Sarah Baker

I am passionate about music and arts education and believe that the performing arts uniquely support children's educational success and achievement. I love music from many genres and write music to encourage and support learning, as well as to simply listen to and enjoy.

I specialise in conducting and leading choirs with particular expertise in Key Stages 1 and 2 and have worked in many schools in Birmingham in a broad variety of social and cultural contexts since 1996.

I have a thriving private piano teaching business, with pupils from six years to mature adults, from beginners to diploma level. This includes teaching theory and aural at all levels and working as an examiner for ABRSM. I also regularly accompany candidates for instrumental exams and organise biannual student concerts.

I am the Vocal Composer in Residence for Services for Education Music Services and compose songs and musicals for primary schools and massed-choral events. I have also worked extensively on compositions and arrangements for pre-school music and movement classes, producing the curriculum CDs for Musicshakers.

My Expertise

  • Published composer
  • Music tutor for over 30 years
  • ABRSM examiner since 2017
  • 30 years with Services for Education
  • BMus (Hons)
  • MA, Music Perfomance
  • Associate Diploma of Birmingham Conservatoire

Work, Expertise and Skills

  • Vocal Composer in Residence, Services for Education Music Services

  • Examiner for ABRSM since 2017

  • Composer, producer and arranger

  • Peripatetic and classroom music teacher

  • Conductor, primary and secondary school choirs

  • 2 years' experience as tutor, Birmingham Schools Singers

  • Piano and vocal specialist teaching, including theory

  • Accompanist

  • Vocal coach for workplace singing events

Compositions

2023

  • Splash all the Colours

    A feel-good song for younger singers, inspired by the Hindu Festival of Colours. Composed for SFE vocal department to share in Birmingham schools. YouTube

  • What's Going To Happen When King Charles Is Crowned?

    A Coronation song for younger singers to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. Composed for SFE vocal department to share in Birmingham schools. YouTube

  • Coronation!

    A Coronation song to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. Composed for SFE vocal department to share in Birmingham schools. YouTube

2022

  • Splash Around Some Colour!

    Song composed for the Festival of Colours, or Holi. Written originally for SFE. YouTube

  • Let Light Shine

    Song for young choirs on the theme of light, inspired by the festival of Diwali. Written for SFE vocal department to be used in Birmingham schools. YouTube

  • The Blossom Dances

    Soul Song written to celebrate a significant birthday

  • Through The Valleys

    Soul Song inspired by the life story of a remarkable man

  • Two Become One

    Soul Song to commemorate the anniversary of a much loved wife and friend

  • Live As One

    Song for choirs, on the theme of neighbourliness, friendship and community, written for national charity, As One

  • Come Together Everybody

    Song for choirs in parts, using themes of strength in diversity and togetherness, written for the Services For Education Youth Prom concert, celebrating the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

2021

  • Who Am I?

    Piano solo, using voiceless song idea.

  • Hope Peace Joy

    Christmas choral piece in parts, written for Services For Education

  • Sunlight Dancing Through Autumn Leaves

    Piano Solo, completing a series of four pieces in my collection Seasonal Impressions

  • Waves on a pebble shore

    Piano solo

  • Shalom Quest

    Theme music for new online teaching series, commissioned by Anvil Trust

  • A Reflection of Ida

    Private commission. Ballet music in the style of the early 1900s. Piano solo, with orchestrated midi recording.

  • Thankful For This New Day

    Song with two-part chorus. Performed in the Services for Education Music Services online Spring Concert series in March.

  • Colours of Spring

    Piano solo

2020

  • Snow Gently Falling

    Piano solo, dedicated to Yuki Negishi

  • Easter Experience

    Trailer soundtrack for Crossteach and Discipleship Tech

  • 5 original songs for the Services For Education online resources platform for use in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Day Time Impressions

    To be published by Forsyths, a collection of ten short pieces for piano, inspired by childhood memories.

  • Night Time Impressions

    To be published by Forsyths, a collection of eight pieces for solo piano.

  • Transformations

    Six pieces for piano solo reflecting on the changing emotions and circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Superhero!

  • Connecting

    Two instrumental pieces to provide a framework for classroom composition work, commissioned by West Midlands Music. These pieces were written specifically for use in the classroom post Covid-19 lockdown, to ensure that composition could take place in an environment where singing and shared instrumental work could be difficult. The pieces are clearly structured and provided with a detailed plan of what could be added/improvised by pupils in the classroom.

  • Published by Starshine Music, this highly relevant, heart-warming and entertaining musical captures the spirit of the times, being about a young person determined to make a difference in the face of climate change.

