Who she is — the real story behind our founder

Phoebe isn’t just a local music teacher. She’s a singer, community-builder, boss, and the kind of person who doesn’t just talk about change. She makes it happen. She grew up loving music, encouraged early on by a teacher in Singapore who recognised her talent. That first spark grew into a life devoted to performance, education, jazz, harmony, and community spirit.

She graduated with First Class Honours from Goldsmiths, University of London where music wasn’t just study, it was life, and met her husband Matt in a band. Together they turned that shared passion into a teaching and performance powerhouse based in Surrey.

Phoebe is also a mother of two beautiful girls, and family life is very much woven into the musical world she has created. Her husband Matt is deeply musical himself and, as Phoebe often says, none of what she has built would be possible without him. He is the person who always says yes to her mad ideas and supports every new venture she dreams up.

Both of their daughters clearly share that same musical spark and will get on stage at any given opportunity. Alba will be performing as part of her choir on ChoirBLAST Festival day.

To put it simply, she is a performer at heart, a teacher by calling, and a community-builder in practice.

Founder & Director of A Touch of Musicality (ATOM)

Phoebe is the founder and driving force of A Touch of Musicality, a music school based in Godalming that is all about inclusivity, joy, and connection through music, not just grades and performances. She personally teaches vocals, piano, songwriting, and music theory, but more importantly she shapes culture, supporting beginners and seasoned musicians alike, pushing confidence, and making music lessons feel human and life-affirming.

What sets her apart as a teacher beyond her technical skill is her generosity with encouragement, her knack for nurturing confidence, and her love of community singing. Students and choir members regularly say she is warm, energising, inspiring, and utterly gets what makes people flourish vocally.

Under her leadership, ATOM has not only given lessons but built a brand of musical community. Multiple choirs, retreats, workshops, festivals and showcases have grown from her vision. She has also received local recognition, volunteer awards and even an invite to Buckingham Palace for her creative arts impact.

Phoebe with members of the Farncombe Jazz Choir

Chair & Founder of ChoirBLAST Charity

Phoebe took a leap that most music teachers never do. She scaled her vision into the charity sector. ChoirBLAST is more than an event. It is a registered charity focused on spreading the joy of group singing to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Its mission is to break down barriers to music participation and to use singing as a force for connection and confidence.

As Chair and CEO, Phoebe drives strategy, outreach, choir development, and festival programming, taking programmes into schools, workplaces, care homes, and community spaces. The organisation now connects dozens of choirs and thousands of singers, a testament to her vision and tenacity.

The origins of ChoirBLAST trace back to a lightbulb moment while attending a choir festival in Germany. Phoebe returned determined to create an inclusive, non-competitive festival that celebrates voices of all kinds. What started as a local idea has since become an annual gathering that champions connection and joy through song.

In the community

Phoebe’s contribution isn’t hidden in a practice room. She has been publicly recognised by Godalming’s Town Mayor for her volunteerism, leading choirs, fundraising, and bringing music to people in ways that enrich lives and strengthen community ties.

She runs choirs with original arrangements, spearheads collaborations with schools and community groups, and is constantly finding new ways for everyday people to sing together. That is not just leadership, that is transformational cultural work.

Outside of music, Phoebe treasures the small pockets of quiet she can find in a busy life. In her very limited spare time she enjoys spending time at her allotment, being out in nature, running, and reading.

She is also quick to say that none of the success of ChoirBLAST happens without the people around it. Phoebe is hugely grateful for the support, love, and passion that people bring to ChoirBLAST and to every endeavour she attempts. That shared enthusiasm is the real energy behind everything she builds.

Bottom Line

Phoebe Gaydon is one of those rare leaders who blends artistry, ambition, and heart. She has built a thriving music school that is practically a community hub, and taken that energy into charity work that genuinely widens access to the life-changing power of music. If you think of music as joy, connection, and belonging, she is living proof of how it should be done.