More About Us
The Westport Art & Music School was founded in 2019 by Musician/Artist Laurice Van Den Oosten, a school leaver who wanted to help others find they're calling in life through the arts. Laurice was not a very academic student and felt a huge absence of support for the creative, more hands on students who had no idea how the industry works or where to start. Leaving school, she had no idea what she wanted to do.
"A year of experimentation and finding myself and meeting people like me made me realise what I was good at and what I wanted to do".
The opening of WAMS is solely aimed at providing courses, mentoring and most importantly, jobs to those in the same predicament. Covering 30+ services ages 4yrs-60yrs+ and that's saying something..
"Teaching is such a rewarding job, and I can easily say I now have the career I always dreamed of".
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Sarah Burns
Hi everyone, my name is Sarah. I teach the piano, guitar, ukulele and whistle I first started learning
the guitar when I was eight and continued to play ever since. After starting the guitar, I
learned the piano which has been an amazing experience and the ukelele which I love. I
really enjoy playing music, as it brings such joy and happiness into my life.
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I graduated with a BA in Music and German and am currently working as a Secondary School teacher in Ballinrobe. Throughout my experience in education, I have gained great
knowledge and experience that I look forward in putting into practice. I also look forward in
meeting new students and admiring the progress they make as they aspire to be future musicians.
Sarah is very passionate about helping those with disabilities and learning difficulties, she assists with July Provisions each year and makes a huge effort to be inclusive in her lessons.
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Alex Connor-Wood
Alex is an experienced keyboard/piano player who has performed internationally with many party bands and upcoming artists. He graduated from BIMM Brighton with a 1st class degree in Professional Musicianship, specialising in music teaching practice.
Alex is deeply passionate about music education and inclusivity: he believes that music is for EVERYONE. Whether you’re entirely new to piano/keyboards, need some pointers to elevate your playing, or perhaps you’re struggling with performance anxiety; Alex would be thrilled to help you in a manner that’s tailored specifically to your learning style.
Alex is very passionate about our project ‘Treble Makers’, a band forming group for kids and teenagers.
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Roisín McNulty
Roisín McNulty is from Bunnacurry in Achill and has been playing fiddle since the age of 7. She is proficient in Fiddle, Harp and Classical Piano and tutors at various summer schools. She also teaches whistle and is open to welcoming students of all ages and levels.
She has gone on to tutor students of her own who participate in Comhaltas and Royal Irish Academy exams and Fleadheanna Cheoil. She is an All-Ireland medal winner with Céili Band and Grúpaí Ceoil and is a qualified Primary School teacher working in Mayo.
Roisín is very passionate about SCT exams and has recently qualified the TTCT Preparatory Course for these, she hopes to be able to coach some Ceilí Bands in the future too!
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Barry Keavney
Meet Barry, a passionate musician with over 20 years of experience playing guitar. His journey has taken him through various bands, open mics, and jamming sessions, allowing him to cultivate a diverse range of skills and playing styles. While his primary focus is teaching guitar, Barry is also equipped to provide lessons in ukulele and bass for those eager to learn. Join him to explore the joy of music and enhance your playing abilities!
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Breege Kilcullen
Meet Breege, our second art mentor at WAMS! a wealth of creativity and talent, Breege is here to guide you through various mediums and styles. As an artist experienced in many disciplines and with a keen interest in crafting, Breege is excited to help you unleash your artistic potential. Join us and let Breege inspire your creative journey! She will be running both children and adult classes throughout the year.
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Sarah McBrady
Sarah is a Paris-born Franco-American singer and vocal instructor now based in Knock, is passionate about sharing the beauty and joy of music with others, whether through performance or teaching. Sarah's musical journey began at the age of 6 when she started studying voice and performing in musicals.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1996, she pursued a BA in The Performing Arts. In 2001, she relocated to London, where she embarked on a career performing both solo and with a band. Over the past 12 years, Sarah has developed her approach to teaching singing, focusing on balancing technical proficiency with emotional expression. She believes in nurturing each individual's unique voice while establishing a solid foundation of technique
Sarah is very passionate about her choir group in Knock and would love to host choir or singing group here in Westport some day in the near future!
