A song-cycle connecting the Bosphorus and the Thames – resonances woven through the memories of women Poetry by Christina Rossetti Music by Rachel Beckles Willson Performers: Rachel Beckles Willson (vocals, oud), Ciro Montanari (tabla), Kostas Tsarouchis (double bass), Evgenios Voulgaris (yayli tanbur) ‘Sing no Sad Songs for Me’ connects the Read more…
Oudmigrations is an internet-based project dedicated to the journeys of ouds, their histories, and the stories attached to their makers, players, and owners. I developed the research thanks to a Major Research Fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust, and worked in collaboration with musician, luthier and researcher Karim Othman-Hassan. When we launched in April Read more…
I’m intrigued by the interplay between the sounds that are conventionally part of concert music, and those conventionally excluded. I recently started bringing external sounds in, while continuing to use traditional instruments and – with a certain ambivalence – becoming a studio musician. In the works below I engage closely Read more…
My work is increasingly engaged with the play between sight and sound. While developing materials and techniques for a large-scale project exploring the marine environment I have published some short work-in-progress studies in audio-visual animation. They build on earlier collaborations with bassist James Banner, and artist Lin Li.
Un cycle de chansons entre la Tamise et le Bosphore Sons lointains tissés par des mémoires de femmes Poesie de Christina Rossetti Musique de Rachel Beckles Willson Musiciens: Rachel Beckles Willson (voix, oud), Ciro Montanari (tabla), Kostas Tsarouchis (contrabbasse), Evgenios Voulgaris (yayli tanbur) Sing no Sad Songs for Me réunit les traditions Read more…
Building on my courses in Intercultural Performance run at Royal Holloway, I now lead music workshops for instrumentalists, vocalists and those who just want to have a go at making music in a group. Workshops vary in aim: in the case of Today is Good! (weekly sessions, ongoing) and Welcome Read more…
I have worked in full-time academic teaching since 2000, when I began as a lecturer at the University of Bristol. I was Professor of Music at Royal Holloway, University of London until September 2019, and now I am Professorial Research Associate at SOAS, University of London. My teaching has ranged Read more…
Articles in scholarly refereed journals ‘Bulgarian Rhythm and its disembodiment in Kurtág’s The sayings of Péter Bornemisza’, Studia musicologica XLIII/3-4 (2002), pp. 269-280. ‘To say and/or to be? Incongruence in The Sayings of Péter Bornemisza op.7’. Music Analysis 22/3 (October 2003), pp. 315-338. ‘”Behold! The long-awaited new Hungarian opera has Read more…