Music is one of the most wonderful ways of bringing people together, and can be a truly transformative experience for both receiver and giver.
As a singer, Celtic harpist, storyteller, drummer and dancer, it is my intention to reach as many people as I can, and hopefully act as a catalyst and inspirer wherever I go and in everything I do, using the skills I was given to share.
I am often asked to play at weddings, christenings and funerals, and perform regularly at The Scottish Crannog Centre, Loch Tay, and at celebrations where harp and voice can help the ambience. I also enjoy telling tales and spinning yarns — click here for more about my storytelling.
Please see my Notice Board below for details of upcoming tours, concerts, workshops and therapeutic sessions.
If you are interested in my work as a performer, music therapist or voice workshop leader, please contact me at my email address:
If you would like to listen to extracts from my album Duanag whilst browsing this site, mp3 downloads can be found here.
Notice Board 2010
The last year was a wonderfully full and exciting year for me. The Silver Branch Community storytelling project in Highland Perthshire has grown deep sustainable roots and we have delivered six Felt Story projects in local schools. Each school now has a beautiful felt story panel which we can borrow to exhibit. Silver Branch won the Perthshire Big Tree Community award for our storytelling initiative linked with the environment (I have told stories over the past three years to at least 5,000 people locally... if that doesn't raise the profile of the oral tradition I don't know what will!). The Autumn Festival Stories in the Yurt was again very successful and focussed on Scottish magical family wonder tales.
I have also been involved in a Scottish Storytelling Centre Storyrich training project with probationary teachers in Perth and Kinross and hope that, with support, we can develop a pack of teachers telling stories in schools and then of course Storyrich children!
Closer to home, I have just received fantastic news. The Scottish Arts Council have awarded me a Storytellers Bursary for this year for The Silver Branch Community Storytelling Project. This will enable me to offer free storytelling sessions in local schools and preschool playgroups; three intergenerational textile projects linked to local tales called The Story Kist which will involve knitting, sewing and felting skills to create a story box for young children to develop their storytelling skills; and to collect an archive of recorded local stories from the glens and reworking these to tell. All stories will be focussed on the rich and abundant fauna and flora of the glens and folklore of the area, and celebrate the connection of stories with place. So it's going to be a busy year for me! Aren't I blessed, eh?
- 5th June 2010
- Travellers Tales storytelling celebration in Pitlochry.
- 15th—22nd May 2010
- Bio Diversity Week — Storyteller in Residence at Pitlochry Plant Collectors' Garden in the yurt and Douglas Pavilion. Sessions to be arranged with school groups, etc.
- 15th May 2010
- Etape storytelling in Victoria park: Bicycle Tales.
- 2nd May 2010
- Summer storytelling at Fergusson Gallery, 1.30—4pm, in celebration of the Margaret Morris Exhibition.
- May—August 2010
- Silver Branch Community Storytelling Project has been generously supported by the Scottish Arts Council. I'm starting a variety of intergenerational storytelling initiatives in Highland Perthshire connecting with the wildlife, traditions and folklore of the area. I will be working in schools, playgroups, libraries, woodlands, village halls, and gardens, telling stories and inspiring others to tell so that we begin to create Storytelling Champions in the communities here. There will also be a storymaking element where knitters, stitchers and hand makers will create a Story Kist playbox for local playgroups.
- 29th April—17th June 2010
- Storytelling project for Artlink Central at Cornton Vale Primary School.
- 22nd April 2010
- Storytelling at Meigle for Edinburgh Academy.
- 9th April 2010
- Doune Castle wedding.
- 6th April—11th May 2010
- Morning session of storytelling for Artlink Central in the Acute Children's Ward, Stirling Royal Infirmary.
- 27th March 2010
- Simply Chocolate Easter workshop — Birnam Institute, 10am—4.30pm with Charlotte Flower.
- 26th March 2010
- Wedding and Ceildh Culture night at Waveley pub, Edinburgh.
- 23rd March 2010
- Storyrich surgery at AK Bell Library, Perth.
- 18th March 2010
- Dundee University Storyrich training workshop for 2nd year teacher training students.
- 9th—13th March 2010
- Nordic Voices — Finland. Planning and Storytelling visit to Turku for Nordic Voices 2010 (26th September—6th October) and Nordic Voices 2011. More to follow!
- 11th March 2010
- Storytelling at Alva Academy, Stirling.
- 6th March 2010
- International Womens day — Bread and Stories from the Hearth.
- 2nd March 2010
- International Book Week — storytelling at Kirkmichael School.
- 11th February 2010
- Storyrich training in storytelling for probationary teachers.
- January—22nd March 2010
- Stanley Storybox project at Stanley Mills with S.W.R.I.
