My Mum and Me

My Dad and me completing the Camino de Santiago together

Me on graduation day

Hi there!
My name is Declan Plummer, and I'm the director and founder of Top Score Music Academy.

When I was young my parents noticed I really enjoyed learning music. I inherited this hobby from my mum, Laura, who played piano, guitar, and sang and composed her own folk songs. My parents got me lessons in piano straightaway and I loved it! For years my dad, Stephen, would drive me the 50-mile round trip from our home in Downpatrick to Belfast (sometimes twice a week) to get lessons at the Ulster College of Music. As a result, I eventually ended up teaching at UCM myself.  

My mum and dad sacrificed so much time and money to provide these lessons for me. Later, they encouraged me to do a music degree at University College Cork, which would lead on to a Masters degree and a PhD in music at Queen's University Belfast. My parents were not only a huge source of encouragement. Their love and care for my passion in music would later inspire me to teach others when I got older. In short, I would not be doing what I love today if it wasn't for them!

About Us - Where We Came From

During the COVID-19 pandemic, and the UK lockdown in 2020, all my face-to-face teaching was forced to online classes. Luckily, I had built up enough computer skills and music materials so that I could do this very successfully (I even ended up teaching teachers how to teach online). My weekly lessons with students at this difficult time became more than just music tuition. The sense of community, a human connection, and for some students mental wellbeing, were so much more important. As a result of this experience, I built Top Score Music Academy in 2022, so that as many people as possible could experience what it’s like to learn in an environment where it’s not just about the music.

Consequently, I believe that learning positive hobbies with positive role models is one of the most beneficial things a young person can do to improve their future. 

About Us - Our Teaching Philosophy

With this in mind, we developed a very simple teaching philosophy at Top Score Music Academy: to encourage in our students the same passion and enthusiasm for music that my parents gave me, to make our students eager to know more and become self-motivated, independent learners. For this purpose, we are constantly expanding our own knowledge and skills to adopt new ways of engaging with students, especially learning new technologies and teaching strategies to give them the best possible learning environment; one that is inclusive of everyone and where music is taught without borders.

Being devoted to our students' success in both music and in life has led to fantastic results. For example, 50% of our A-Level students and 75% of our GCSE students attain GRADES A or A* in their music qualifications, and nearly all of our theory and piano students attain merit or distinction in their exams. However, the real target is that 100% of our students have fun, make friends, learn something new, and have a real sense of accomplishment!

Yamaha P515 Keyboard