Staff A-Z

  The output of Cole’s artistic practice manifests through performance, composition and teaching; all informing and reinforcing each other. With a musical language that is informed by and spans across cultures and modalities, Xhosa is a sought after composer in the contemporary classical and improvising industries in the UK. Having been commissioned by the BBC, Symphony Hall, Ideas of Noise Festival and Flatpack Film Festival and Aldeburg Festival Cole is building his own methodology for composition that puts islamic geometry, natural structures/processes, West African rhythms and non-hierarchical orchestration and performance at its center. This unique combination is the foundation of highly invigorating music that has the stability of sacred music structures found in Wester- Harmony and free combustion of Black improvising traditions. Cole’s teachers include John O’gallager, Hans Koller and Pat Thomas, who supported in building an understanding of Western Classical composition from the foundations of Schoenberg’s ‘Fundamentals of Musical Composition’ through to the modalities of Messiaen, Bartok and Thelonious Monk.

    The pre-reductionist understanding that the arts are all reflections of the same divine principles has always been at the heart of Xhosa’s outlook on music. His first steps in the arts were through dance and thus he carries a vision that isn’t limited to solely music. To date he has co-directed 3 short films, curated and performed a durational piece at the Midlands Arts Central and worked with several award winning playwrights, poets and visual artists. His inquisitive nature has drawn him to the inner workings, both practically and conceptually, in these fields and continues to imbue his collaborations with increasing creative empathy for those with whom he works.

   In 2018 he was the recipient of the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year Award and has since: performed alongside artists including Monty Alexander and Courtney Pine and as a soloist for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales; appeared at the BBC Proms, Cadogan Hall, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall and Ronnie Scotts; and received the Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Newcomer, Jazz FM’s Breakthrough act and Peter Whittingham Jazz Award. Last year Xhosa completed a 38 date UK tour with his quartet featuring NYC tap dancer Liberty Styles. To date he’s recorded two studio albums: K(no)w Them, K(no)w Us featuring saxophonist, Soweto Kinch and Pianist, Reuben James and Ibeji, featuring conversations and duets with seven percussionists from the African Diaspora, which explores themes of Brotherhood, Ancestors, Masks, and Codes. As an improviser, Cole’s career has launched into the contemporary classical and free jazz communities into Europe and beyond, working closely with internationally acclaimed artists including Hamid Drake, Elaine Mitchener, Jason Yarde, Mark Sanders. More recently he has been developing connections within the Berlin music communities with Bex Birch, James Banner and Asger Nissan.

Xhosa has the rare trait of having firm roots in tradition paired with an uncompromisable radical vision. His art speaks to an intersectional experience that celebrates the reality of community connection and challenges conventions that inhibit true creative expression.

 

It is the highly gifted Xhosa Cole who is currently making most waves … Cole has the rich expressive range and technical skills that characterise significant soloists.

The Guardian

The 24-year-old tenor saxophonist/composer is a British sensation and proves that he’s here for blood with this release … He’s got technique, talent, artistry and a burning desire that shows throughout the set.

Downbeat

Marina works across painting, performance and video, presenting work internationally in galleries, theatres and found sites. After many years of working in the contemporary dance field, she studied for an MFA in Fine Arts in Rome. As a performer, Marina has worked with ceramicist Claire Twomey, Florence Peake, Dog Kennel Hill Project, Carol Brown Dances, CandoCo Dance Company, Joe Moran among others. She has taught in professional and educational settings both nationally and internationally and since 2010, she has worked as a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist in Hackney, London. Marina finds that both her dance practice and Craniosacral practice inform one another and enrich, as well as deepen, her curiosity about the body.

In recent years, Marina has presented solo and collaborative work in contexts including FESTENFEST at APT (London), Tanz Namedy Festival (Germany), Ambedkar University (Delhi/London), Progetto Esthia (Italy). and in Rome – at La Nuova Pesa, Atelier San Lorenzo, Castello di Rocca Sinibalda and RUFA Space among others.

www.marina-collard.com

photo: Rachel Cherry

After attending Royal Grammar School, Worchester, Philip Colman became a student at Trinity College of Music, where he studied piano, oboe, conducting and composition.

Philip has taught at Avery Hill Training College, Watford School of Music and Trinity Laban Junior and Senior Departments, where he teaches both academic and performing studies.

