EARLY YEARS

My early years work was rooted in practicality: juggling practice and parenting while needing family-friendly working hours, I began delivering weekly music sessions at my daughter’s nursery! This developed into a six-year role as musician-in-residence, where I led sessions every week across all age groups—from babies to nursery school—as well as individual and small-group sessions for children with special educational needs.

Children are the most honest audiences, and each week became a masterclass in delivery, performance, and engagement.

I later joined the Live Music Now scheme as a soloist, which regularly took me into special needs schools, care homes, and, most memorably, a two-year residency on the cardiology ward at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital—a deeply rewarding experience that shaped my understanding of music’s role in care and connection.