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Louise Bell, owner of Sweet Symphony School of Music

Hi! I’m Louise and I’m the founder of Sweet Symphony School of Music.

Sweet Symphony’s aim is to give people from all social, economic and academic backgrounds access to professional, affordable music tuition. We’ve been around for over 13 years now and that aim is still as relevant today as when I first started.

Let me tell you a little bit about us…


The story of Sweet Symphony

2006
Sweet Symphony is born
Sweet Symphony Piano & Keyboard Tuition Logo

Sweet Symphony started off when I left university and decided to follow my love of music by becoming a Piano Teacher. I’d already been teaching part-time for several years, and I felt it was the right time to fully throw myself into the job. I joined Sunderland Local Authority as a peripatetic teacher and each week I visited several primary and secondary schools in the Tyne and Wear area, teaching both Piano and Keyboard to Students from age 5 through to 16. On an evening, I built up an ever-growing base of Students of all ages, and would spend nights travelling from home to home for lessons.

Exam Results 2006

Grade 1

Piano (PASS x2)

2010
Our First Concert

We held our first Christmas concert in the school hall at our teaching venue Wessington Primary School. Our concerts would become an annual event and are just as popular today with all of our Students and their families.

Exam Results 2010

Grade 7

Piano (PASS)


Grade 5

Theory (PASS)

2012
Exam Results 2012

Grade 2

Theory (DISTINCTION x2, MERIT)


Grade 1

Theory (DISTINCTION)

2013
Exam Results 2013

Grade 4

Theory (PASS)


Grade 3

Theory (PASS x2)


Grade 2

Theory (DISTINCTION, PASS x2)


Grade 1

Theory (MERIT, PASS)

2014
Looking for a home

After several years of hard work building up a great network of Students, I reached a point where there just weren’t enough hours in the day! It was time to look for a permanent home for Sweet Symphony…

Exam Results 2014

Grade 5

Piano (PASS)


Grade 4

Keyboard (DISTINCTION)

Piano (MERIT, PASS)

Theory (PASS x2)


Grade 3

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT, PASS x2)


Grade 2

Keyboard (DISTINCTION, PASS x2)

Piano (MERIT, PASS x5)


Grade 1

Piano (MERIT, PASS x3)


Initial Grade

Keyboard (MERIT)

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT x2, PASS x4)

2015
Our New Home

Sweet Symphony Teaching Room (1)

I moved to our current location in Speculation House, Washington where I began by renting just one small room among several other businesses in the building. Being permanently based in one location enabled me to ensure that all of my teaching supplies were always at hand, and meant I could offer more flexibility with lesson availability.

Exam Results 2015

Grade 6

Piano (PASS)


Grade 5

Keyboard (MERIT)

Theory (PASS)


Grade 4

Piano (PASS x2)

Theory (PASS)


Grade 3

Keyboard (DISTINCTION)

Piano (MERIT, PASS)

Theory (PASS)


Grade 2

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT, PASS x2)


Grade 1

Keyboard (DISTINCTION)

Piano (DISTINCTION x2, PASS x5)


Initial Grade

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT x3, PASS)

2016
Beginning to grow…

As Student numbers continued to grow, I made the decision to take on a few extra pairs of hands in the form of new Piano Teachers. Sweet Symphony was now more than just me – we were a team!

Change of Name

Sweet Symphony School of Music

 

As we began plans to offer tuition in several instruments other than piano/keyboard, we decided that a slight change of name was in order. Sweet Symphony Piano & Keyboard Tuition became known as Sweet Symphony School of Music.

Un-Limited Potential

I made the switch from being a sole trader to becoming a Limited Company – Sweet Symphony Ltd. was born.

Exam Results 2016

Grade 6

Keyboard (MERIT)


Grade 5

Piano (DISTINCTION, PASS)

Theory (PASS)


Grade 4

Keyboard (MERIT)

Piano (MERIT, PASS)


Foundation Certificate

Keyboard (PASS)


Grade 3

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT x4, PASS x2)

Theory (MERIT)


Grade 2

Keyboard (MERIT)

Piano (MERIT x2, PASS x3)

Theory (DISTINCTION)


Grade 1

Piano (MERIT x4, PASS)


Initial Grade

Piano (DISTINCTION x4, MERIT x5, PASS)

2017

Best Music schools in Sunderland

Taking Over

Sweet Symphony School of Music is located at Speculation House, Speculation Place, Washington, Tyne and Wear NE37 2AP

 

In March 2017 Sweet Symphony Ltd. took over the lease of the entire of Speculation House. This huge expansion meant we were able to start offering a whole range of other instrument tuition including Singing, Violin, Flute and Saxophone Lessons.

Became a Registered Trinity Exam Centre

Our application to be a registered Trinity exam centre was approved, meaning we could hold all of our exams right here in the Sweet Symphony studio – great news for our Students!

Newsworthy results

 

We held our first Studio exam session and achieved a fantastic 100% pass-rate for all of our Students. News of our success spread quickly and we were featured in the local news.

