Give me a stage…
A stage is like an open invitation to a musician. Just seeing a big stage makes me want to get up and make music. It’s… Read More »Give me a stage…
A stage is like an open invitation to a musician. Just seeing a big stage makes me want to get up and make music. It’s… Read More »Give me a stage…
I am extremely excited to hear my original soundtrack (composed, performed, and recorded) for the documentary film Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay come to life at its premier at the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol on April 20, 2018. (scroll down within the embedded image below to get to the trailer or go direct to the UN of Photography website)Read More »Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay
My recent performance was live-streamed and an be viewed here. It was a benefit recital to help support a trip to America with my students.… Read More »Recital Video Feb 2018
There is something romantic about playing a musical instrument, but practice? The emotion, getting caught up in the moment, it looks so graceful and can… Read More »Practice: Walking Through Daisies or ‘Going on a Bear Hunt’?
On Sunday, February 4th I’m giving a concert at the University of Chichester. It will be an afternoon of cello, and I am very fortunate… Read More »Concert Time! IRL and Online
Last night I had the pleasure of performing a recital accompanied by my friend and colleague on the University’s lovely 1876 Dancy D Steinway piano. Oh I love my cello and I love to play for people. Performing for me is interesting because I am trained to do it, but in life I do many other things as well and this kind of solo performance is a slice of the pie. Finding balance is a quest. (recordings from the concert are at the end of the post, in case you want to skip the reflective part!)Read More »On Performance
Kamloops. Creativity in the Open. Out in the open. The Wilderness stretches as far as the eye can see, and there is water in the valley, snow on the distant mountains, etched clouds above, and wonderful smiles to surround us on the TRU (Thompson Rivers University) campus here in Canada. It was an opportunity to push boundaries and explore. My appetite for learning is large and this was a feast.
The convergence of beautiful surroundings, people, thought, has been magic over the past few days during the Creativity in the Open event, organised by Tanya Dorey. It has been a privilege to share so much with these people. It started as a conversation at an online meeting between academics from diverse fields – a curriculum designer, a biologist, a philosopher, and a musician. It was our ‘play-date’ where we could talk and snatch a precious few moments to know one another better than text-base interactions allow. (there’s a story connecting that meeting to the event that just happened, and that will be in the collaborative magazine Kintsugim issue coming out in about a week)
There is an inherent joy for me, in being at a place and an event where creativity is valued, welcomed, and fostered. I knew that I came bringing something that would be new for people – playing instruments and giving them the tools to make some recognisable sounds in a short space of time. Working together in different ways than the everyday desk environment provides, and using a different medium to convey creativity – sound. I would be pushing people, but there were also opportunities for people to push me.Read More »Pushing the boat out: Creativity in the Open
Friday afternoon I walked into an exam room with my cello, with the other students, to play in front of the Head of Music and… Read More »Turning the tables: exam time
Music everywhere. Cellos everywhere. Smiles, laughter, learning, good work, new strings, new learning. It is difficult to sum up what a magnificent weekend has just… Read More »Making music everywhere: Cello Weekend 2017
This is session two of three in this round of the Connecting Classes project. What’s happening here is a different sort of teaching where actually… Read More »Romanticism: It’s happening! #CClasses