"I've never skipped a lesson."

Music was important in Tamara's life from an early age. At home, her parents played Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones. She learned to play the flute and played in a brass band. She chose music as her main subject at high school, was in the symphony orchestra and in a band. She also took singing lessons at the Jazz School in St. Gallen.

As present as music has always been in her life, she then decides against also studying her passion. Instead, she chose German studies and history, later becoming a teacher.

How the teacher becomes a student.

But the music does not disappear from the back of her mind. At some point, when she is around 30 years old, she decides to continue. She finds Instrumentor and is enthusiastic about the programme. "There is no fixed programme for all students, here I can contribute individually and improve the skills I want", she says, summing up the main advantage for her personally.

This also has very practical aspects. As a mother of a young daughter, she is very busy during the semester and has little free time. During the time off from classes, on the other hand, she is flexible and can take time for her passion. The rigid, classic weekly schedule would not have worked for her. "On Instrumentor, I can organise my time myself, which means a lot to me", she sums up.

She enters the stage.

Tamara takes guitar, piano and singing lessons. The joy of music is still there. She realises that she wants to make more of her talent - and founds a band. She finds it difficult to categorise her style. "Singer/songwriter" is probably the label that fits her best, but it would be too limiting.

Because Tamara likes Billie Holiday, Elena Duni and Sophie Hunger. But she also likes to listen to hip-hop, classical music, flamenco, metal or punk. "New music stimulates me and moves me forward, that's what it's all about", she explains.

How her album came about.

When she is pregnant, Tamara realises that soon, she probably won't be able to stand on stage so easily anymore. This gives her an idea: she knows that instead, she has more time to record music. So she books a recording course through Instrumentor.

Looking at the industry, Tamara says: "Today, a lot is outsourced in the music industry - from composing to marketing. That's not my style". She prefers to take care of her music entirely herself. «This may be less professional, but you can feel my handwriting and I can learn a lot,» she concludes. Here, too, you notice her ambition.

Tamara is very determined in her approach. She prepares intensively in order to adapt her lessons to her needs as much as possible. In the end, she manages to completely record and edit her album – seven songs – in 16 lessons.

The lessons have not only helped her musically.

As a teacher, Tamara likes to deal intensively with pedagogical questions. How do you impart knowledge so that it sticks and everyone involved enjoys it? Of course, individual, voluntary, one-to-one lessons are not easy to compare to the school system. Nevertheless, she sees Instrumentor as a pedagogical showcase project. Trust and self-determination are at the centre, which cannot be taken for granted.

No wonder her joy for music is still unbroken. She wants to maintain this, so she doesn't put herself under pressure with plans or targets. Sure, it would be nice if gigs and new songs were an even bigger part of her life, but she appreciates the fact that she can sing and play without economic pressure.