Pip writes ...
I am passionate about harmony singing as a way to connect with ourselves and each other, to let what’s inside out, make us feel great and
to create wonderful communities. Since I was a teenager I’ve enjoyed singing and playing music of many different styles from classical chamber music to samba, Russian sacred music to Cornish folk song, but since being offered the opportunity to encourage others to sing, I feel I've been fortunate to discover what I'm for - it gives me such joy and feels such a privilege that it barely feels like work.
Before being invited to lead Levow an Bys in 2009, I worked as a linguist and lived in London, Paris and Madrid for 20 years. Hearing, playing, singing and mixing with musicians from around the world - especially when I lived in Madrid - blew my musical horizons and fired my interest in music - especially folk song - from different cultures.
I love learning from and collaborating with others in my field. I’ve taken many courses over the last 15 years to improve my own musicianship, broaden my experience and improve my singing leading skills. I am a member of the ‘Natural Voice Network' and have studied with the British Kodaly Academy and the National Youth Choir of Scotland as well as being inspired and learning what I can from other singing leaders and conductors. I am a qualified teacher of adults and children and have completed a ‘Community Music Teaching’ qualification with Plymouth Music Action Zone.
I enjoy working with non-auditioned groups and especially with people who may have ‘missed out’ on music in the past to help them find their voice and gain an understanding of how music works through musicianship. I've been fortunate to be able to train for and work with singing for well-being for groups with specific needs. For 2 years I led the first ‘Singing for the Brain’ group in Cornwall for people living with dementia and their carers. I have also facilitated singing groups for West Cornwall Women’s Aid and the Drym Valley Centre (for adults with additional needs). In 2015 I set up Breathing Space Singing the first group in Cornwall to use singing to help people living with chronic Lung Health Conditions. This vibrant group ran until 2024 supported by volunteers and singers from Dawn Chorus.
I love playing and singing with friends and collaborating with other singing leaders locally and further afield. I've been lucky enough to play fiddle and recorded the album 'This Cornish Life' with Cornish Folk group Bagas Porthia and for a couple of seasons to sing with the women's shanty group Femmes de la Mer. I love playing with the Golowan Band - especially for the 'dawn raids' waking up the town on the morning of Mazey Day (before breakfast in the pub!) and generally playing and singing spontaneously - anywhere! Recently, as well as the wealth of talented local singing leaders, I've been lucky enough to sing, play and work with Jane Harris of Songways as well as with all the wonderful tutors who come down to teach on the Kana Kernow workshops. I've also put a couple of toes in the ocean of composition ... writing a songs on the theme of celestial navigation for the Dark Skies, Bright Stars project, and about the Ancient Stones and field patterns around Zennor for the Above and Below project. Since lockdown I have run a couple of residential singing retreats and holidays a year locally, as well as teaching on on residential courses at Halsway Manor (the National Centre for Folk Arts), at Buckfast Abbey, at Sharpham House and the University of Falmouth.
In March 2016 Cornwall Today wrote an article about what I get up to.
to create wonderful communities. Since I was a teenager I’ve enjoyed singing and playing music of many different styles from classical chamber music to samba, Russian sacred music to Cornish folk song, but since being offered the opportunity to encourage others to sing, I feel I've been fortunate to discover what I'm for - it gives me such joy and feels such a privilege that it barely feels like work.
Before being invited to lead Levow an Bys in 2009, I worked as a linguist and lived in London, Paris and Madrid for 20 years. Hearing, playing, singing and mixing with musicians from around the world - especially when I lived in Madrid - blew my musical horizons and fired my interest in music - especially folk song - from different cultures.
I love learning from and collaborating with others in my field. I’ve taken many courses over the last 15 years to improve my own musicianship, broaden my experience and improve my singing leading skills. I am a member of the ‘Natural Voice Network' and have studied with the British Kodaly Academy and the National Youth Choir of Scotland as well as being inspired and learning what I can from other singing leaders and conductors. I am a qualified teacher of adults and children and have completed a ‘Community Music Teaching’ qualification with Plymouth Music Action Zone.
I enjoy working with non-auditioned groups and especially with people who may have ‘missed out’ on music in the past to help them find their voice and gain an understanding of how music works through musicianship. I've been fortunate to be able to train for and work with singing for well-being for groups with specific needs. For 2 years I led the first ‘Singing for the Brain’ group in Cornwall for people living with dementia and their carers. I have also facilitated singing groups for West Cornwall Women’s Aid and the Drym Valley Centre (for adults with additional needs). In 2015 I set up Breathing Space Singing the first group in Cornwall to use singing to help people living with chronic Lung Health Conditions. This vibrant group ran until 2024 supported by volunteers and singers from Dawn Chorus.
I love playing and singing with friends and collaborating with other singing leaders locally and further afield. I've been lucky enough to play fiddle and recorded the album 'This Cornish Life' with Cornish Folk group Bagas Porthia and for a couple of seasons to sing with the women's shanty group Femmes de la Mer. I love playing with the Golowan Band - especially for the 'dawn raids' waking up the town on the morning of Mazey Day (before breakfast in the pub!) and generally playing and singing spontaneously - anywhere! Recently, as well as the wealth of talented local singing leaders, I've been lucky enough to sing, play and work with Jane Harris of Songways as well as with all the wonderful tutors who come down to teach on the Kana Kernow workshops. I've also put a couple of toes in the ocean of composition ... writing a songs on the theme of celestial navigation for the Dark Skies, Bright Stars project, and about the Ancient Stones and field patterns around Zennor for the Above and Below project. Since lockdown I have run a couple of residential singing retreats and holidays a year locally, as well as teaching on on residential courses at Halsway Manor (the National Centre for Folk Arts), at Buckfast Abbey, at Sharpham House and the University of Falmouth.
In March 2016 Cornwall Today wrote an article about what I get up to.
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