After a long and varied professional life and artistic career, Gaelle Horsley now helps musicians grow and flourish.
In 2013, I led a blues jam at Newport Folk Festival. It took off, and people asked if it could become regular. So, I arranged a monthly jam. On Tuesdays.
However, those who first arrived were different – absolute beginners, wanting me to provide the material and teach them. Arrgghh!! I hadn’t signed up for this!!
Reluctantly, I brought songs and guided people on playing basic chords, strumming and so on. Eventually, we attracted people with more musical knowledge, and gradually went from three or four people monthly to as many 30 people at all levels, fortnightly.
My job has evolved to facilitating – helping participants go beyond beginner basics, and learn how to play better by understanding what the song needs, complementing what the band needs, and what the audience will like. Then we do a performance. It’s a judgement call to know when to be a friend and encouraging colleague on this journey, or axe-wielding disciplinarian(!) I guess I manage that balance because members keep coming back.
Tues Blues has become a mover and shaker within the Folk Club: the first group to arrange a professional photo, to record a CD, to put on a show of our own, do it annually, and to run our own one-day public festival.
I was born in the UK, growing up in Surrey. It was pleasant enough for me, but for my parents, who had emigrated from wealth in India, it was harder, and they divorced when I was three. My amazing dad became a single parent – then unheard of for a man. Things were difficult but I was profoundly loved and encouraged by both parents. As a result, I grew in confidence and independence and was an old head on young shoulders. And that has stood me in good stead.
I became a social worker and counsellor partly due to my father’s teaching that the world is full of problems: but “you’re a smart girl, and you can solve them. On the rare occasions you can’t, there will always be someone to help you”. And I’ve never found that to be wrong. Problems don’t matter – love and encouragement will propel you almost anywhere, and I wanted to gift that to others.
I came here in 1988 with my then partner on a two-year overseas adventure. Friendships, well-paid work, music opportunities and a growing love of the Australian landscape have kept me here.
All of dad’s family are highly musical. He was a brilliant dancer. I’m naturally musical, but I don’t read music or know much music theory, so never really thought I had the credentials to ‘lead’. But I’ve since been in up to five bands at the same time and have learnt to trust my musical and facilitation talents – I DO have enough of what will inspire creative expression in others.
Of course, I get something out of it too – because at some point what you give, you get back. For me it’s a delight when I see my ‘babies’ on stage in their own bands, and feel I’ve contributed to their growth.
