A Year In Liverpool

So, as many of you will know, we have now been in Liverpool a little over a year! It's absolutely flown by, and so much has happened that I thought it only right to stop and take stock.

This may be a bit of a longer read, but hopefully a fun and exciting whirlwind for you too, so grab a cuppa, get comfy, and settle in...

Part I: Why Liverpool?

Many of my students have asked me this question. You can imagine their surprise when I told them at the beginning of 2024 that we were in the process of planning to move nearly 240 miles away!

The studio was full, work was bursting at the seams, friends all around...so why?

Well, my partner and I had long thought about where we wanted to settle. Southampton had been, in many ways, a location of circumstance. For me, it had the perfect degree course to blend two subjects together as dual majors (and the only university in the country that would allow me to customise them so specifically too!), and then originally, post-graduation, my plan had been to move to France, and essentially to go from there!

Alas, Brexit happened whilst I was doing a study year in Rennes, and I saw this plan gradually dissolve and become increasingly difficult to achieve.

One of my favourite parts of Rennes to come to - the galettes are unforgettable, not to mention the cosy little cafés.

We felt it was time for something different, and so we made a spreadsheet...

We had a fair few criteria, some of which were as follows:

• Affordability (either rented or to buy, if we were so lucky)

• Crime statistics & safety

• Sense of community

• Political activism

• Green spaces and nature

• Commutability & public transport

  And so forth!

We also had some family in the north too, which also lined up nicely with this. So, Liverpool had already ticked a great many boxes, but of course we needed to visit and get a sense of the place. So, we hopped in my trusty little Ford KA (which, little did we know, was not in a suitable condition for multiple 500-mile round journeys, but more on that later!) and made the journey.

It is difficult to say when it happened, but at some point during these visits, it hit me. This was it. This was what I was looking for; the culture, friendliness, music, art, nature, the lot. It is a city which faces its past openly; the unflinching acknowledgment of the many years of slavery, of how the city gained most of its status and wealth off the back of exploiting humans treated worse than animals, but it's also clear how in modern times the city has been left behind by successive governments, and this has resulted in a people who really understand what's important; community, family, looking after each other. There is a realness here, which grounds this city and keeps it accountable (for the most part). Exploring the city, you see the traces left by every community that, willingly or otherwise, lived their lives in and around this part of the world. Those who came here by choice were also often seeking out a new life, new opportunities, and I think in some way, as a second generation immigrant, I feel a kinship with this.

Having scrubbed up on my local history, I knew long before I arrive here that Liverpool has long had the short end of the stick from those in power, and yet...it persevered. People come together, help each other, and try to lift each other up so much more than I'd ever seen before, and we'd get to see that ethos pretty early on in our journey.

Part II: The Proof is in the Approval

We spent a great deal of time house-hunting. As it is a 472-mile round trip, with myself and my partner both working more than full time, trying to schedule viewings efficiently and practically was difficult to say the least. On more than one occasion we would travel up only to find that the estate agent had forgotten about the viewing, or double-booked themselves, or just failed to tell us the sellers had already accepted an offer...!

However, as all things go, the burnt toast theory* very much held true, as we eventually found a house, that didn't, at the time, seem to need much work (more on that later!) and had parking for students and a space for me to teach from. Perfect! Alas, there were already 5 offers down and people were desperate for this place. We stretched our offer as far as we dare...and although we were still not the highest offer, we were chosen, on account of us having no chain to deal with. You can imagine the tears of joy & relief after about a year of this process.

Apparently, however that was the easy bit. As anyone who works many different kinds of jobs (particularly in the arts) will know, even with a mortgage in principle, then re-explaining your day-to-day to a bank and convincing them to actually lend you the largest sum of money you've ever seen on paper is no mean feat. It was quiet the ordeal gathering all the paperwork and collating the threads for the mortgage advisor to help them understand how I simultaneously, at the time, ran a teaching studio, managed a concert performance portfolio, was formally employed at the time as the Director of Music for a church in Southampton, whilst being more casually employed by the Southampton Music Service amidst other one off projects.

Some banks outright refused to include certain sources of income. We applied, with mixed hopes, and the refusals started to roll through. It was earth-shattering, having come so far and so close.

After the 4th application, credit scores really start to take a battering from the extensive hard searches, and our mortgage advisor pulled us aside once the 4th refusal came through. He advised us that this last attempt should be our last, lest banks start simply refusing us on principal because of the large number of applications.

