About our Director
Musicalives was established in 2022 by Coren Peacock. Coren has worked as a Music Specialist in many different primary schools in North and East London for nearly 25 years. She is passionate about imparting knowledge and wisdom to the next generation of music teachers - to keep music live and alive in schools. She says ‘There is a discernible shortage of teachers who are confident enough to teach music. Musicalives came about when I decided to do something about this growing concern. By recruiting more musicians to teach as Primary Music Specialists, we are bringing more music in to schools and I hope to make it easier for schools to recruit from a wider and more diverse range of musicians who are confident and happy working as music teachers’.
The aim is ultimately to get the teachers that work for Musicalives Qualified Teacher Status. Ensuring high quality training for the music teachers of the future whilst also providing a pathway to gain QTS is what I am working very hard towards achieving.’
Our Teachers
Jean Baptiste is the most amazing guitarist and as well as a career as a successful performing musician, he is developing into being a fantastic music teacher. He has a brilliant attitude and has actively engaged in his own growth. He brings joy and enthusiasm to the classroom and has a great rapport with the children that he teaches.
He says ‘I am a music teacher who loves creating joyful, inclusive lessons where every child feels nurtured, confident and excited to express themselves through music.’
‘I create engaging whole class lessons with creativity and adaptivity. I see learning as a reciprocal process and continually gain invaluable insights from my students. This then helps to refine and develop my practice. Music education, to me, is a shared journey of growth and discovery.’
Kai Kwasi Thorne is a stand out teacher and educator. He loves working at the schools he is a permanent fixture at and has developed many skills in the time he has been working for Musicalives. Like Jean Baptiste, he also has a burgeoning career as a performing musician and writer. It was fantastic to see him perform at Glastonbury 2025 with Joy Crookes - we were so proud!
He says ‘Music is such an important part of every child’s experience, but unfortunately it is often overlooked and underfunded. I was very lucky when I was growing up as I spent a lot of time playing and being involved with music, and I’ve come to realise that this is not the norm for most children. It is so rewarding seeing the impact that my lessons have on the children I work with, and I really hope that what a do leaves a lasting legacy for future generations of musicians.’