For me, both music itself and how we interact with it is something that has always sparked my curiosity, specifically how music enables dialogue and connection and how we can somehow still tell stories and prompt discussion through such a subjective medium.
Having grown up just outside of Belfast, there was a need for the sort of space that music can provide; the reason why I pursued music in the end was due to the profound impact that making music with diverse groups of people had on me - hearing their life experiences and connecting with them in a way I previously could have never imagined.
Years later, while studying my Bachelor’s in London I found myself more curious to explore the unknown grey areas than to perform the same repertoire day in, day out, hence my specialisations in contemporary music as well as historical music.
I started to improvise, to perform with live electronics, and, after moving to Berlin, plus some further studies, I now find myself doing a wide variety of things, with the desire to do even more.
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As a bassoonist, you can watch me performing on modern bassoon and contraforte as a guest with groups like Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Musikfabrik, Ensemblekollektiv Berlin, Ensemble New Babylon, the Lucerne Contemporary Festival Orchestra, Basel Sinfonietta, and my own group, Kollektiv Unruhe.
I also sometimes perform on historical instruments, for example regularly on dulcian with one of my favourite groups, the Lautten Compagney, who perform new and historical music with artists from all traditions of music making.
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The most meaningful thing for me as a musician is collaboration. Being in dialogue with other artists and audiences is, I believe, more essential than ever. For that reason my focus these days is on long term collaborations.
For example, I have been working with composer Faidra Chafta-Douka since 2022 on Artefact III, a semi-improvised piece which explores the interaction of breath, action, reaction, and sound between myself and the contraforte. I have also enjoyed collaborations with composers like Dai Fujikura, Arnau Brichs, Luca Staffiere, José del Avellanal Carreño, Aydin Pfeiffer, Lara Poe, Pedro Berardinelli, to name a few.
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When I find the time, I also enjoy improvising and putting on small concerts or performing in intimate settings, for example I collaborated with composer/performer Francis Heery for an improvisation set with bassoon and bio-acoustic electronics at Untergrün concert series (link below).
I also enjoy performing using my body, voice, and being involved in Musiktheater.
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In the last year or so, I have been getting more hands-on with creation. I have been trying out some Musiktheater concepts and took part in the creation of NOT FOUND, a co- and through-composed 90 minute long interactive musical work created with my group, KOLLEKTIV UNRUHE, for Klangwerkstatt Festival Berlin 2023. Alongside composing the final part of the piece, I performed throughout and was responsible for the light design.
Right now my main focus is on projects with KOLLEKTIV UNRUHE, and upcoming events such as our tour with Orbis Ensemble, residencies in Rheinsberg and Budapest, collaborations with artists in Switzerland in 2026, and being featured in a documentary filmed by director Lia Campbell and produced by Fine Point Films.
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I studied my Bachelor’s at the Royal Academy of Music. London, where I graduated with a 1st class (hons) degree. I am currently taking part in the 1 year long Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie, and after this I will graduate from the Universität der Künste Berlin, where I studied bassoon with specialisation in historical music.
I have experience teaching bassoon, piano and improvisation from pre-school age to retired amateur musicians, in both English and German. I have led music workshops with schoolchildren, taught improvisation skills to adult musicians, taught in one-to-one instrumental lessons. I also hold an LCM piano diploma and have experience accompanying instrumental exams.
Feel free to reach out if you are interested in collaborating!