Hannah is a musician, performer and sound designer who explores approaches to making music through performance, collaboration, improvisation, composition and recording. Her first instrument is the 'Cello. She studied classical music performance at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 1992-1996. She trained as a community music workshop leader with Community Music LTD in 1998, (in 2017 she also did some specialised training for CM's upcoming music leaders, in group rhythm and improvisation, based on the workshop pedagogy of 'search and reflect' by John Stevens - Spontaneous Music Ensemble).
As a musician who came up through state funded music education, she is passionate about noticing & nurturing the talent in the state school system. Hannah is a practicing teacher & facilitator, encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to develop personal practice and skills in music, sound making, performance and recording - from mentoring young bands, sensory workshops with SEN pupils, group musicianship sessions, Improvisation workshops, individual instrumental tuition and facilitating listening and music making practice in professional creative projects in the arts & theatre. She has created over 50 sound-scores & sound designs for artists and companies making theatre, performance and dance, which has also put her in a position to enable people young and old in the practice of making music and listening awareness, both collectively and individually through workshops, musical directing and working with casts and directors. Since 2002 she has been co-running a visual theatre company The Ding Foundation working with a designer/maker, and touring largely non-text visual theatre and puppetry around the UK, taking the company onto different education and workshop settings. Although she has been involved in unconventional ways of playing the 'Cello since the early 2000's, she has also played on many pop/rock/jazz sessions, with genre based musicians and bands, and contemporary classical composers. She currently teaches regular, arts award, and London music fund Cello lessons in the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets & Hackney.
She has received grants and commissions from Sound And Music, Jazz Services, Eye-music and The Arts Council England for creation of new music and theatre in the UK. She was nominated for an Arts Foundation Award 2017 by saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock. She has had music and performances broadcasted on Radio 3's Jazz on 3 & Resonance FM.
Hannah aims for her experiences as a teacher and facilitator to in turn contribute to her own artistic practice, through a greater understanding of the needs and concerns of the people she meets, and the environment she inhabits.
Organisations that she has worked for as a teacher/facilitator, and a brief description of her role:
2021: Museum of the Home & White Rabbit – Tomorrowland project: Facilitator and workshop leader with year 4 at Queensbridge school Hackney, on project focussing on what the extended environment of home, will look and sound like in 2050 – Podcast released in autumn 2021 2019- present – Boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets: Instrumental tutor (cello and piano) and whole class rhythm/percussion teacher. Providing regular one-to-one and group sessions & resources for further learning. 2018/19/20- Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead: Sensory music, sound and story sessions with autistic and non-verbal pupils at two SEN schools in Berkshire. 2017/18- National Youth Jazz Collective: Mentoring group music making with young jazz musicians using pieces from the standard jazz repertoire. 2017- Community Music LTD: Teaching repertoire to up-coming music leaders from the Search and Reflect workshop manual, which encourages rhythmic integrity, improvisation and singing. I also trained with CM where I learnt to implement original workshop pieces with creative and learning outcomes. studied in equal opportunities , diversity, inclusion & group behavior analysis. 2016- Kings Place – 'Beyond 'Cello Festival': workshop with 40 Cellists interested in exploring aspects of free improvisation. 2014-2017- Bristol Plays Music: 'Cello, Ensemble, and rhythm/percussion teacher across Bristol. 2014- Prema Arts Centre: Half term workshops with 50 children focussing on puppetry, performance and collaboration. 2013- Opera North - Verve project: Musician and support workshop leader with young musicians with Asperger's syndrome, collectively writing their own opera. 2010 – 2013- 20 Stories High: Part of team providing mask and physical performance workshops as part of a national tour of two hip hop productions: Ghost Boy & Melody loses her Mojo. 2003-2013- (Summer) The Roundhouse Studios: Facilitator, workshop leader and mentor for band rehearsals, facilitating songwriting to enable the creation and recording of 'An Album in a Week'. 2012 - present - Free Improvisation Workshops for anyone - ranging from large groups to small at various venues in London. 2012- Southampton Art Gallery: Art to Music workshops and recordings with 6 young gifted musicians responding to expressionist british art from the 40-70's. The recordings were exhibited alongside the paintings. 2012- The Space (Somerset): Theatre and devising workshops with 1st and 2nd year diploma drama students on devising visual theatre and music. 2004-2011 – Shacklewell Primary School - Permanent and stand-in music teacher providing music lessons for the whole school from nursery to year 6, fostering listening, collaboration, and a grounded sense of rhythm, whole school choir sessions, concerts, singing assemblies and nursery/reception music sessions. 