students.

The other day I had an interesting encounter with a former flute student.

I had noticed an unusual noise coming from her throat through her instrument when she played. I said ” I would get that checked out if I were you”, which she did. Luckily. As it turned out to be a 16cm cubed growth pushing against her trachea and wrapping around her collarbone! She had taken her flute along to the doctors to let them hear what I could hear and then has spent the last 12 months being operated on and recovering! I know that I have influenced many lives over the years through music in a positive way because of all of the lovely feedback that I received but I feel that this was next level.

For those who don’t know, I am a self taught musician. During covid, I decided to study for my Bachelor of Music. I got 96% on the theory entry exam and performed Night And Day…improvisation and sang and performed my original Hear My Voice. This Semester I gained a Distinction in my Jazz Studies. I can only manage to study 1 subject at a time due to my TBI. I was kicking myself that I was 3 marks off a high distinction, but, unfortunately, I’d had a PTSD breakdown due to something that happened in my own home, my safe space, which dramatically effected me for a few weeks thus reducing my capacity to study.

I also joined a fabulous New Orleans horn section called Horns Of Boom . We played at Harmony Day and a few festivals and street parades. It was much fun!

This year I was also invited to perform at Coffs Regional Conservatorium on several occasions including the 40th anniversary gala. I played over 2 evenings culminating in performing and singing 2 of my original songs at the Gala. I also got to perform several times over the year along side my colleagues, the last time was December 14th where i performed and recorded a beautiful Debussy piece called Reverie…gorgeous.

And I ended 2024 by playing Saxophone on Xmas day for a Birthday present ( no it wasn’t jesus) and I was engaged to play some lovely piano at a private function on xmas day to keep the ex’s from fighting, which worked!

Anyway, I’m sure that there are other bits and peices that I’ve missed but the main message that I want to get across today …is…I’m Back!!!!

So see you somewhere doing something musical!

Yours In Music, Heather Rose