I found my way to music through the violin and singing in choirs, in a family with no musicians and a society that didn’t take the arts very seriously. I’ve never forgotten how much it matters when an adult takes your curiosity seriously. I’ve now taught for over twenty years: violin, viola, theory, composition, music technology & production, and a lot of ensemble leading, with learners from Early Years to university. I hold Qualified Teacher Status and have worked in primary and secondary schools, music hubs and centres, youth orchestras, colleges and universities across London.

I teach the way I make work. Anyone can compose, improvise and listen, and none of it has to wait until your technique is good enough. So my learners have built pieces from graphic scores, turned found objects into instruments and had a go at conducting their own ensemble. MUSIC:BUILDING started like that, with KS2 pupils in Lambeth and Merton composing through architecture. I’ve also taught BTEC performance modules at colleges and BMus modules at Brunel and Roehampton, as well as giving guest lectures.

Alongside my own work and teaching, I’ve held senior roles in music and arts education and outreach. In each one I’ve tried to focus on similar areas: update what was already there, make it more welcoming, bring the local community in, and build the partnerships that get more people making music.