Musical Training & Experience
From a young age I have been involved in various types of musical groups and training. These skills have always been valuable to me from a personal level, but now they also impact me on a professional level, as my musical experiences guide my understanding of my research in musico-literary studies. Below is a brief overview of my training and experience of each instrument.
I would not have had these training opportunities without the Suffolk County Council Music Service, encouraging teachers, and of course, my mother's perseverance and support during those years most child musicians experience when they just want to quit. Thank you, Mom, for not letting me quit.
Violin & Viola
Violin was my first 'official' instrument, and I started lessons when I was 8 years old. Since then I have performed in symphony, string, and chamber orchestras, string quartets, live music groups, and musical bands. In 2016 I started teaching myself the viola, which has satisfied my love for low notes, and at the time filled a gap in my string quartet, where the viola was often missing. At present, I continue to play violin in the Edinburgh Chamber Orchestra.
Piano
My second 'official' instrument, I began piano lessons in 2006. I performed solo piano pieces in High School, and I have played the piano/synth part in musical bands for Hairspray and Sunshine on Leith. Presently, my piano skills mainly inform my personal practise, and informed my choir leading.
Singing
While I started singing lessons in 2008, I've been singing since I was a small child, when I used to hum along to myself in my childhood backpack.
I love to sing in a large variety of genres, and I have performed pieces from musicals, arias, jazz standards, folk, worship, and pop music. Depending on what was needed, I have sung soprano, alto, and tenor parts in chamber and a capella choirs. My solo experience ranges from being lead singer for The Manglers jazz band to singing the alto solo in a Bach cantata. In 2013 I held a solo concert singing a range of genres, an event which raised £200 for local charities.
Musical Director
University provided me with the opportunity to lead multiple musical ensembles. Along with being President of the college string ensemble, I was also director for the Trevelyan College Chamber Choir and Trevs A Capella. These two choirs required quite different directing approaches. I focused on performance details in the auditioned chamber choir, while in the A Capella choir I worked to build a large and encouraging community while teaching the basics of music to all. Both experiences proved immensely rewarding, and both choirs more than surpassed my expectations in their performances.
Chamber Choir in Durham Cathedral
A Cappela Choir