About Una Coello Guitar Girl
How Guitar Girl started
The idea for Guitar Girl came to me when I first started going to baby and toddler classes with my son and immediately felt I had something unique and different to offer. In March 2013, Guitar Girl was born. I started small with lunchtime classes in a friendly pub and the occasional song and rhyme session in local libraries, summer fairs and theatres - just my guitar and me and a few hand puppets and instruments for the kids to play with. Feedback from mums and dads on my themed singalongs was glowing, with particular praise for my way with children, my colourful sets and the personal touch I bring to my classes. Word spread, my audience grew and I was fortunate to take over existing weekly class slots on Thursdays at YMCA Surbiton, and quickly expanded to provide Friday classes at Rose Theatre Kingston as well. Alongside children's parties and school events, before long I was also staging larger scale music shows for under sixes in the main auditorium of Rose Theatre Kingston.
Four years on, I've had the privilege of meeting hundreds of little ones and their parents and carers and sharing with them the joy of music and movement. It's amazing to watch them grow and develop from tiny babies and become so musically proficient as they progress to nursery and reception class, then to see their new siblings come along and join my classes, too! I absolutely adore my job and work hard at coming up with new ideas, themes, songs, action rhymes and props to keep things fresh and engaging for kids and grown-ups alike.
My background
I was born and grew up in Wexford, Ireland in a musical family where we sang and played music constantly from the time we could talk. I taught myself the guitar as a young teenager while taking piano and tin whistle lessons and singing and performing in local musical and theatre shows. I still have my beloved Casio keyboard which was my one-woman-band when I was nine!
After studying Acting and Performance in Dublin, I moved to Wales to take a degree in Drama at the University of Aberystwyth, and have lived in London since graduation. My love of children brought me back to education and I qualified with a PGCE post-graduate certificate in Early Years Education from London Metropolitan University. Whilst teaching Reception class I was awarded Lead Teacher status in the Borough of Southwark, finally qualifying as Advanced Skills Teacher in Early Years, specialising in music, song and drama.
The idea for Guitar Girl came to me when I first started going to baby and toddler classes with my son and immediately felt I had something unique and different to offer. In March 2013, Guitar Girl was born. I started small with lunchtime classes in a friendly pub and the occasional song and rhyme session in local libraries, summer fairs and theatres - just my guitar and me and a few hand puppets and instruments for the kids to play with. Feedback from mums and dads on my themed singalongs was glowing, with particular praise for my way with children, my colourful sets and the personal touch I bring to my classes. Word spread, my audience grew and I was fortunate to take over existing weekly class slots on Thursdays at YMCA Surbiton, and quickly expanded to provide Friday classes at Rose Theatre Kingston as well. Alongside children's parties and school events, before long I was also staging larger scale music shows for under sixes in the main auditorium of Rose Theatre Kingston.
Four years on, I've had the privilege of meeting hundreds of little ones and their parents and carers and sharing with them the joy of music and movement. It's amazing to watch them grow and develop from tiny babies and become so musically proficient as they progress to nursery and reception class, then to see their new siblings come along and join my classes, too! I absolutely adore my job and work hard at coming up with new ideas, themes, songs, action rhymes and props to keep things fresh and engaging for kids and grown-ups alike.
My background
I was born and grew up in Wexford, Ireland in a musical family where we sang and played music constantly from the time we could talk. I taught myself the guitar as a young teenager while taking piano and tin whistle lessons and singing and performing in local musical and theatre shows. I still have my beloved Casio keyboard which was my one-woman-band when I was nine!
After studying Acting and Performance in Dublin, I moved to Wales to take a degree in Drama at the University of Aberystwyth, and have lived in London since graduation. My love of children brought me back to education and I qualified with a PGCE post-graduate certificate in Early Years Education from London Metropolitan University. Whilst teaching Reception class I was awarded Lead Teacher status in the Borough of Southwark, finally qualifying as Advanced Skills Teacher in Early Years, specialising in music, song and drama.
"Una's deep understanding of how children learn is the key to her success. She has a passion for creativity and developing the whole child... She inspires a strong learning ethos with a stimulating language-rich environment. Her skills in music and drama are used to enhance learning with her class... It is her infectious passion for pupil achievement that lifts those that work with her."
National Assessment Agency for Advanced Skills Teachers
"Una understands what makes good early years practice."
Ofsted
As a mother of three very energetic kids, I know that music and movement are powerful tools to express their feelings and support them in their personal, social and emotional development. My son loves singing and dancing and it has really helped his confidence, my daughter is a passionate little performer, while their little sister can't stay still when there's music to bop or sing along to!
Bella Mamas social singing group
Due to requests from parents attending my baby and toddler classes for a singing group of their own, I established Bella Mamas Social Singing Group in 2018. It's been a huge success and during COVID-19 restrictions we continued to meet virtually over Zoom. We're delighted to be together again in person, singing on Thursday nights in Cornerstone Hub, Kingston, and enjoying weekend singing workshops at home and abroad. More information is available on the Bella Mamas page.
Bella Mamas social singing group
Due to requests from parents attending my baby and toddler classes for a singing group of their own, I established Bella Mamas Social Singing Group in 2018. It's been a huge success and during COVID-19 restrictions we continued to meet virtually over Zoom. We're delighted to be together again in person, singing on Thursday nights in Cornerstone Hub, Kingston, and enjoying weekend singing workshops at home and abroad. More information is available on the Bella Mamas page.
