Friday Feature: Mr Andy Mayell
12th May 2023
What is your current position at King Edward's Witley?
I am Housemaster of Wakefield and teach Music, PSHE and EPQ.
How long have you worked at King Edward's Witley?
I started in September 2022.
Where do you live and where were you born?
I live in Wakefield house. Before that I lived and worked in China for four years with my family. I was born in Brentwood, Essex.
What's your favourite thing about working at King Edward's Witley?
I honestly love working with teenagers and delivering my subject and passions. The students are really fantastic in this school, and I love helping them on their way through their education and eventually into young adulthood.
What are your hobbies?
I am a music teacher and love my subject. I play guitar, sing and love writing songs and studied composition to a Masters’ level. I am intrigued by the composition process and how songwriters and composers are very different in their approach. I also love sport and the outdoors and have just joined Guildford Hockey Club, plus enjoy racket sports, football and cricket. I was also in scouting when I was young so enjoy outdoor activities such as abseiling, climbing, canoeing, pioneering, building fires and outdoor shelters and I also just started fly fishing! I also love to spend time with my family and small dog Orla…
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Well, I had no idea growing up, but when I was in primary school, I was interested in dinosaurs so wanted to be a palaeontologist, but that was mainly because it was a very long word for me at the time!
What is the funniest thing a pupil has ever said to you?
For me, some of the responses I get in my subject in written exams are quite funny. For example, there was a question on Mozart’s life and the funniest answer I got was ‘He was dead when he was young’ which created images of a Mozart Zombie in my head! Also, I asked in an exam to explain how a ‘trill’ sounds which is 2 notes next to each other played in quick succession and the answer they wrote was ‘la la la la la la la la la’ which wasn’t far off!
What's your favourite book/movie/song?
I am a bit of a Science Fiction and movie enthusiast and so my favourite book is by Arthur C Clarke called ‘Rama’. My favourite film is the recent Dune film by Director Denis Villeneuve (all of his films are great) and I am very much looking forward to the sequel. My favourite song must be the hardest question for me to answer so here are some of my favourites within these genres…
Alternative – Joga by Bjork
Indie Rock – Inhaler by Foals
Metal – Minerva by Deftones
Classical – Glass’s Violin Concerto: II. Performed by violinist Adele Anthony.
