Location

Wakefield, West Yorkshire

Specialisms

Community choirs; health and well being; Long Covid and respiratory issues; elders; world music.

Additional information

I am a professional singer and have been facilitating choirs and sessions for singers for 30 years. I am interested in all genres and have particular specialisms in music from different parts of the world, particularly the African continent where I have lived and worked (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Sierra Leone). I am also particularly interested in gospel, Taize and Christian music, and songs that reflect our social history. I have been musician in residence at the National Coal Mining Museum for England, Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Bike about Filey for the Tour de Yorkshire. I have had several commissions to create new work and have created two songbooks – one for stories and songs from Sierra Leone for young children, and another about women and modern day slavery.

I have a particular interest in singing, music and well-being, and regularly run sessions for people with Long Covid and respiratory illness, people with mental health issues, elders and those with memory loss, song-writing in hospices, and 1-1 sessions to ‘find your voice’. I also run drumming circles for mindfulness.

I enjoy spending time in Zambia where I work with local musicians, choirs, schools and  community groups. We exchange music and ideas and learn from each other.