Dovetail Orchestra brings together asylum-seeking, refugee and local musicians to perform works that blend and celebrate multiple traditions and heritages. It is a joy.

I freelance for venues across the UK (concert halls, music hubs), orchestras (LPO, RPO, BSO, BBC NOW, NCO), conservatoires (RCM, RAM, Guildhall) and agencies (IMG Artists), doing a range of education work, from creative workshops through to pre-concert lectures, expert interviews and orchestral presentations. A lot of this draws on my experience as a conductor and teacher. I have presented for BBC Radio 3 and am often called on to demonstrate pieces with musicians on stage, whether with a full orchestra or a chamber group.Community music-making is very important to me. I led the Bristol Recovery Orchestra (for those living with addictions) for 5 years and am currently building the Dovetail Orchestra for asylum-seeking musicians (see separate section).I specialise in musicianship training and collaborative improvisation. I'm currently consulting at Chethams School of Music on their musicianship curriculum, and am a regular tutor at Aldeburgh Young Musicians. Every week at the Bristol Pre-Conservatoire we put theory into practice. This is a music school I founded for talented young musicians in 2011.I lectured in orchestration for Bristol University on both their MA and BA music courses.My research interests are in how to teach musical creativity across styles to advanced musical students (post grade 8 or at conservatoire). As a writer, I have contributed regularly to Rhinegold's Music Teacher Magazine, written programme notes for Cleveland Symphony Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and have created opera libretti that have been performed at the Proms and in Cadogan Hall, London. I am currently writing a book on creativity.

New specialist music school for talented young classical and jazz musicians

Conducting used to be my main focus. I have worked with orchestras in London (incl. RPO, Southbank Sinfonia), Europe (City of Prague Philharmonic) and US (Boston Philharmonic, as their 'Zander Fellow'). I have experience as a Music Director for opera and theatre work, as a vocal coach and as a choral director (The Turner Choir).