EDUCATION THROUGH ENTERTAINMENT
THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE 'FUN WITH MUSIC' WAY
Who is Ann Rachlin?
For over 40 years, seated in her magic storytelling chair, Ann Rachlin enchanted hundreds of children with her colourful stories which she set to the music of the great composers. Her gentle voice, perfectly blended with the music, held the children's interest as they listened to the works of the great masters. An experience they never forgot. Her pupils included Emilia Fox, Freddie Fox, Finty Williams (Dame Judi Dench’s daughter) Lorcan (Peter o’Toole’s son) and Prince William and Prince Harry who came to her sessions for four years.
Explore her website - choose a story - and gain a welcome break for yourself!
FEEDBACK
My wife and I auditioned a few passages and we think our grandkids will be delighted!
They are beautiful works of art in and of themselves, thank you so much!
Best regards
Tom Mosby, Minnesota, USA
February 2021
As a young child in the mid-70s, I participated in your Fun with Music sessions in London. To this day I have incredibly fond memories of those afternoons, of fighting with the other children over which instrument I got to play, and especially of getting to eat smarties at the end... I also remember an enchanted day on a barge on the Thames, learning about Handel's Water Music. You instilled in me a deep love of music, and of storytelling, that has endured to this day. Thank you for this lifelong gift!
Benjy W, San Francisco, USA
February 2021
When my sister and I were really quite small, my mama got into the habit of popping on audiobook cassettes that piped into speakers while we sat industriously painting or folding or pushing clay into strange shapes, and one day she put on Sinbad and the Wizard Eagle. I think I sat with my mouth open for half an hour as the glory of that music and the wonderful story you told hot-wired something inside me. I can’t tell you how many times we listened to that cassette and we badgered the poor woman until she took us as often as possible to see you perform with the musicians of The London Symphony Orchestra from your wonderful chair in the Barbican,London (my obsession with Heckerty also dates from then!)
I was thrilled to find Sinbad (and indeed all your stories) on Spotify and immediately the many young people (and their parents!) in my life and simply want to tell you how much your work is still so relevant, appreciated and beautiful. A thousand ‘thank you’s’ for everything you have done and continue to do. I await the release of your new projects with huge interest and excitement.
Sas Vassie, Photographer, London
November 2020
Dear Ann,
Happy Easter. I hope this finds you extremely well in these strange times. I'm writing to say a huge thank you. I was one of your pupils in the mid 80s in London, listening to your beautiful stories alongside the loveliest Classical pieces and playing instruments with you and the other children. I adored the sessions. Being in lockdown and listening to more Classical music brought me back to that very comforting and inspiring time. I used to have your tapes too and listen every night at home. I have been telling my boyfriend how much I loved it. It's my birthday tomorrow and in a moment of reflection I googled you to see your news and was thrilled to see you flourishing and leading such an exciting life. What extraordinary accomplishments you've always achieved. And then I saw the chair!! The white wicker chair with the blooming back, there's various photos online of you sitting on it on the beach and elsewhere! I remember that chair, it seemed magic to me. I am a writer and actress now. I studied at Cambridge, then trained at RADA and I work mainly in the theatre in London. I just finished acting in four plays at Shakespeare's Globe, and wrote one - A feminine response to Dr Faustus. My whole life is about stories. You were a huge inspiration. I loved to listen to your beautiful voice. Also - you have a way of seeing and sharing the feeling and narratives in music that were formative in how I met the world, and my creative imagination in my work and life since.
Thank you so deeply,
All very best, Lily Bevan
(daughter of Jane and Peter)April 13 2020
"I stumbled upon your music story tapes when I was about ten years old. My father used to take my sister and I out to the best CD shop in Singapore where we could buy one item per week (his gift to us). I bought one cassette tape out of curiosity ( Nurse Goose) and loved it so much that my sister and I looked forward to bedtime so that we could listen to the stories. I asked my father for every tape on the shelf each week until I had your entire collection.
We live in Hong Kong now and I've recently had my own children, Zahra is four and Reyka is five months old. I was delighted to find your stories on our Apple Music subscription (fantastic, no more rewinds :)). Zahra now listens to any story she wants at bedtime and we have avid conversations about the characters. She's begun reciting all her favourite lines which makes me smile and reflect on what I was like.
I just wanted to reach out to you and let you know that your stories never get old for me and that my husband and children are now your new fans. Every story book I read to my children are with "Ann Rachlin gusto"!
I used to speak publicly for my work and I think your voice and speaking rhythm has always been there at the back of my head. Thank you for being my vocal and storytelling inspiration; and your stories going digital allows me to share that with my family.
My very best regards,
S.L.S.S. Hongkong February 2017
I just wanted to thank you for 'A Musical Journey to the Moon'.
It was played some time in the early 90s during my year 2 music lesson. My mother bought it for me after I raved about it for weeks afterwards.
Not only did it start a lifelong fascination with space but also for classical music.
For the last couple of decades all I could remember was that I had an amazing tape that I'd listen to at bedtime and go on a journey.
But after a little bit of research I found out more. And low and behold, it's on Spotify!Currently listening to it and I'm in floods of tears. I'm 6 years old again.
Many thanks, Ann. This was needed!
S.....n S....n
May 2017
"I was raised on your tapes, to the point where I hear your voice in my mind whenever I listen to the musical pieces you narrated! I myself now work as a writer, poet and storyteller, working with both young and adult audiences and I want to thank you for your impact on my life and my appreciation of music and story. In my mind you are one of the great idols of my childhood!"
R.R.R. 2016
"I still play in bands, playing rock music, pub gigs and sing every week in a classical choir they set up at UCS, singing Bach, Mozart, Verdi, Purcell, Poulenc, Bernstein and the greats - I owe it in good part to you. I still remember as if it were yesterday, listening to you telling the Sinbad the sailor story to the strains of Rimsky Korsakov, while eating jam sandwiches - very Proustian, I owe a lot of this to you, Ann, so I hope we can stay in touch."
Roy Ackerman - film producer - (Jamie Oliver)
August 2015
My name's Sam Wilson. I was lucky enough to be involved with your classes (now many) years ago in St. John's Wood..........
I studied at the Guildhall and graduated winning the Lord Mayors Prize (an award spanning music, drama and technical theatre- awarded to an outstanding student). I've since enjoyed orchestral and ensemble work with the Royal Opera House, English Chamber Orchestra, CBSO and London Contemporary Orchestra. I'm most passionate about contemporary music performance, and am trying to involve myself in as many new music and new opera performances as possible. I also have 3 longer term commitments- a hip hop comedy group with whom I've been able to tour the world and perform at many music festivals, a collaboration with a composer/producer which allows me to compose, and I recently joined the UK percussion ensemble 4-Mality. The variety inherent to percussion is what fascinates me. I've also been able to honour an early interest in drama by specialising in highly "theatrical" and experimental solo percussion performances.
The only reason I'm telling you all this is that I believe the experiences you passed on to me have fuelled and shaped the way I've related to music- throughout my whole journey so far. You taught me to be fascinated by music, to be excited and enthralled. To find ways to understanding and interpreting music. I've never doubted or erred in relation to the joy and curiosity I have towards music, and I want to thank you sincerely for fostering this attitude in me.
August 2015