Welcome to Community Music-Making!
Music is the great uniter. An incredible force.
Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common.
About Nicola Betts
I am passionate about sharing my love of singing and music making with the local community. This stems from my strong belief that music is a powerful tool which can engage and unite people, impacting and benefitting everyone’s emotional, social, and physical wellbeing in wonderful ways.
Community is at the heart of everything I do and I love to reach out to everyone across all ages, from 0-80+ years old! It is my desire that all who participate in my choirs, children’s activites and instrumental/singing lessons will experience the many wonderful benefits to their general wellbeing through singing and music making. It is my hope too that everyone experiences a sense of belonging to a musical community, that they feel connected and valued whilst learning and developing new skills in an environment that is inclusive, friendly, uplifting and most of all, fun!
I invite you to explore this website and please do get in touch if you would like any more information about how you can join or get involved in one or more of the groups.
Nicola (BA (Hons) Music; PGCE; LTCL; ABSM)
Experience & Qualifications
- Secondary Education - Music teacher – KS3, GCSE and A Level Music
- Primary Education - Classroom music teacher / music specialist for Early Years to KS2
- Special Education (SEND) - Head of Music; Classroom music teacher / music specialist for children with additional needs
- Vocalist - Studio recordings for various artists including Dave Godfrey’s ‘Number Fun’ creative maths resource series Number Fun
- Composer - Nicola writes many of her own songs for use at Tiny Toes Music as well as in the classroom, choirs, school productions, community gatherings, assemblies, and in church settings
- Choir leader - Various adult and children’s choirs
- Worship leader and worship team ministry leader
- Instrumental tutor for Flute and Piano and vocal coach
- Independent small business owner – Tiny Toes Music; York Wellbeing Choir; Private Tuition
- Musical Director for Chechelele World Music Choir
- Musical Director for The Rhythm of Life Singers at The Leveson Centre
- BA (HONS) Music
- PGCE (Secondary Education)
- PGC Dyslexia and Literacy
- Grade 8 Flute
- Grade 8 Piano
- Grade 8 Music theory
- LTCL (Licentiate of the Trinity College of Music)
- ABSM (Associate of the Birmingham School of Music)
Supporting Various Charities Through Our Work
Organising charity fundraising events and performances that allow us to raise money and donate to the causes we care deeply about is a real privilege. It benefits more than just the charities we choose to support, it is deeply rewarding for us too. The knowledge that we are helping to improve the lives of others is hugely empowering and reinforces our core values and principles.
The charities that we have raised money for to date are:
SASH, Macmillan Cancer Support, Brain Tumour Awareness, The Island,
York Against Cancer, Safe Families, ME Research UK & Parkinsons UK.
When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people.
Up & Coming Events
Chechelele at
7 Arts theatre Leeds
Traditional African rhythms and songs form the core part of the repertoire, in addition to songs from Bulgaria, Georgia, Macedonia, China, France, Finland, Israel, Hawaii, New Zealand, Columbia and the Amazon, plus a sprinkling of spirituals and gospel music.
Sung in the original language, Chechele capture the spirit of the song using movement, actions, percussion, drumming, calling; and plenty of ululation.
Opening the show, we have ‘Gaelic funkstress’ Paula Ryan, who’s “gorgeous music” (Dublin City FM) will provide an uplifting start to this evening of transportive and transcendent songs from around the world, in the warm and intimate Seven Arts.
chechelele at
The Black Swan Folk Weekend
Saturday 6th June at The Black Swan York
Early evening slot
Time tbc
My Moment of Reflection that was broadcast on BBC Radio York, BBC Sheffield & BBC Leeds on a Sunday morning in March 2024.
Share this far and wide – it’s like a delicious piece of chocolate cake! Bound to bring a smile however glum you’re feeling. Inspirational too.
Adventures with community
The York Wellbeing Choir
Nicola leads The York Wellbeing which is based The Gateway Centre in Acomb. The Wellbeing Choir is a large and inclusive Community Choir that places huge importance on all aspects of our General Wellbeing as well as giving opportunities for choir members to learn and develop new skills in singing. There are also many wonderful opportunities to perform and give back to the community through raising money for charity.
Chechelele
Chechelele is a vibrant and dynamic Acapella World Music Choir based in York. The choir specialise in singing traditional songs from all around the world.
Chechelele, pronounced cheh-cheh-leh-leh, is a word from the South African Ndebele language, meaning ‘HAPPY’!
The Leveson Centre Choirs
The Leveson Centre Choirs are joyous, friendly, fun and fully inclusive for people whose lives have been touched by cancer whether it be themselves, or through supporting a family member or close friend. It is based at The Leveson Centre in York, a support centre for people living with cancer which is funded by York Against Cancer.
Testimonials
Thank You
Thank you to my very dear family, friends and all people simply ‘passing through’ who have volunteered, helped, encouraged, championed and supported my wonderfully colourful world of community music making. Every act, gesture and word of kindness whether big or small in encouragement to myself and/or to one other is never wasted, is always appreciated and really does make a difference.
Thank you so much to Elly Ross, my friend and a very talented photographer . Elly’s photographs appear throughout this website and truly capture the joy of community singing and music making in the loveliest and most unique ways.
Thank you also to Mike Darley and Jenny Jones for their fabulous photos of the York Wellbeing Choir performing at The Community Choir Festival in The Joseph Rowntree Theatre, and to Odette and David Marshall for their wonderful photos and videos of the York Wellbeing Choir in action!
Thank you to all the staff at The Gateway Centre in Acomb for accommodating us in such a beautiful venue, and for your care and support.
Thank you to both Mits and Vicky for their heart, insight and skill in capturing the essence of my work in this beautiful website. I have loved working with you both.
