LOCAL COMMUNITY MUSICIAN MARKS TEN YEARS OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT
This weekend marked the tenth anniversary of a local musician becoming self-employed.
Sinead Livingston, 34, from Rookhope was introduced to music in the womb when her mother,
Val, continued Irish dancing and playing her bodhran all through the pregnancy. She has lived with
music and dancing all her life and this month celebrates this special anniversary of making that
musical hobby into a paid living.
She was introduced to playing a musical instrument as a primary school pupil in Rookhope School
when she was taught how to play the violin by Mr Hunter from Daddry Shield who was the
peripatetic music teacher. He would attend lessons every week. She also began clog-dancing at that
stage too, taught by Liz Gill who was then a teacher at Wearhead School and she would later go to
Brenda Walker’s Dance School in Langley Moor – and still does most weekends. Sinead was also an
active member of Violet Mann’s Weardale Tappers, performing on stage around the Dale for years.
She had an early love of folksy-type music and although she continued with violin lessons, she
chose to learn how to play the piano and guitar with her teacher being Westgate’s, Paul Bloomfield.
He taught her to play by ear because, as Sinead said herself, passing grades weren’t her cup of tea.
Sinead also joined The Weardale Whackers – a drumming group in the Dale – and attended and
performed many events at The Sage in Gateshead where she became interested in an organisation
there called CoMusica, which is where she would eventually do her work experience as a pupil at
Samuel Kings, Alston.
It was as a pupil at Alston that she applied to take part in a school talent competition and her
parents thought she would play an instrument or do some dancing but they were surprised to find
that she was going to sing instead.
“At that point we had no idea she had a good singing voice, she never sang at home,” said Val.
Sinead did sing and came a close second place. Yes, she COULD sing! She had been involved with
Jackass Youth theatre and Jack Drum Arts from being around 13 yrs old and took part in many of the
performances. She took the lead in a shortened version of La Tosca, which was called “Toscatorio”.
Completing a Performing Arts course at Durham New College, she followed this up with a BA
(Honours) degree in Community Music at Sunderland University. Afterwards, while struggling with
what to do with the degree, she took up a caring job, looking after people in the community as a
travelling carer. Although she was good at it and the clients loved her, she knew that what she really
wanted to do was use her love of music and dance.
Sinead takes up the story in her own words: “I left my job, with no idea of what came next. I just
knew I had to help people via music, and put my degree to good use.”
One of her first ‘unpaid gigs’ was to appear live on ITV’s ‘This Morning’ programme with Phil and
Holly, singing ‘A Golden Coach’ on the occasion of the late Queen Elizabeth becoming the longest
reigning monarch in 2015.
“Over the past ten years I’ve worked with babies, people in care homes, and everyone in between.
I’ve been a singing and dancing chef on the Polar Express,” continued Sinead. “I’ve worked in
primary schools doing song-writing projects. I’ve performed at so many beautiful festivals, met
people from all over the world and shared our love of music.
“I’ve helped HUNDREDS of people find their voice and that never gets old. Seeing people find their
confidence through singing is my favourite thing! I’ve continued learning, joining some really great
networks including The Creative Choir Leader and MDBrunch, through which I’ve found life-long
friends, and furthered my choir leader training.”
Sinead is a very successful Community Musician and Choir Leader, leading eight choirs at the same
time at one stage – she still does lead five. She supported people’s singing through the pandemic –
and lead a choir in Australia for a day! She has led “Find Your Voice” courses and songwriting
courses/workshops with organisations close to her heart such as Jack Drum Arts, The Cultural Spring
and of course The Singing Elf, of which she also became co-leader of Unity Choir.
Sinead continued, “I also had to learn how to use technology, something that does not come
naturally. I’m a “Lady of the court of Lumley” on occasions and love being part of a team there,
singing and serving and swanning about the stage in a big frock!
She said, “There’s a lot of people in Weardale who shaped me into the person and musician I am
today, and I am grateful to them all. Music and arts opportunities are vital for young people, and I
think I was lucky to grow up in a time where there were such opportunities in the dale. I do hope
that’s still the case today!
“I’ve taken my choirs to London to sing at The Tower of London, which was an amazing
experience.”
One of her choirs are the amazing Weardale Warblers who, as their title suggests, are based in
the Dale. One member, Barbara Turnbull, said, “After a lifetime for me of being told ‘shut up you
can’t sing’ -with some justification – Sinead gave me -and most of the Weardale Warblers- the
courage and support to do it anyway.”
Sinead also joined a band Called ‘Driven Serious’ who recorded an album, on which she wrote
some of the songs and helped arrange others. And she says they have lots of fun performing.
“Whether it’s at big festivals, small festivals, six people in the audience, or big audiences, we love
performing. Particular highlights are the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Belladrum Tartan Heart
festival alongside some of my favourite artists.”
She discovered relatively recently that she has learning disabilities and has been navigating that
as well as realising that she is hyper-mobile and her muscles overcompensate so she is often in pain
but that doesn’t stop her – she carries on regardless with true Weardale spirit.
She added, “I wouldn’t be able to do all of this without support from family and friends – my
mum, fiancé Mark, and best friend, Rowanne especially – who often become sound boards and
therapists! It’s not been easy at times, and yes there have been tears and times when I’ve been
pushed to my limits, but it’s all part of life isn’t it?
“I’ll be forever grateful for all these experiences and all the people I’ve met along the way. There
are more brilliant people in the world than bad, doing amazing things every day and we mustn’t lose
sight of that.
“I just love what I do.”
And long may it continue, Sinead, you are an inspiration to others.
