Current Projects
I am always dreaming up new projects, ideas and songs and so any true ‘currently’ page is likely to be out of date quickly. This page gives some information about the main ongoing projects I am actively engaged in.
Recently I have been making music with early years, the elderly (and especially those living with dementia) and in intergenerational settings. As a freelance musician I work with many organisations but have had the joy of being involved with two now on a regular basis for many years.
Gigs / Workshops
Trio of Men – August – workshop and gig
Greenbelt – wake up singing and Instant songsEnd Of The Road – wake up singing and Instant songs
Sufjan Songs for Christmas – Huddersfield and Edinburgh
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra - BSO
I am a Music Associate with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and in this role I co-run an intergenerational family orchestra ‘The Aubergines’; lead on mentoring and training projects and work on health and wellbeing programmes in hospitals and care homes.
About to start some regular sessions in Dorchester hospital with elders and a new intergenerational music project at Bristol Beacon.
Awards for Young Musicians - AYM
I am creative lead for Awards For Young Musicians Identifying Musical Talent and Potential strand of work. This has been an exciting emerging project that is now included in the National Music Plan for England and is ground-breaking in the way that we are looking at how to identify and support musical potential from group settings.
I am also a key assessment facilitator for the main AYM awards programme.
Sufjan Steven’s Songs For Christmas
I have been co-running a celebratory project each winter sharing a selection of Sufjan Stevens’ Songs For Christmas. Sufjan Stevens has written ten albums of Christmas Music that he has put on creative commons, and a number of us have taken this invitation and made different community projects in various parts of the coutnry. This year (December 2024) we will be performing in Edinburgh and Huddersfield.
Book - The Social Musician
I am writing on a book about my practice which I hope to be sharing next year – it will be titled The Social Musician – A Journey Through Practice.
I will share some of the ideas in this book on the writing page.
Bands
I play in many different bands and currently active on several fronts, all of which involve playing with friends in different parts of the land:
– positive songs about the changing climate with Mark Fisher in The Sweet
Hunamafi Rhythm Orchestra – https://soundcloud.com/sweet-hunamafi-rhythm
– creating some new Birdsongs with poet Peter Oswald
– making occasional songs and podcasts with Graham Browning in Fowl – https://fowl1.bandcamp.com/
– Inventing new videos and music with Cormac Thomas in Corkivell – https://soundcloud.com/corkivell
– Playing at festivals this summer with Trio Of Men – https://www.trioofmen.org/
– Composing and improvising with Natural Causes – https://naturalcauses.bandcamp.com/music
When there is a new song/tune from one of these groups I will post it here.
Other
I am about to begin on a 6-month set of music workshops in hospitals Somerset with those recovering from having a Stroke.