Well, so be it. I think perhaps at this point, we had resigned ourselves to the reality that our plan would most likely have to change, and also be delayed to allow credit scores to recover. So we sent it off for the 5th and final time, and were told that there may be some wait.

Days passed, then weeks.

Then a missed call. I was mid-concert rehearsal; no chance to pick up. Two, then three, then four missed calls. As soon as rehearsal finished, I sprinted out the hall doors and round the corner and hit dial. A serious voice answers:

"Ah, Myles, hope your day is going well...Sorry to bother you, I just thought I should phone and ask you...when would you like to pick up the keys?"

"Ah, oka–wait, what?"

"Yup, I'm happy to say they've accepted your application! The details of the offer..."

The rest of the conversation I frankly can't recall now - I was too damn ecstatic and bouncing round the place. Of course as soon as we'd finished I immediately called my partner, who, also mid-shift was somewhat surprised to be getting 17 missed calls from me, but we made it. We actually did it? It didn't feel real, that this was actually starting to fall into place, this pipe-dream of owning our own place and everything else, and yet, before me in black and white, sat the email confirming all the facts and figures...

Part III: Whoa, we're halfway there...?

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote that "it's not the destination, it's the journey". Well, he was right in some ways.

The next few months moved in a blur. The survey had flagged up a number of issues and negotiations over house prices were not particularly fruitful, the chained collapsed (twice) before the sale actually went through, but eventually, thankfully, eventually, it was done. Keys in hand, on the 16th August, we went and unlocked the door for the very first time together.

This had been the home of one family for 3 generations; strange to be reflecting on the lives and experiences within these four walls, now laid empty for a new story to be told. My partner and his mum very kindly got to work on working out what needed sorting, and, well, it was quite a lot. I was still mostly 236 miles away, winding down the studio for the rest of August & September, travelling to and fro when I could, in my trusty KA. We met our neighbours for the first time - what an incredible community! We really have struck gold with those around us here and they were all coming out to chat and offer help and support which I'm still so grateful for.

My original plan was to gradually ferry bits in my car with the bigger things moving separately, winding down with essentially just me, the cat, and the piano left by the end. This was not to be the case however - a week before I was due to start moving things out, my MOT was due. And promptly failed, with the engineer telling me, verbatim:

"There is no undercarriage left - it's mostly rusted away. A small crash would turn this vehicle into origami."

Ah.

Right then.

Having just laid down a deposit on a house and paid all the legal fees is a perfect time to be looking for another car, right? Welp, time to be hiring some rental vans for the foreseeable!

After some 8 round trips back and forth, all was moved. The studio in Southampton had closed. Stepping out of the door for the last time was an emotional experience, rooms empty, like I'd never been there.

Here's the before...

And the after..!

It hit me that almost to the day, I had been living in Southampton for a decade, since 2014. I had taught hundreds of students, accompanied even more exams than I could count, and made so many memories with people that it's impossible to summarise here. But, the die were cast, the last van was loaded, and I surrendered the keys back to the estate agents, trying not to dwell on the finality of the thunk as they went through the letter-box.

Part IV: First Steps

Waking up in a new house in an unfamiliar city is a strange experience. I had the same when I lived in France, I suppose, but the linguistic barrier normalised the novelty.

My partner had shifted careers, I had moved an entire studio - everything was different. But purpose gives clarity, so we set to work on the house, fixing and painting , tearing up old carpets and a fair bit more besides! Quite a large number of things did need replacing, fixing, attaching, moving...

Nyoooom....

We got the new studio setup, with a little help from my friends (no, you don't get to escape the Beatles' reference), and got the space ready for teaching:

Many, many hours went into getting the colour onto these walls. My thanks to J, H & my ever-patient partner for this <3

Et voilà! The new studio, complete with logo & even one hidden friend...

A seating area, for parents, children, and small adorable cats.

Part V: Dont' Stop Me Now!

For me as a musician and educator, networking into this new artistic landscape was paramount - very few people knew I existed here yet! My partner, with many years of business management experience behind them, lent an inordinate amount of time and wisdom to which I'll forever be grateful, in giving me the help and support (I must mention the valiant leafleting in sleet and sidewards rain) in getting things up and running again. I met so many inspiring people in those first few months, and lots of things happened simultaneously:

1. Mastered got in touch - they were offering a free Business for Creatives course (which I'd never really done before - I'm always so focused on the music side of things!). This was ground-breaking for me and gave me so many tools and confidence that I never even knew I needed!