2011- Akademi Dance: Working with young asian dancers , collaborating on a recorded score for a new piece of dance. 2009- Kilve Court residential course- Part of a team of diverse musicians on residential course in Somerset for the ‘Young and Gifted’ scheme, developing ideas for songs, and instrumental pieces, taking group workshops on harmony singing and rhythm, and being a mentor. 2009- Act for Change: Support facilitator for workshops/talks with survivors of genocides in 2 primary schools. 2008- The Royal Opera House Education Dpt: Working with community groups to compose and recorded chorus parts for a large community production- 'Sun & heir' performing in the disused Tilbury cruise terminal. Working with diverse groups aged from 4 – 60. 2007- Central School of Speech & Drama: Mentoring, and teaching composers on the Advanced Theatre Practice course – sound and music strand, providing consultancy for them on different methods of creating sound in devised theatre. 2006- Walthamstow Arts and Education Service: Song writing and singing workshops with children at William Morris SEN school, focus on generations, using musicianship skills to enable pupils to create their own music and songs. 2003-2006- Sir John Cass Foundation: Key stage 1 Musicianship and 'Cello teacher. Focus on a hands on practical approach to understanding making music. 2006- Youth Music: Workshops with groups of girls interested in technology, writing and recording in studio, where we recorded music, I took workshops & invited guest artists. 2002-2005- Hackney Music Service: Occasional musicianship and 'Cello lessons. 2001 – People Show Theatre resident at Central School of Speech and Drama: Workshops, provocations, mentoring and collaboration on projects over 6 weeks with young theatre makers on the advanced theatre practice post-graduate course. 1998-2008- Hackney Centre for Young Musicians: A variety of roles over 10 years teaching young people between the ages of 6-17. Musicianship sessions, composition with an emphasis on creativity and imagination, choir sessions and ensemble leading. 1999-2000 Jubilee Primary School Hackney London: Music teacher responsible for building and delivering class lessons from nursery to year 6, leading choir session for infants and juniors with a large repertoire of songs. Lessons and choir focused on listening & rhythm skills, collaborative imaginative composition, music appreciation, and games. 1999- Eastside Education Trust: I was a support facilitator for creative sessions involving poetry and music. 1998: The Studio Upstairs: Workshops in therapeutic environment for visual artists who had a history of mental health problems. A drop-in 10-week project of one workshop per week for up to 15 adults interested in exploring music making. The workshops used group composition, singing, rhythm and poetry using teaching pieces and ‘Search and Reflect’, aiming to develop the confidence and expressive courage of the participants to find musical ideas in a supportive environment.
Awards & Training: 2021: CPD in working with children under the SEND umbrella – day training from Hackney Music Service 2019: CPD in working with vulnerable children and adults – day training from Hackney Music Service. 2018: 3 month training - weekly workshops in Augusto Boal's Forum theatre for mental health. 2017: City and Guilds Level 3 – in Education and Training for the life-long learning sector – 6 months. 2013 - present: Up to date CPD in Safeguarding for children in school/care/vulnerable adults. 2013: CPD training in understanding autism: 1 day training workshop Workshop with Sound Connections. 2007-12: Continual workshops/ sessions & informal performances in Butoh with Selinna Papoutseli & guest teachers. 2010-11: B-tec Diploma in Holistic Massage- anatomy & therapist training, 1 year part time. 2006: 2 week Performance course in Clown & Comedy with Mick Barnfather. 2005/6: Process Oriented Psychology: Regular Seminars & Workshops with Arlene & Jean Claude Audergon 2005: Logic of object & puppet movement: 2 day workshops with Puppeteer Stephen Mottram through Puppet Centre Trust. 2003: Mentored through Theatre Futures at BAC by: Tom Morris (BAC & Bristol Old Vic) & Steve Tiplady (Indefinite Articles) + Workshops with Paul Hunter (Told by an Idiot) & John Wright (Trestle Theatre) 1998: 1 year training - Open College Network Diploma with Community Music LTD - Music Leader Training Course including: John Stevens’ Search & Reflect, Composition, Equal Ops, Group Behavior, Teaching/workshop skills. 1997: 12 weeks - Mask & Physical Theatre evening course with John Mowat at City Lit. 1995, ’96, & ’98: Porthcawl Jazz Summer School: tutored by Julian Arguelles, Stan Sulzman, Niki Iles, Steve Watts & Alex Maguire 1992 - 1996: 4 years - Batchelor of Music Performance from Guildhall School of Music and Drama - 1st Study 'Cello, 2nd Study Composition
Other work/skills/experience; 2020: Volunteer at Community Food Hub at Selby Centre White Hart Lane - London. 2014: Part time admin assistant for Bristol Pre-Conservatoire - school for gifted young classical and jazz musicians. 2012: Jamboree: Part time work front of house & behind the bar at independent music venue 1998: Plasterer, builder and english teacher in an alternative community in the Languedoc region of France. 1991-'93: Dresser for English National Opera – Part time 1990-'92: Office and house cleaner. Hannah speaks conversational french