I am a Musician, Community Music Practitioner and Educator. I hold an MSc in Music in the Community from the University of Edinburgh but was a practitioner long before the degree! As a Practitioner, my work is largely with young people who are ‘hard to reach’, young offenders and young people in care and/or supported by Social Work. As well as teaching and facilitating workshops, Jess is the Chair of Sound Sense, the UK Association for Community Music. My college/university teaching is focused on Community Music and Music Education. Regardless of the setting, my work focuses on the practice of enabling others to play and experience music-making in an equitable and accessible way. A duel citizen originally from New York,I have lived in Edinburgh for 25 years. While no longer a full-time vocalist, I still take extreme pleasure in playing gigs in the UK and Europe when time and opportunity allow.