Community Artist / Deep Listener / Sound Therapist / Performer
Education work
Throughout my career I have relished the chance to work in as wide a variety of settings as possible. My early training as a Music Workshop leader with Community Music stood me in good stead and has facilitated my experience in all manner of settings: nursery, primary and secondary schools, day care centres, drug rehabilitation centres, prisons, special schools, community centres, youth clubs, theatres, arts centres, universities and conservatoires.
This work has been undertaken through many different bands, dance, opera, and theatre companies as well as simply me as a freelance Community Artist.
A non-exhaustive list includes: Turtle Key Arts, English National Ballet, Mark Morris Dance Group, Intercultural Roots, Royal Ballet and Opera, Opera North, Akademi, Richard Alston Dance, Green Candle, Blue-Eyed Soul, Pan Intercultural Arts, Attakalari Centre for Movement Arts.
Sharing day at Mencap Hammersmith & Fulham, 3/10/25. Photo: Alan Bowyer @ primodv
Since 2002, alongside my free-lance work, I have also been a committed member of the music department of Queens Park Community School, a ‘normal’ state secondary school in the London Borough of Brent but with a bigger-than-normal stalwart commitment to the arts.
I first joined under the inspirational leadership of Head of Music Ann-Marie Atkins. Starting from scratch, an incredibly rich department grew through dedication and hard-work.
Now working alongside the current team of Toby Pellow, Pelagia Zioga and Travis Clarke, we offer a huge extra-curricular timetable:
Jazz Band, Steel Bands, Brass & Wind, Orchestra, several Choirs, Percussion Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, a mac-based recording studio. Each year (starting in 2006) there is a music residential where we tour a concert to a different country (we have been to Belgium, Germany, NL, Spain, Italy, Taiwan over the years). Recent trips involved 60-80 students coming along to perform.
Getting ready for rehearsals of Frozen cast/orchestra together in the hall, QPCS, March 2025
One of my particular roles is to be the MD for the school production each year, working closely with the Drama Department (special mention to current Head of Drama Jon Griffiths, and to former colleagues Natalie Moore and Steph Fuller.) My job is to arrange from scratch for and lead the Production Orchestra of 25 (many more wish to join but we are constrained by space!) as well as work with cast and vocalists on songs. Cast usually number around 60 – a joyful sometimes chaotic but always uplifting experience. SO many colleagues get involved on all aspects of putting on a show – set, costume, stage management, ticketing, filming, photographing, programme etc etc. A true whole school community activity and one I feel privileged to have a large role in.
To date we have done:
West Side Story 2011
Les Mis 2012
Alice In Wonderland 2014
Grease 2015
Lion King 2016
Billy Elliot 2017
Oliver 2018
Into The Woods 2019
Les Mis 2022
Macbeth 2023
West Side Story 2024
Frozen 2025
Frozen technical rehearsals, March 2025