Music runs through Tara’s veins [Watch]
The 44-year-old studied music education at Stellenbosch University and completed an honours year specialising in violin tuition.
The sky is the limit for musician and songwriter Tara Blake, head of culture at the senior college at Ashton International College Ballito.
The Cape Town-born musician is well-recognised locally as a violin player and teacher who started playing at the age of nine, and started performing at 15.
Blake said she enjoys transforming the atmosphere and lifting hearts with her music.
“I like playing in a spot where people walk past, because someone might be passing and hear you playing, and they can stop to listen for a few minutes, and it lifts their mood,” said the mother of four.
She plays a mix of contemporary, light jazz and classical music on an electric violin.
In recent years she discovered a love for songwriting.
“I find the songwriting process creative and absolutely fascinating. A year ago I wrote a song called ‘Someone I used to know’ for the 10th anniversary of my dad’s passing,” said Blake.
The 44-year-old studied music education at Stellenbosch University and completed an honours year specialising in violin tuition.
“I also studied math and thought I could teach math, but through interest and great support from parents, friends and family, I began teaching violin and a variety of other musical instruments,” she said.
She has been teaching for more than 20 years, and currently tutors about 40 students throughout the week.
Regarding her music writing, she gets inspiration from her general life and the life stories of the musicians she writes for.
“When I get home and look at the notes, the lyrics will start popping out of those notes. It’s something that I really enjoy.”
When she gets stuck on a song, her favourite remedy is to walk on the beach with her three dogs Ranger, Timon and Pumba.
Going forward, she hopes to see the musicians she writes for grow and tour, and to have the opportunity of writing for an established musician.
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