Everyone is Music

Welcome to episode 13.This week I am in conversation with Leon Clowes, a transdisciplinary artist. Using autoethnography, self-compassion and Brechtian techniques, Leon's creative practice is informed by lived trauma.This is a very honest conversation and I can only thank Leon for the integrity and openness that takes place.Our conversation begins at Drake Music, where we met in 1995 and quickly moves into addiction, growing up queer in the 80's against the backdrop of AIDS and then family trauma. Leon maintains perspective and humour throughout and it is a real testament to his creative practice and the formalising of this through his creative practice research PhD.I really believe that this is a very important conversation and although difficult at times, Leon's unwavering belief in the creative process is, ultimately, uplifting.Leon has just won a commission - The British Music Collection's LGBTQ+ Composers Open Call which is due to premiere in September 2022.Leon's WebsiteSoundcloudTwitterInstagramCommission detailsEternal GuitarsMy Links

Welcome to episode 12.This week my guest is Emma Hughes. Emma is the choir coordinator and director at Soundabout (Listen to Ep 7 with Clare Cook) and was instrumental in developing their work and delivery over Zoom during the Pandemic Lockdowns. Emma talks about the organic growth of her roles at Soundabout and particularly choir leading and setting up the tech.When I first contacted Emma, she was out on tour and I finally got to ask her where, what, with whom.Emma reveals that for the past 11 years she has been the live Bass player for Kate Nash and had been on tour with Kate in Germany. The portfolio career model is truly alive and very well. Emma talks about how she got the gig with Kate whilst an undergraduate studying performance and writing her dissertation on Music Therapy whilst on tour. Through working as a TA in SEN schools, Emma's interest in this area grew and she began to build her music practice over the ensuing years.Emma talks about the upcoming program at Soundabout and then we talk about Emma's journey into community music, the organic nature of this. We talk about music in society and how as working practitioners we begin to unpick formal training and develop new ways of thinking, playing and teaching through our work. Emma touches upon Christopher Small's idea of 'Musicking' and how all of the people surrounding music, the bar staff, the venue, the ticket seller, for example, all play a role in the activity of making music. I'm sure we can all resonate with this idea.As this episode goes out, Emma is on her way to Glastonbury Festival to perform 2 shows with Sam Brookes. I look forward to catching up with Emma in the months to come as I'm sure that her career in music will only continue to be a fascinating one.SoundaboutKate Nash Touring LifeSam BrookesEternal GuitarsAll My Links

This week I am talking with Rachael Perrin from Soundcastle. Soundcastle are an amazing community music organisation, running sustained programs in community spaces, some of which are very discreet and 'Hidden'. Rachael describes this so well for us. Musical Beacons is a program for vulnerable families, often young women with children escaping from abusive situations. People's Music is a program all about adult mental health recovery. Soundcastle's work is often in gaps in current provision and is all about mental health and wellbeing.We discuss the challenges of attracting funding when much of your work, by its very nature, must remain invisible.Rachael tells us about The Soundcastle Community, an online space for community musicians to connect with other but also offering extensive training programs. Rachael describes this as a kind of online Arts centre.Soundcastle also work in sector development, consulting on inclusive practice and lots of training provision, including Mental Health First Aid.It was great to hear about Rachael's own journey into community music and her passion for the work.I was so impressed by our conversation and I raise a glass to Soundcastle's commitment to transparency in all that they do. Happily sharing their business model and all that they have gone through to get to where they are now. True community spirit.Soundcastle websiteThe Soundcastle CommunitySoundcasle LinkedIn All other social media use @SoundcastleTeamEternal GuitarsMy Links