2. I networked with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic - and started depping for them with discussions over some upcoming work for me in the future...more on this later!

3. I visited all the local music businesses and saw the incredible array of events and concerts going on around the city - almost too many to count, but certainly something for everyone.

4. I joined the Liverpool Organist & Choirmasters' Association, and shortly joined their committee. This was very well timed for me; getting to immediately go and visit both Liverpool Cathedral and page-turn for Ian Tracey (I've spoken about this at length in a previous blog!), and then getting to visit and play on the organ at the Philharmonic Hall. What an incredible instrument!

Alas, the move caused some confusion with Google and I lost my business listing on Google Maps - critical for any business, never mind a small one. After much frustrating back-and-forth I managed to get this back online, got the banner fixed up on the house alongside some logos on the car as well!

Wait, what car?

Well, after some frantic hunting for a second hand vehicle, my journey took me via train to the outskirts of Derby and I managed to find what I have now dubbed "The Blueberry", my faithful northern steed with enough room to safely fit a keyboard in, at last!

As many of my students will know, in November last year, after much questioning and interviewing I was diagnosed with ADHD; which probably comes as little surprise to many who know me and the things I've struggled with day-to-day, so at this point my titration journey began - from one waitlist to the next as I awaited some medication to see if it made any difference.

Well, fast forward a few months, and I can say it absolutely has. I can actually remember things so much more easily; practice is progressing better than it ever has in my life, my sleep is better, eating habits are much improved, and generally life is much less difficult that it otherwise was. I'm so thankful for the titration team and the fact that despite the long wait and very late diagnosis, it feels like I have a whole new lease on life! But anyway, back to Liverpool!

I managed to visit many of the SuperLambananas as I could. I am obsessed with these funky little dudes.

Outside the Museum of Liverpool on my first visit to Liverpool!

Then the job of Organist appeared at Ullet Road Unitarian Church. I stepped back from my last church Directorship some years ago for a large variety of reasons, some professional, some personal, and venturing back into church music was not on my radar particularly, but curiosity got the better of me (and also being able to pay bills is nice, too) so I went along to a service to see what it was like, and it was amazing; very different to what I'm used to, or what I was expecting! I went home and immediately wrote an application, and long story short, auditions, interviews, and I got the job! I was very excited about this as the role would be quite different from any I'd had before.

The church gets ready for its annual Pride service

5 months passed very quickly; lots of teaching, exploring the city, and meeting the big cultural community that orbits the church I now play at. To be working with a team of people that hold music so dear to their hearts is a privileged place for an organist to be in. In May of the same year, after much conversation about a choir, considering their very beautiful carved wooden stalls (that you can see above) the church gave the green light to start one, and I then became their Director of Music. The choir has done so well and taken on a great many challenges, but we're still looking for more members if you're interested:

In September of this year, I started teaching at LIPA School, and then I started working alongside the incredible Royal Liverpool Philharmonic as the accompanist for their new Youth Training Choir, which is designed to train up singers to get them ready for the level expected of the Youth Choir, the flagship choir of the RLP's Youth wing. We had our first concert recently at the Tung Auditorium, and the kids did so well - the team I'm working with are so much fun and it really is a highlight of my week.

Considering we'd only just been to see Wicked: Part 2, the colour scheme felt intentional....

On second inspection my face is terrifying here, but I don't care; this was a surreal moment!

I've been accompanying for music exams at Pulse Music, and also took part in a performance with LOCA for their AGM in Southport:

The grand 4-decker of Holy Trinity, Southport

I started a concert series at the church (which I'll be restarting next year!), with lots of fun music and varied programmes:

And I've also been travelling around Merseyside and Manchester performing for weddings and events which has been great fun.

And yet, at the core of all of this, the studio is still running at full steam! I am so blessed to teach so many wonderful families and it is still such a pinch-me moment to remember that I literally get to do my dream job all week long...the studio has grown still and there are a great many exciting events planned for the new year.

Part VI: So, What Next?

I started writing this in October, and it's taken me the better part of three months to finish it, but I'm really looking forward to seeing what the new year brings. There's such a lot more to explore here and as we go into the Christmas season (and we've actually finally decorated for once). I know that the goal is to grow both choirs and the studio some more, alongside some more concerts, and hopefully getting some more of the house sorted out along the way too...we shall see, but thanks for reading, and see you all in the new year!