Since mid-2024 our adult autistic daughter has been having 1:1 weekly music sessions with Annie Fletcher from Music Connection Melbourne.
We have been very impressed with the way Annie has designed a flexible and highly individualised program that meets our daughter’s goals.
To the outsider these sessions may look like the goal is simply music-making in a wide variety of forms. However, the rhythm-making, singing and instrumentation are importantly providing our daughter with a way to: build her confidence; practice communicating with others; express herself more clearly; gain more independence in making choices; and learn ways to stay on task.
We highly commend Annie and her impactful teaching approach.
We are very happy with what you bring to the table for our son. We have always believed he has a great knack for music, rhythms, and imitating tunes and wanted a teacher with experience in special needs to help channel his interest into a life skill or even a meaningful hobby. With your lessons, we found exactly that. Although we are not able to practice much outside sessions, we can see our son showing a surge in his musical ability. We see him imitate and humming random songs and tunes all the time. We also think a variety of instruments and the flexibility that you approach your lessons with work a treat as it keeps him interested and always looking forward to engaging in the lessons! Thank you for all the planning and hard work you put towards the lessons!
My name is Carole Adins and I have been a student in Annie Fletcher’s drumming group for over 11 years. I now live in a small retirement village with my husband Alf. I am vision impaired with macular degeneration and have lost most of my sight over the past three or four years. That has not stopped me from drumming and it is a very enjoyable session each week, which continued right through the lockdowns on Zoom. I am 78 years of age and my husband Alf is 86. Age does not come into drumming at all, and we really have enjoyed it all through the learning stages and the ‘jam’ sessions when we can make our own music, which we do on the last session each term. There are people of all ages in our group and many of them have become friends over the years. It is fun and enjoyable and easy to learn and it is your own expression that you are giving. There is also lots of laughter and it has been a joy to participate each week at Allwood House, Hurstbridge.
Wow, what great fun it is to do a class with Annie
From complex rhythms to fun body percussion and voice.
I have performed in Annie’s ensemble at many community events, she has a way of making us all feel comfortable and welcome.
In my professional career I have worked as a disability instructor for over 20 years and have seen many people with disabilities and health challenges take part in music tuition with Annie. It has been a joy to see people play with confidence and a sense of achievement and belonging under Annie’s careful guidance.
Annie is a gem her teaching style is flexible and inclusive.
Annie has the annoying habit of bringing out the best in her students. She does this by working out very quickly how each one learns best and tailors her lessons accordingly. Her classes are always full of laughs and learning. Outstanding teacher. Oh, and anyone that can get me to sing in public, in a foreign language, has got to be doing something right.
I had no idea when I started online lessons with Annie what I would actually achieve. I thought I would do a basic beat and find it all too hard. Instead, I have committed for over a year to book in for the highlight of my week. Annie is patient and passionate and allows the student to have input or preferences. She adapts her extensive drumming and music theory to what the student needs. She wraps it all up with friendship, mirth and concern for success in one bundle. Not only can I now drum, but I am familiar with so many music genres. I travel from Africa to Latin America in one session. She is highly professional and her knowledge is endless. Such a dream to achieve this level of success on zoom. To say I highly recommend Annie goes without saying. Those who cross her path are the lucky ones, as she is a rare find.
Annie’s on-line djembe lessons are pure joy! She brings immense experience and talent to her teaching always ensuring that the material we cover develops my skills and abilities and challenges me to improve. I am left with a real sense of achievement after each of our sessions.
I have been impressed by the effort Annie puts into preparing lessons and structuring them to consolidate what has been learnt. Over the years, I’ve had many music and dance lessons on-line but never enjoyed them as much as I do with Annie.
I’ve been a student of Annie’s for over ten years and I have learned to play Djembe, Dunumba and Darbuka which I have enjoyed immensely. In that time, I’ve been able to progress with lots of encouragement from Annie and discovered that I really love playing duns. I’ve had private duns lessons with Annie when I’ve been ready to fast track my progress and am comfortable now when we have performances. I’ve also had online sessions with Annie over the years and am pleased to say that they also helped when I needed that one on one and couldn’t get there in person. Overall, it’s been a lot of fun and I’ve learned heaps.
This is my third term with Annie, I had for years seen her flyer about town and wanted to take lessons, but never found the time. I felt a bit intimidated by the thought of it all, but after the covid shakeup I took the plunge and it’s been amazing. Annie is an absolute legend, her encouragement and true enthusiasm for the music and the drum is contagious. She has knack for making you enjoy yourself, even when you know you’ve got the beat mixed up. Her genuine passion for teaching and sharing her joy of music makes for a great class. She not only gets you feeling the beat but explains how to make the beat sound better through proper technique- all the while having a good time. Annie’s classes are such a welcoming experience, learning the drum is truly awesome.
Thanks for being a fabulous teacher
Annie is a zoom master. She is able to adapt the settings to make the drumming accessible and achievable. In between sharing screens and recording our sessions, she is able to take notes of personal interests. When I next log on, she has a swag of ideas and rhythms that compliment my needs. Highly organized and perceptive. Best part being I don’t need to leave the house and battle the traffic. Totally brilliant.
Thank you for holding such a safe and supportive space 🙂💜
Hi Annie
Thank you for the lovely feedback and observations of papa.
I can see how much he enjoys it and his brain seems more lit up in the hours after the session 🙂
Thank you for your patience and encouragement which leaves me space to have fun in your classes. Always enjoyable.