Rachel

Hi there! I am a tutor in Music, Music History and History. I completed my undergraduate degree in Music at the University of Cambridge, receiving a First Class Honours. I have recently completed a Masters in History at King's College London, achieving a Distinction result. I specialise in tutoring History, Music and Music History, and it is my teaching mission to share the skills and knowledge I have acquired throughout studies with younger pupils, in order to help them achieve their academic targets and to expand their writing, critical thinking and analytical skills.

During my music degree at Cambridge, I specialised mostly in music history and reception theory- from wide-ranging studies covering many musical periods (from the medieval and renaissance periods to the nineteenth and twentieth century) to more specific studies on the reception of particular works (for example Bizet's 'Carmen' in the context of nineteenth-century France, and Brahms's 'Ein Deutsches Requiem' in the context of nineteenth-century Germany). Moreover, I wrote two First-Class dissertations, one of which focused on the reception history of Verdi's 'La traviata' in Paris and London, and the other of which focused on a study of the afterlife of Puccini's 'La bohème' - with a particular focus on how societal interpretations of the concept of 'bohemianism' have affected various adaptations of Puccini's work. I have also studied music psychology, ethnomusicology, musical analysis and tonal skills.

This year, I have recently completed a Masters in Modern History. One of my modules focused on the imperial history of Britain – focusing on its rise to colonial power, and subsequently on the period of decolonisation. Another module focused on the conceptual and philosophical frameworks of knowledge, situated within the history of science, technology and medicine. As well as this, I undertook two modules from the early-modern history department, exploring ethnic prejudices, civil rights, and changing perceptions of the body between 1500 and 1850. I also studied two theoretical modules (Advanced Skills for Historians and Historical Methods) which provided great insight into historiography, and of which would be great use to pupils looking to study History at undergraduate level.

I am passionate about education, history, and music, and aim to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with younger pupils looking to progress in their studies.

Tutoring Experience

Working with young people is something I have always been passionate about. From coaching younger students in my school's choir to being a French mentor in sixth form (as a student studying AS level French, I tutored younger GCSE-level pupils over school lunch times), I have always enjoyed using my skills and experience to help others progress. At university, I helped with many outreach events, volunteering at taster-day workshops, which were designed as lecture and seminar sessions which aimed to provide an insight into university-level teaching. Meeting prospective students at college open days and answering any questions they had about university life was also a great way to meet younger university applicants. I wish to use the skills that I have acquired and that have allowed me to achieve my academic goals to help pupils of all ages and academic levels to achieve their personal goals, and to progress their learning through providing individual and specialist support.

Tutoring Approach

I tutor in History and Music History, as well as offering tutoring in Study Skills. This includes tutoring in areas such as good essay practice, the development of analytical thought, as well as offering support for the writing of personal statements for university applications, and providing advice and practice for interviews (particularly important for those wishing to apply to Oxford and Cambridge).

Each tutoring session will be tailored to the individual student, often with some homework or tasks set and marked in advance to discuss during the session. If the student has any written work from school it would be great to discuss this as well. Through focusing both on essay and exam preparation as well as the course content, it is my tutoring aim to help each pupil to progress to a higher level and to excel in their studies. I believe that success in academic essay writing is dependent on three things: the content of an essay, its structure and argument, and the ability to articulate this in intense exam conditions. As such, it is my goal to help pupils in all three of these areas, while at the same time catering to their more individual academic needs. I take a personalised approach in tutoring each pupil, in understanding their needs and in planning a program of study that enables academic success. I am always keen to point students in the direction of extra reading and sources, which is especially relevant to those applying for university and looking to achieve top-marks in their studies.