Exam Results 2017

Grade 6

Piano (MERIT x2, PASS)


Grade 5

Keyboard (PASS)

Piano (PASS)


Grade 4

Keyboard (PASS x2)

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT, PASS)


Grade 3

Keyboard (PASS)

Piano (MERIT x2, PASS x2)

Theory (MERIT x2)


Grade 2

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT x2, PASS x2)


Grade 1

Keyboard (MERIT)

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT x3, PASS x4)

Theory (DISTINCTION)


Initial Grade

Piano (DISTINCTION x5, MERIT x2, PASS x4)

2018

Best Music schools in Sunderland

Sunderland Portfolio Awards Finalist

Sweet Symphony School of Music was a finalist in the 2018 Sunderland Echo Portfolio Awards

 

We were a finalist in the 2018 Sunderland Echo Portfolio Awards for Business Education of the Year

Exam Results 2018

Grade 5

Flute (MERIT)

Keyboard (MERIT x2)

Theory (PASS x2)


Grade 4

Flute (PASS)


Grade 3

Piano (PASS)

Singing (DISTINCTION)


Grade 2

Keyboard (DISTINCTION)

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT x3, PASS)

Theory (MERIT)


Grade 1

Guitar (DISTINCTION)

Keyboard (MERIT)

Piano (DISTINCTION x3)

Saxophone (DISTINCTION)

Singing (MERIT x2)

Theory (DISTINCTION, PASS)


Initial Grade

Guitar (DISTINCTION, MERIT, PASS)

Piano (DISTINCTION x3, MERIT x7, PASS x2)

2019

Best Music schools in Sunderland

Tyne & Wear Business Awards Finalist

Sweet Symphony School of Music was a finalist in the 2019 Tyne & Wear Business Awards

 

We were a finalist in the 2019 Tyne & Wear Business Awards for Best Training & Education.

Building for the future

It was only a matter of time before we outgrew our teaching space! So we undertook some building work in the Studio and built another teaching room. We also added another instrument to our long list of lessons offered – Drums!

Exam Results 2019

Grade 6

Piano (PASS x2)


Grade 4

Guitar (DISTINCTION)

Keyboard (PASS)

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT x2, PASS)


Grade 3

Piano (DISTINCTION, MERIT x3, PASS x4)

Violin (MERIT)


Grade 2

Guitar (DISTINCTION, MERIT)

Piano (DISTINCTION, PASS x2)

Ukulele (DISTINCTION x2)


Grade 1

Guitar (DISTINCTION x2, MERIT x2)

Piano (DISTINCTION x12, MERIT x3)

Singing (DISTINCTION)

Theory (MERIT)

Violin (MERIT, PASS x2)


Initial Grade

Guitar (MERIT)

Piano (MERIT x4, PASS x3)

Violin (MERIT)


Step 1

Ukulele (DISTINCTION)

2020

Best Music schools in Sunderland

Best of Sunderland Business Awards 2020 Finalist

Sweet Symphony School of Music was a finalist in the Best of Sunderland Business Awards 2020

 

We were thrilled to discover that we are a finalist in the Best of Sunderland Business Awards 2020. The final is in March – fingers crossed!

Spreading the Word

At the beginning of 2020, we caught the eye of a local paper who wrote an article about our growing Studio.

Returning To The Studio – Socially-Distanced!

Social distancing was implemented in the Sweet Symphony Studio when we returned after lockdown.

 

When lockdown was eased, we were able to return to the Studio for face-to-face lessons once again. We’d put into place lots of protective measures for our Students and staff, including hand-sanitising stations, clear screens in rooms, maximising the distance between instruments in each room, and social-distancing stickers everywhere!

North England Prestige Awards 2020 Winner

Sweet Symphony was awarded "Music School of the Year" at the 2020 North England Prestige Awards

We were awarded the title of “Music School of the Year” in the 2020 North England Prestige Awards. Wow!

Best Of Sunderland Business Awards 2020 Winner

Sweet Symphony won the award of "Best Community Spirit" at the 2020 Best of Sunderland Business Awards

 

Due to Covid, the awards evening for the Best of Sunderland Business Awards was first delayed and then, unfortunately, cancelled. But the results were announced and we were delighted to have won our category – Best Community Spirit!

Exam Results 2020

Grade 7

Piano (PASS)


Grade 6

Keyboard (PASS)


Grade 5

Guitar (DISTINCTION)

Piano (PASS x3)


Grade 4

Musical Theatre (MERIT)

Piano (DISTINCTION x4, MERIT)


Grade 3

Guitar (MERIT)

Piano (DISTINCTION x3)

Ukulele (DISTINCTION)


Grade 2

Guitar (PASS)

Piano (DISTINCTION x3, MERIT, PASS)

Singing (MERIT x2, PASS)

Violin (MERIT)


Grade 1

Guitar (DISTINCTION, MERIT x3)

Musical Theatre (DISTINCTION)

Piano (DISTINCTION x2, MERIT, PASS x2)

Singing (MERIT, PASS x2)

Ukulele (DISTINCTION)

Violin (DISTINCTION)


Initial Grade

Piano (DISTINCTION)


Step 2

Ukulele (MERIT)

2021

Best Music schools in Sunderland

Battling On, Despite A Pandemic

The Sunderland Echo wrote an article on Sweet Symphony's efforts to survive and thrive during the Covid pandemic.

 

Despite the ongoing Covid pandemic and its economic effects, we managed to continuing battling through. Our Students thrived in their Zoom lessons, and we continued to receive lots of new enquiries every month. Our fight to survive and thrive caught the attention of the local news.


What’s Next For Sweet Symphony?

As 2021 begins after the toughest year we’ve experienced as a business, Sweet Symphony continues to grow; we now have 11 Teachers working Monday-Saturday to provide tuition for over 400 Students each week. Our exam sessions produce consistently-fantastic results and we’re always looking for new ways to provide the best service we possibly can to all of our Students and their families. Come along and see for yourself – we’d love to welcome you to our Studio!

Louise