Christine Bates

The Experience of the Undergraduate (Trainee) Community Musician

Christine Bates is currently Senior Lecturer in Community Music at Leeds College of Music where she is responsible for the coordination of the modules in Community Music.

She currently holds a Development Award from PALATINE for her research into the development of a pedagogical model for enabling creativity in community music activities. The research involves collaboration with a wide range of organisations including BBC Proms Family Orchestras Project, Opera North, The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, The Sage Gateshead and members of the Community Musicians’ organisation Sound Sense.

Christine’s previous research has focused on engaging whole families in music making and she convened and chaired the symposium The Importance and Vitality of Family Music Making at Leeds College of Music in November 2010.

After graduating with a BMus from University of Wales, Bangor, Christine went onto graduate with an MA focusing on composition from Durham University where she also trained as a teacher. She then embarked on a career in secondary music education whilst becoming active training children’s choirs, performing with them across the UK and Europe.  Christine still regularly leads vocal workshops with children on the North East Coast and is a vocal coach for Stagecoach. Christine has an involvement in the Breeze has Talent project, sponsoring young people in the arts, run by Leeds City Council.

Christine is a member of the National Association of Music Educators and Sound Sense.