Educator
Simon is incredibly passionate about using music to inspire, enthuse and educate through interactive concerts, workshops and hands-on experience. He views every concert as an opportunity to connect with audiences and values the opportunity, when appropriate, of fusing the role of conductor with those of presenter and compère in order to create an inclusive, compelling and inspirational experience for all concerned. He feels equally at home whether communicating with a small, intimate audience or whether presenting to a gathering of many hundereds or even thousands. Simon has delivered many workshops and led various projects in a number of organisations and educational establishments using not only conducting and the violin but also percussive and vocal techniques as vehicles to investigate and develop a range of issues and themes. Workshops have ranged from sessions with children and young people in special schools to corporate team-building events. Simon has recently studied Makaton, a language designed to provide a means of communication to individuals who cannot communicate effectively via speech.
Recent Creative Education Projects include:
Southern Sinfonia: various education projects:
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Testbourne School - a project to create and develop a school chamber orchestra.
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Fair Oak School, Hampshire - a project tackling bullying in schools using composition
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Hampshire School project - a major project involving 500 school children, the Orchestra and Denis Shiels (Sculptor) in the performance of a specially composed work by June Boyce-Tillman (Professor of Applied Music, Winchester University)
Mid Wales Opera:
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North Wales International Music Festival - Noye's Fludde Project
Orchestra of the Swan:
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East Birmingham (new audience generation via duo recitals),
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Stratford College (Student Composition Project),
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St Asaph International Festival (side-by-side project)
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Birmingham International School (Sound Futures Project)
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BBC Musicians On Call (Community Concerts)
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Space Odyssey an opera for Soloists, Narrator, Children and Orchestra
Corporate Team Building Events - Choir in a day!
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Aston University
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Birmingham City University