Steve Lowndes
Song writer - Musician - Friend
Sunday, 3 December 2017
First 3 months
Sunday, 7 May 2017
My Love - new recording
Monday, 9 January 2017
Goodbye stevelowndes.com
Wednesday, 18 May 2016
Next Steps
Tuesday, 2 February 2016
More change...
Ok, looking back on my last few entries I know I must look like Mr. Indecisive! Well I probably am. The latest twist in my crazy 2015 tale occurred back at the end of November 2015. I didn't blog that in Easter, after making the bold decision to create Fret 'n' Clef I got offered a long term supply at Arthur Mellows Village College. Since paying the mortgage seemed to be of primary importance I took the job. It was probably the best place for me to mend and I thoroughly enjoyed being a simple music teacher until the Summer holidays. Fantastic head of department, wonderful children and real chance to teach high ability musicians up to A level.
There's always a but... This placement is no exception. The worst part of the job was the distance. 96 miles everyday and 3 hours driving. I had lots of time to think and plan the next steps. During this time I realised that I needed to plan my next steps. AMVC would have their teacher back in February and after a very lean period during the six week holiday, along with a change of timetable involving less music teaching, I needed to plan my exit. It was now that I hatched a plan that I'd had for many years, but never had the guts to do. Primary school teaching.
So I set about trawling the Internet for information on primary curriculum. I decided years 3 and 4 would be the best for a primary rookie and started applying. Application after application was rejected. Some graciously with sound advice, others just simply ignored. Mid-November saw a change. I had two interviews. The first was for year 5/6 at a biggish school in Boston. It was the first time I'd ever taught 9-11 year olds and I was surprised at their ability. Needless to say I didn't get the job, but the interview panel were lovely and gave me some excellent advice. By now I'd already instructed my agents to look for primary not secondary music to afford me experience in primary. I wasn't expecting a bite for quite some time. This brings me to the second interview.
Out of the blue, I got a call inviting me to interview at a little village school in Theddlethorpe, near Mablethorpe. I'd already driven past the school, but thought that I wasn't going to get an interview. It's significant to note, around the same time I'd had the most devasting news of my life. Mum passed away on 6th November and I was numb. I remember walking out of the interview asking, praying that mum would help me to get the job so that I could make her proud. I liked the place. It had its issues but I liked it. I think God heard my plea, because against all the odds I was offered a temporary contract. I had two days to make the biggest shift of my life in the week when we would say goodbye to mum.
The last two months have been the most challenging time of my life to date, both emotionally and mentally. I forgot to mention that at the same time I had been offered a pantomime in Bournmouth playing bass. I know I made the right choice for our family. I hope mum is looking down on me with pride. I miss mum more each day, but I feel I am starting a journey that Parkinsons took away from her. I want to be the best primary teacher I can for her and for my family. Let's see what happens next...
Thursday, 26 February 2015
New business - Fret n Clef
Saturday, 31 May 2014
Who am I?
So what do I do now? I play Eeb tuba in Skegness Silver Band. Yes I still have the big dreams, but I simply enjoy it. I get to be me for a few minutes. I get to parp away on a bass instrument, supporting the bottom end of the band. I still get frustrated with some of the members around me, but that soon leaves my thoughts as I fluff easy passages. I don't practice enough and wish I could find time a space to practice regularly. If I did though, I know what would happen next. I'd get ideas above my station and start to dream of being the best tuba player ever. Goodness, I'm such a dreamer. I know I have musical talent. But I also know that my best musical talent is to share my knowledge and experience. That is what I try to do everyday. That is why I'm changing job.
For the last two years and before I've been distracted from my calling, my vocation, my purpose. I made a decision to do something about it and it went wrong, so impulsively I determined to continue to do something about it. As a result in September I begin a job at an old school. I'm returning to Spilsby. I have questioned have I made a mistake. I have doubted my choice and the motivation behind my choice. It all comes back to the title question... Who am I? The answer to that question is an experienced and talented music educator. For too many years I've played at being management. For too many years I've allowed myself to be distracted by things that don't concern my talents. Even when I was specialist status leader for music, I allowed other priorities to distract me and lost a grip on what I do best. Teach music.
So now I go back to basics. I will be head of music. Sole music teacher. I have no desires to empire build. I have no desires to climb the management ranks. I will build my department and I will give my students the musical experience they deserve. As I get older, I will remember daily who I am and what impact I have on those who surround me. Yes, I'll still do the occasional gig and get the bass guitar out every now and then. I will probably continue to write songs. But now is the time to focus on who I am not what I want to be. I hope the coming months and years will find that my proudest moments are those watching others enjoy making music rather than glory seeking for myself.
