Biography
I’m a drummer, percussionist and music enabler, specialising in musical participation. I’m an associate member of the Iona Community, and found my path while spending three years living and working in the Abbey, where thanks to the example of the Wild Goose Resource Group I discovered that for me, it was more fun making music with, rather than for people. I went on to do a PhD in musical interaction in 2011 at Strathclyde University, and in the intervening years I’ve worked worldwide as a specialist in music in health, communication and social wellbeing. I recently took a year out on a fellowship with the Global Brain Health Institute – looking at music and brain health, and I continue to work with NHS inpatient mental health services as a musician, as well as being part of the ‘folk, feminism, and faith’ (quite the niche!) trio, Siskin Green. I run a monthly ‘Adventure Choir’ (an improvising choir that makes its own music) in Glasgow (all welcome!) – and teach people how to facilitate community drum circles.
What makes me laugh and what moves me at my deepest level?
I love doing terrible woodwork and yoga; mediocre paddleboarding and cooking, and not too bad crafts. What makes me laugh is physical comedy (I used to be a puppeteer) – and what moves me is the myriad forms of human connection.
USA North East