Jo Barwick

Jo Barwick received her BA in Acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.  She spent 6 years as a professional actor (She played, amongst other things, Dr Faustus at the Jan Hus Playhouse, NY City, Lesley in Her Big Chance, Talking Heads, Boston, MA, Faith in Kindertransport at the New Rep Theatre, MA and she also toured War Music around the UK and US with Verse Theatre Manhattan, as well as work as a Voice over artist in New York City and Boston.)

However, her first work experience was working in a creche for ILEA and her first professional training was the PPA Foundation course to set up a run a playgroup. Throughout her career she kept feeling pulled back to work with children so while she was applying to adopt two little girls, she decided to retrain at Goldsmiths as an Early Years Specialist (PGCE Primary Education). A few years in to her work as a Primary school Nursery teacher she wanted to expand her Early Years skills and so attended the Steiner Kindergarten Teacher Training and Montessori Seminars to enrich her work and also to explore alternatives beyond the mainstream.   She was introduced to Colourstrings Music Kindergarten and found it to be musically technical while at the same time reaching deeply into our natural human connection to music.  These were the most ‘early years’ based music classes she had ever come across, so she decided to train in it!   Now a mother, she was seeking more flexibility in work, so she started her own business; A day of Sky, Colourstrings Music. She has been pleased to work closely with others on the Conservatoire team to deliver a program of training to nursery practitioners. Jo says that Music teaching work is the most joy-filled and fulfilling work she has ever done (apart from being a mother!). It feeds the creative actor/musician in her and she revels in creating an environment where the children’s growth and imagination is nourished. She enjoys working closely with the parents in her baby and toddler classes, and it is such a joy to be part of the Little Maestro children’s musical and social first steps as independent learners.