ARAM Associate of the Royal Academy of Music
Founder & Artistic Director - The Dionysus Ensemble
Cellist:
Principal Cello - Scottish Opera, Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Manchester Camerata, Northern Ballet & Orchestra of the Swan
Principal & Solo Cello - Symphonic Ibiza
No.2 - Royal Opera House, English National Opera, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra & Philharmonia
No.3 - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloist for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace
Recorded at Abbey Road & played with artists including Jason Donovan, Shirley Bassey & Jeff Beck
Performed live on radio internationally including BBC Radio 3 & Radio New Zealand
Cellist for Tori Amos musical “The Light Princess” - National Theatre 2013-14
West End Deputy - Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cinderella" until closing & Disney's "The Lion King" 2014 ongoing
Performed - Indian High Commission's Nehru Centre: fusion of Western Classical & Indian Traditional music with Kuljit Bhamra MBE (tabla)
Education project leader for TDE, Orchestra of the Swan, Three Choirs Festival & Ledbury Poetry Festival plus creating 3 series of community interactive children's concerts
Workshop leader: Christchurch NZ schools including ‘cello, orchestral & chamber group coaching
Orchestral cello coach - Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Guest panel lecturer - Royal College of Music 2023
Masterclass professor: New Zealand Christchurch School of Music & New Zealand Hawkes Bay Music Society
Cello, improvisation, chamber music & orchestral coach - UK Summer Schools
Outreach programmes - orchestras including the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic & English National Opera : different institutions varying in age, social background, financial resources, ability & capability of participants, including SEND schools, care homes, hospices & nurseries
Founder & Artistic Director - The Dionysus Ensemble
Cellist:
Principal Cello - Scottish Opera, Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Manchester Camerata, Northern Ballet & Orchestra of the Swan
Principal & Solo Cello - Symphonic Ibiza
No.2 - Royal Opera House, English National Opera, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra & Philharmonia
No.3 - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloist for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace
Recorded at Abbey Road & played with artists including Jason Donovan, Shirley Bassey & Jeff Beck
Performed live on radio internationally including BBC Radio 3 & Radio New Zealand
Cellist for Tori Amos musical “The Light Princess” - National Theatre 2013-14
West End Deputy - Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cinderella" until closing & Disney's "The Lion King" 2014 ongoing
Performed - Indian High Commission's Nehru Centre: fusion of Western Classical & Indian Traditional music with Kuljit Bhamra MBE (tabla)
Education project leader for TDE, Orchestra of the Swan, Three Choirs Festival & Ledbury Poetry Festival plus creating 3 series of community interactive children's concerts
Workshop leader: Christchurch NZ schools including ‘cello, orchestral & chamber group coaching
Orchestral cello coach - Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Guest panel lecturer - Royal College of Music 2023
Masterclass professor: New Zealand Christchurch School of Music & New Zealand Hawkes Bay Music Society
Cello, improvisation, chamber music & orchestral coach - UK Summer Schools
Outreach programmes - orchestras including the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic & English National Opera : different institutions varying in age, social background, financial resources, ability & capability of participants, including SEND schools, care homes, hospices & nurseries
In spring 2019 I collaborated with Kuljit Bhamra MBE on a new adventure, bespoke solo cello and tabla music designed specifically for us which we performed at Marlborough House, the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Nations and the seat of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
It was my first time experimenting working with traditional and non western instruments, and I found it very exciting and incredibly thought provoking!
This collaboration developed into the two of us adding other members of my chamber group to expand the project and then being invited to perform at the Indian High Commission's Nehru Centre in Mayfair in September 2019 - the first time western instrumental musicians were invited to play there!
Our musical programme showcased the fusion of Western Classical music with Indian Traditional music, by combining strings and tabla.
The first lockdown of the 2020 pandemic forced invention and discovery, I created this then - a first foray into arranging, home recording, videoing and video production!
New skills tried out, and new pathways explored.
I am the founder & Artistic Director of my chamber music group "The Dionysus Ensemble" (TDE), and so dream up, invent, make happen and run every TDE project. I also play cello in all of TDE's projects.
TDE projects are all based on my desire to tell stories, to engage people with topics through music which can then lead to discussion, awareness and even action.
My personal artistic and musical development spills over into and heavily influences the work that TDE does and the direction that it takes, my individual experiences and musical collaborations often develop into larger projects where TDE can expand on, and reach a wider audience with, the same themes and ideas of embracing and celebrating diversity of culture - as seen by the progression of my work with Kuljit Bhamra MBE.
For example: combining my newly discovered lockdown home recording & filming skills with my explorations into traditional, heritage and world music lead to this.
In autumn 2020, I devised and ran (and played on!) the TDE project - ‘Uniting the Commonwealth through music during COVID-19’ with the Commonwealth Secretariat. It was a never-before-attempted musical feat to combine the voices of musicians from the 54 member countries in one powerful virtual performance. The project demonstrated the power of music and art to lift spirits, improve mental health and encourage international camaraderie, as countries faced up to the challenges of the pandemic. This was aided, supported and promoted by High Commissions around the Commonwealth. TDE continued this pan Commonwealth collaboration with our Commonwealth Natural Wonders in Music in 2022, partnering with the Royal Philharmonic Society & the Commonwealth Secretariat, celebrating the Platinum Jubilee.
I have just collaborated with MOBO award performer & nominee Ayanna Witter-Johnson, with the the aim to create a powerful musical experience that celebrates Caribbean music heritage and culture while reflecting on the historical significance of the Windrush generation.
By blending classical and Caribbean sounds, this collaborative project has ignited conversations, fostered friendships, and deepened understanding, contributing to a more inclusive and culturally rich society.
Personally this collaboration stretched me as a cellist. Working closely with Ayanna, she introduced me to extended techniques on the cello which I haven't used before, percussive tapping/flams/rim shots etc which has really expanded my range of abilities for future projects and expanded my horizons on what my cello playing could do and the directions it could take.
This journey of exploring new musical cultures, collaborating with musicians using traditional music & instruments from their heritage, and working out ways to combine, connect & create together to develop something new and integrated is something I strongly want to continue, and the DYCP support would enable me to do this.