MU column: prioritising mental health in your teaching practice

I have been a freelance musician for almost 20 years, delivering music education and community music projects across Scotland and internationally. I specialise in early years music education using the Colourstrings approach and Kodály-inspired practice, designing and delivering music projects for very young children and their families and delivering training for musicians, teachers and education professionals.

Pre-Covid, I was delivering music projects in schools, nurseries and informal settings, and developing projects for various local authorities, organisations and institutions. Some particularly interesting work included a collaborative intergenerational research project with the University of Stirling which involved preschool children and adults living with dementia; developing a series of early years workshops based on orchestral repertoire for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra; and a residency in Ghana learning folksong, drumming and dancing.