Welcome to the official website
of award winning author and music educationalist
Ann Bryant
Ann Bryant is the author of about 125 books roughly 75% children’s fiction and 25% primary music resources. Ann says 'I am a serial series writer, and love writing about families, friendships, fun and most of all, fitting in.' Ann's series Introducing Classical Music Through Stories combines her two careers of music educationalist and children's author, and great highlights include concerts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra featuring her stories. In 2019 Ann narrated her story Peter and the Timber Wolf with the brilliant Kidenza orchestra at many concerts for Primary Schools in the south of England.
THE ROCK, the first in my brand new series SEARCHLIGHT
School Author visits
I love school author visits!
In the past five years, apart from events in the UK, I have visited schools in Spain, Cyprus, India, China, Belgium, The Philippines, Egypt, Vietnam, Kuwait, Gibraltar, Indonesia and Jordan, and I was the Patron of Reading for three years for all the primary schools in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
MY TYPICAL AUTHOR DAY AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL:
(The following sessions can be timetabled to suit the school)
- Session for Reception (forty minutes)
- Session for Years 1 and 2 (one hour)
- Session for Years 3 and 4 (one hour)
- Session for Yrs 5 and 6 (seventy-five minutes)
- Optional whole school assembly on the theme of poetry
- Optional presentation to parents combined with signing session
I like to work in a hall and it's great if there's a piano and a CD player. The sessions are strongly interactive and not at all static! I make sure there are literacy initiatives for the teachers to take back to the classroom, but I also make it fun and hopefully inspirational. There is quite a strong musical element. I read a bit from appropriate books, and introduce the children a little to the life of an author, as well as showing them how a book evolves from an idea floating about in my head to the finished product they see in book shops. (Oh, and I never read for too long!)
Children usually like a memento of the day so I'm always happy to do a book signing session. Some schools have found it a successful formula to have a tea party after school so that children get to introduce me to their parents. I have published over 100 books suitable for boys and girls from 3 - 12, and can either bring a along a selection of books or take pre-orders or do both!
PLAY IN A DAY
I also offer a drama day, working with just one age group towards a 20-25 minute production with song, action, dance, rap, chant, based on a theme from one of my books. The most popular is the theme of Bullying with Year Six. The rest of the school watches the performance, then in your own time you might like the children to follow up by writing something, age appropriate, about the performance e.g. a review, a poem, a paragraph, a picture. As a further follow up, I am happy to judge the writing and offer prizes for each year group.
"We had a brilliant Play in a Day with Ann Bryant. She had every child on board from the word go. Boys who are usually reluctant to participate were giving it their all and loving it. The play was amazing! Whatever you did, Ann, it was magic!"
Rebecca Hockey Yr 4 Teacher and Music and Library Coordinator at St Mary and St Michael School, Guernsey.
May 2017.
CPD SESSIONS
I also offer CPD sessions.
FROM STORY TO STAGE
This is a 60 minute workshop for teachers of Early Years or KS1 and 2. I show you pain free ways of creating spectacular performance with no stress about learning lines and only needing minimal rehearsal time, whether for an end of term show or for an assembly.
Debbie, infant school Teacher Team Leader of YCIS International School, Shanghai, said, "It was awesome because you gave us ideas that we could take away and implement immediately in the classroom.”
TALK TO PARENTS
I’m also happy to talk to parents.
The talk is called COOKING THE BOOKS! and is about the importance of reading for pleasure.
Fiction Books
I was first published in 1986 with a series of plays. Since then I have written extensively for main stream publishers.
MUSIC Books
As well as my fiction books, I write classroom music resources and I have a series of piano tutor books. My book "Teaching Key Stage 1 Music" won the 2002 Music Publishers' Award for Best New Product.
"For our students here at IAA your visit will surely be the highlight of their year"
MEDELINE HOOTER
Grade 1 Teacher
MUSIC WORKSHOPS
Music Workshops for Teachers- TEACHING FOUNDATION, KS1 AND KS2 MUSIC
I can customise a music workshop for you whether you want a whole day, a half day, a twilight session or a one-to-one.
The sessions are very hands on and quite energising! I don't make anyone do anything they don't want to do (!), but I DO make sure you have fun and learn lots and lots to take straight back to the classroom - and not just ideas in isolation but understanding of a whole scheme.
"Thank you very much for such an inspiring day today. I loved every minute. Your inspirational energy made me wake up and smell the coffee!"
Jo Wardroper
(absolutely knackered!)
I am used to delivering these workshops to a mixture of trained and untrained musicians in such a way that everyone is stimulated! You should come away feeling confident and competent to teach effectively and to be able to successfully evaluate your work.
PICTURES POEMS & PERCUSSION
I incorporate these books in the workshops above. This is for teachers who've got shed loads of percussion instruments and not a clue what to do with them!
INTRODUCING CLASSICAL MUSIC THROUGH STORIES
I incorporate these KS1 and KS2 books along with movement/drama ideas into the workshops.
START WITH A STORY
These Foundation books are very popular in workshops!
Please email me for further information on any of these workshops, including costs and availability.
"I have just returned home after your IAPS day. I thank you so much for this. I have been teaching music to young children for nearly thirty years. Today was the best day I have spent on a course. You were energetic, passionate and inspirational."
Colin Lockhead
"Thank you so much for the inspirational day yesterday. I am buzzing with excitement and can't wait to get started!"
Lesley Pattison