It will soon be time to say farewell to William Lovell, and I will do so with a heavy heart. Today I look to the future. I wish every blessing on the students and staff of William Lovell and success to Lyndsey who will lead music when I leave. It has been a place that I have learnt so much about me and those I work with and I will cherish many happy memories.
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Jack! Meet Jack. Lego honour our special hero.
What an amazing weekend it's been! Just 6 weeks ago we found out that, amongst thousands of entries, Jack had been selected by Chat magazine to be a real life Lego hero. My previous post shared about his event Run2Remember13. It was a massive success and Jack helped to raise £3,400 for St. Barnabas Hospice Lincolnshire. It captured the imagination of many people. LegoLand and Chat chose to reward his hard work by treating him (and us) to a fabulous three days at LegoLand Windsor. It was such an honour to see our special little man unveil his statue whilst ITV and Chat recorded the event. We know Steph would be shouting how proud she is of her special little soldier from the rooftops and only wish she could be here to see this amazing tribute to her marvellous son. There are too many people to thank individually so I'll wrap up by saying a massive thank you to all those who made Jack feel like a V.I.P. over the last three days.
Just one of the many news websites that published the story.
Friday, 12 April 2013
Brave Jack Runs To Remember His Mummy
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Now and Then
It's all a smoke screen. I can hide behind all of those excuses but the fact is I haven't written anything because I haven't tried. I haven't tried because I felt disillusioned in my own musicianship and ability to write a song. A few weeks ago I felt a stirring inside and I knew the signs - a song was on its way. I've been fighting it for a few months now and during the beginning of the half term break I took advantage of a couple of hours and out poured the song. Now and then is really about our relationship with God. It's recognising the good things that God has done for us rather than focus on the grime of the world around us. Is about rising out of the ashes refreshed and renewed. It's about having scars and not being afraid to let them be seen. The recording is only a demo. I recorded it on an iPad using garageband app so it's a little raw. I guess it would easy for you to read for yourself, so here are the lyrics. Click on the title of the song to hear it in soundcloud.
Now and Then
Steve Lowndes 21 February 2013
Now and then, when my heart is aching
Now and then, when my dreams are breaking
And I'm weary of this world
And I try to keep on going
Even though I see nothing growing
And it's such a heavy load
I know that I get blind to all
The blessings in my life
And still you remind me you made me who I am
You, you are my hearts desire
Your grace is so much more than I deserve
All my dreams are filled with love
That bandages my pain and heals my aching heart.
When a prayer seems unanswered
I'll carry on and keep believing,
That you hear my every thought.
And you know my heart is yearning
So I'll wait until the time is right
To see your glory flow
And when I stand before your throne
And meet you face to face
I know you'll remind me you choose me by your grace.
You, you are my hearts desire
Your grace is so much more than I deserve
All my dreams are filled with love
That bandages my pain and heals my aching heart.
Saturday, 25 August 2012
Guesting with "The Plunge"
Unfortunately, Savannah has been suffering with the vocalists nightmare - bad throat - for the past few weeks and has been advised by the doctor to not sing whilst her voice recovers. Naturally the she was mortified and the band prepared to cancel the gig. So being the dope that I often am I volunteered to step and and sing any songs she couldn't manage so that the "show could go on"!!! I'm hoping that Savannah will find enough voice to sing a few if not all of the set but failing that I've been learning the stuff that I've heard the teenagers perform for the past few years. We'll be doing stuff from The White Stripes, Green Day, Kings of Leon, The Killers and more. It's an out and out rock set!
So tomorrow will be a challenge for me. I hope that Savannah feels well tomorrow, but I'm ready to step in and be an Old teenager.
If anyone is interested, it'll be at the Pilgrim Lounge, which is at Boston United football ground at 6pm for about 30 minutes or so. See you there!
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
My new acquisition
It's a Squier Silver Series Stratocaster which is believed to have been created in 1993. I did a bit of digging on the interweb and discovered these are no ordinary squier guitars, they are a bit special, hence the SIlver Series logo. It plays like a dream. Not necessarily the colour I would have chosen and a few knocks here and there, but that's just cosmetics as far as I'm concerned. Bizarrely Monro, the band I play with, has chosen black and red for it's colours, so the guitar will go well with our gear.
Next gig is 6 May in Southport so I'm looking forward to trying it out in public. Meantime, if anyone knows a good drummer about 40ish years old that wants to join a 3-4 piece blues band in Skegness give me a shout.