Preamble is a new music education programme at St John’s Waterloo, designed to introduce young people – especially those with limited access to live music – to the joy of orchestral music and shared music-making. Through a series of interactive workshops, the programme provides an entry point for participants and their families to engage with the rich cultural offerings of the South Bank. It also encourages an interest in music education and instrument learning.
St John’s Waterloo is an established venue for concerts, rehearsals, and music workshops, welcoming both professional and amateur orchestras. Our growing Culture Club has successfully introduced more of our programme to local audiences, offering free access to concerts, shows, and exhibitions – primarily for adults. Inspired by this success, and through ongoing discussions with local partners and Oasis Academy Johanna, we developed Preamble to extend music opportunities to younger audiences.
The programme is built around two key strands:
- Introducing the Orchestra: Launched in October 2024, this series of workshops explores orchestral music through practical activities, including music history, drumming, singing, and composing. Participants also have the rare opportunity to sit in on live orchestral rehearsals at SJW. These workshops are delivered in partnership with Sinfonia Smith Square and Oasis Academy Johanna, a local primary school.
- Music in the Digital Realm: This strand invites young people to create a digital music piece for Waterloo Festival, our annual creative community takeover at SJW. Delivered in partnership with IKLECTIK, the project introduces participants to digital composition and sound design, expanding their creative expression in innovative ways.
Our orchestral workshops are designed and led by Timothy and Alex, experienced and highly skilled music workshop leaders who are alumni of Sinfonia Smith Square. Find out more about them below.
Timothy Keasley
Tim Keasley is a creative workshop leader, presenter, and oboist. He regularly leads creative projects for Wigmore Hall, the Royal Academy of Music, RCM Sparks, Mish Mash Productions and Music at Oxford working in schools, care homes and early years settings. He has presented family concerts at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre, Wigmore Hall, and across the country with Street Orchestra Live in train stations, prisons, parks and libraries.
Tim has played as Principal Oboe with English Touring Opera, Oxford Philharmonic and Southbank Sinfonia and has also been broadcast as a concerto soloist on BBC Radio 3.
Alex Fryer
Alex Fryer is a versatile musician and a passionate music educator who enjoys a varied freelance career as a workshop leader/presenter, conductor, oboist and singer. Alex studied at The Royal College of Music, and the University of Southampton. He has worked on education projects with organisations such as the Royal Opera House, Sinfonia Smith Square (formerly Southbank Sinfonia), Cambridge Youth Opera and The Bridge at Waterloo. Alex trained in education and participation work on the Pathway Scheme with Wigmore Hall Learning and on the Trainee Music Leader Scheme with Spitalfields Music. Alex currently coaches young musicians with the Music in Secondary Schools Trust.
In 2019 Alex joined Sinfonia Smith Square as an oboist for a year-long orchestral fellowship, which included performances at the BBC Proms and broadcasts on BBC Radio 3. He is the Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Academy of St Mary-le-Bow and a regular guest conductor with the Hertfordshire Chamber Orchestra. Alex works as a freelance tenor, singing with various professional groups and has lectured on conducting and choral/ensemble singing at the University of Winchester.
This project is supported by Sinfonia Smith Square and funded by Scops Arts Trust, helping us bring the power of music to the next generation.
