Adventure Sounds Project
MA Music students and staff from BIMM University Manchester took part in an multi day course in the Lakes! The Adventure Sounds Project involved: eating lots of tasty wholesome meals, hiking in the mist, taking time to just be, observing natural surroundings, collaborative improvisation, composition, drawing, creative writing, yoga and lots of laughter! Check out the video of our final performance......
Women's Mountain & Music Exploration
In August 2021six female jazz musicians, based in the North West, to part in a weekend of adventure and music making in the heart of the stunning Lake District. Based in the beautiful grounds of Rydal Hall, the course included a full day guided hike with observation stops connecting to nature, wild swimming, yoga, a jam session and collaborative improvisation and composition workshops inspired by the hike, resulting in a final performance!
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Solo Mountain & Music Exploration
A showcase of how adventure in the great outdoors and connecting to nature improves our wellbeing and creativity. The music in the film was composed and recorded directly after a weekend of adventures in the Lake District.
Lockdown Musical Adventure Day
19 people from all over the UK took part in the Lockdown Musical Adventure Day in May 2020. Participants went for a morning walk in their local area and did three observation stops, each time focusing on a different element. They then returned home and followed a series of musical improvisation warm ups. They where then set three short composition/improvisation tasks, each based on their observations from their walk. Participants sent recordings of their compositions and photographs from their walk to me. I then put them all together, creating one big Sound & Image Collage.
Mountain & Music Retreat
In June 2019 seven creatives from a range of background took part in a weekend of adventure and creativity! The retreat included a full day hike, with observation stops to connect with nature, a jam session, wholesome home cooked meals, yoga and creative arts workshops combining music improvisation, creative writing and visual art, all resulting in a final performance.
Flutes & Co Musical Adventure Day
Ten members of Flutes & Co took part in one of our Musical Adventure Days in beautiful The Lake District. I arranged the music, that these members created, for the full flute orchestra to play in our summer concert 2019. Credit to Ian Vermeulen for making this film.
Music Outdoors
Alexandra Park Jam Sessions
In August 2020, I was preparing a performance of Brazilian music with a Brazilian guitarist. Due to Covid restrictions we could not rehearse, or perform indoors. Determined to make it happen, I searched for an outdoor sheltered space for us to rehearse and perform in. I discovered a place in our local park and was delighted to find a group of people practising Capoeira! This felt like an amazing coincidence. I introduced myself and explained that I was looking for a space to play Brazilian music and was very interested in learning Capoeira; they invited me to join them the following week. This all felt very positive. Capoeira is a Brazilian dance-martial art, which combines movement, acrobatics, music, percussion and game play. The process of inviting musician friends to the park to listen to us resulted in an organized Brazilian Jazz jam session. There was a high demand for the jam session to happen again, so I decided to make it a regular event and have hosted fortnightly jam sessions in the park ever since!
Why I ride? - film by iwaca
I had a great ride getting getting to know the folk from iwaca - talking about all the positive aspects of biking and kendal Cycle Club!
Check out this amazing film about small business owners who are member of the club and how we benefit from the cycling communtiy.