  • Jesus Shalom

    Bespoke instrumental theme for Anvil Trust podcast

  • Hey You! Many Voices Sing As One

    An instrumental and choral piece commissioned by Services For Education Music Service for the Youth Proms 50th birthday celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2020. The piece was written for 700 young people, both instrumentalists and singers, and took the theme of a journey through Birmingham to highlight the different ensembles and music making that SFE young people do within the city. Unfortunately Covid-19 meant that the piece has yet to be performed, but we are hopeful that it will be used at a later date.

2019

  • Speedy the Tadpole longs to sing with the froggy chorus and discovers that we can all do something when we try. A musical inspired by childhood memories of pond watching and summer evenings in the garden.

  • A collection of 12 original songs in parts for 7-13s. The songs are inspired by seasonal themes and singing in community.

  • Song written for SFE's Primary Choirs for the Prom celebration concerts at Symphony Hall in July. The song was inspired by Birmingham's Permission To Smile campaign.

  • These booklets are the first in a number of song collections for SoundTots, the SFE's pioneering music programme for Early Years. The songs are simple to learn and with opportunity for children to add their own ideas, supporting language development and communication skills.

  • Bournville Village Primary school song

    A bespoke song to celebrate the combining of the infant and junior schools in Bournville Village.

  • Vocal Workshops for PWC

    Delivery of a series of vocal workshops for the senior leadership team at PWC, Birmingham, as a team building experience.

2018

  • A dream comes true for one little caterpillar. A summer musical for 4-7 years.

  • Song in two parts for the Primary Choir at the SFE Youth Proms at Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

  • There Is A Stream

    Choral song, written for Alvechurch Community Choir to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War One.

2017

2016

  • Self-published on tes.com

  • Arts Mark Pollination Project

    Delivery and planning of a series of 10 composition workshops at Bournville Primary School for year 5 pupils, leading to an Arts Mark Award.

  • Song for the Primary Choir at the SFE Youth Proms at Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

2015

2014

  • Metamorphosis and Easter’s Coming!

    in the compilation book Songs For All Seasons published by Starshine Music

  • Prince of Peace and Give A Little Love

    in the compilation book Here Comes Christmas Published by Starshine Music

  • A Christmas Nativity Musical published by Starshine Music.

  • Together and I Will Sing A Song

    Commissioned by the West Midlands Singing Consortium for use in February 2014 for Music Mark Midlands Singing day

2010–15

2013

2012

  • I established my account on Tes.com this year with a song written specifically for the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations. Since then I have added over 50 resources for use by the teaching community which have been viewed and downloaded over 96k times.

2011

  • Early Years Music project with World's End Nursery school, Quinton.

    A workshop-style music course for Foundation stage pupils, jointly developed and delivered with Musicshakers.

Biography

Music has been in my family for many generations.

My great-grandmother was a pianist for silent movies and my grandparents, aunts and uncles, parents, cousins, brothers and sister all sing or play an instrument.

I started composing when I was about eight, having had piano lessons for a couple of years. I still remember my first piece now, based on a broken chord pattern and repetitive melody. Many hours of my childhood was spent playing duets with a friend, and then as a young teenager I started to write songs that I often sang in our local church services.

My first experience of recording for film came when I was sixteen. My Dad had made an animated video that was published by the Bible Society and I did all the background music and songs on a keyboard in one of our bedrooms at home. I loved the creativity and was totally absorbed in it all.

From 1991-1994 I took a Bmus degree at Birmingham University and studied piano with Alison Pottinger at the Birmingham Conservatoire. During these three years I specialised in performance, electronic composition and orchestration, going on to do a Masters in Performance Studies at the Birmingham Conservatoire from 1995-1997. During this time I performed in master classes, including those with Peter Donohoe and Philip Martin, and was a finalist in several competitions.

I have now worked in music education for over twenty years and have gradually developed my skills as a composer. The Music Shakers CD project was a great opportunity to try new styles and technologies, and I am really pleased to have worked with Starshine Music, Out of The Ark Music and Edgy Productions more recently. My latest piano compositions will be available through Forsyths later in the year.

I became Vocal Composer in Residence for Services for Education Music Services in 2012. Since then I have written commissions and regularly write songs for the Primary Choir which sings in the end of year Youth Prom concerts at Symphony Hall. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear over five hundred children singing together in one of the UK's best concert venues.

It is a privilege to be a musician and to be able to share my music with others in so many different ways. I hope you enjoy exploring the site and listening to my music.