Alison Francis Black

I gained a first class honours degree in Human Sciences at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford.  Whilst there I won a music scholarship and music prizes and spent most of my undergraduate and postgraduate life immersed in musical activities.  As a post graduate, I qualified as a teacher and gained a PhD in educational research.  I love working with students of all ages and I particularly enjoy our educational projects in local schools. I  also have a teaching practice in the South West.  As well as teaching I play for the London Gala Orchestra and the Lorien Ensemble.

I also enjoy recording – some of my favourites have included ITV’s The Bill, Scoop and BBC’s Songs of Praise – and I love World Music and have worked on albums with artists from the UK, Cuba, Columbia and the Lebanon.  I love folk music and performed with the band The Treefolkers at Priddy Folk Festival in 2012.  I am also a founder member of the Celtic Folk Band Vervain,  and run the Lochrian Ceilidh Band which provides music for dancing, and plays acoustic music with a Celtic Twist for Weddings, Dinners and other events.

Other Interests

In 2005 I co-founded Top of the Tots  – music and signing classes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and children with additional needs.  My colleague and I share a passion to promote the musical development of young children and to aid communication between parents and their children.  We have a wonderfully rewarding time with the children we work with. We run classes in my home town of Yatton.

I love spending time with my husband and son. I also enjoy walking with my Border Collie, Rufus, yoga and reading.