Jo Cork is an independent dance and film artist. She has been working with film and screendance since 2014. She has an an MA in Screendance and has enjoyed working as a performer (with choreographers including Elizabeth Streb, Gary Clarke, Wayne Sables, Tempered Body Dance Theatre, Fleur Darkin and Lea Anderson), as a choreographer, screendance practitioner and filmmaker, and in dance education and community settings.

Since completing the award winning dance film, Sensate, Jo has developed numerous works including films, multi-screen/device and hologram installations, and pieces utilising QR codes and elements of augmented reality. Her works have been shown across the globe in festival settings, art galleries and museums, as well as in less conventional spaces including pubs and restaurants. Collaborators include Zoonation, H2Dance Company, One Dance UK, Candoco, Milap, The Place, Birmingham DanceXchange, Motion Dance Collective, and Divya Kasturi Company, to name a few. “

Choreographic work includes My Fair Lady (PPA), The Classical Brits, Comedy Shuffle (BBC3), “Canvas Bag” for Tim Minchin, Shakespeare’s Happy Endings (BBC4), The Terence Higgins Trust, Nickelodeon TV, movement for actors in feature films, “Degas – A Passion for Perfection” (Exhibition on Screen) and over 30 small, medium and large-scale performance pieces for Students in vocational training.

He has taught Classical Ballet and Pas de Deux since 1997 for performing arts colleges, conservatoires, international summer schools, dance companies and open classes.

Kasper’s music compositions include 7 ballet class albums, music for dance, a full-length musical (The Trash Christ), The Makins & Cornish Songbook, a brass quintet, clarinet sonata, Oratorio for Baritone – choir & string orchestra, Christmas carols, a string quartet, song cycles and works solo piano.

www.kaspercornish.bandcamp.com

Performing roles include: Social Worker in The Enfield Poltergeist (Apple TV); PC Rook in Wonder.land (National Theatre); Fellowship / Senses and Wit: TOUCH in Everyman (National Theatre); Ms Mason in Cool Rider (Lyric Theatre); Clare in Bare (The Greenwich Theatre); Sister Berthe in The Sound Of Music (Regents Park); Mamma Mia (Prince Of Wales and Novello); Maxine in Stepping Out, The Play (Union Theatre); Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace Theatre); Shenshen in Wicked, Original London Cast (Apollo Victoria Theatre); Mrs Bixby in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (UK Tour); The Full Monty, Original London Cast (Prince Of Wales Theatre); Judith in Elegies (Bridewell Theatre); The Narrator in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour); Mona Kent in Dames At Sea (Prince Regent Theatre).

Other roles include: Madame Delila and Mrs Thatcher in Dr Who – The Ultimate Adventure (Audio, Big Finish Productions); Mother in Little Women (Workshop).

Recordings: Muppet voiceover artist for Sony PS3, Little Big Planet (Sony), Love Never Dies (Really Useful Group); Elegies For Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (Okai Collier)

My name is Jenny Coyle and I am a Music and Performing Arts Specialist based in Liverpool. I am a musician and singer, and I have extensive experience in Higher Education, specialising in Performing Arts and Vocational Training. I have a Masters in Musical Theatre, gaining the Research Excellent Prize from LJMU in 2019, I also have a PGCE in Further Education and Training, and BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre from The Arden School of Theatre.
I am also the Course Leader of the BA (Hons) in Professional Practice (Top-Up), the Masters in Creative Arts Practice, and the Masters in Creative Arts Education at Italia Conti.

Outside of my educational work, I am a musician and producer, and I also work with a variety of artists, creatives, and musicians on their professional development, providing guidance, mentorship and consultancy for projects and their career pathways.

Richard studied violin and viola with his mentor Nicholas Roth at Trinity College of Music (now Trinity Laban). Early in his career, he worked with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Mozart Players. As a principal violist and soloist, he has appeared with the London Soloists Ensemble, Wessex Sinfonia, Clifton Virtuosi, and the English National Baroque Orchestra. In 1989, he made his BBC Radio 3 solo recital debut and has since recorded numerous solo soundtracks for radio and television.

A passionate advocate for contemporary music, Richard has premiered works by Leonard Salzedo, Ellis Pehkonen, Chris Toon, Chari Numerov, John Marsh, Sarah Class, Martin Pring, and William Godfree, helping expand the modern viola repertoire. His commitment to new music led to performances for the British Council and Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Culture at the Makhtumkuli Festival, where his concerts were broadcast nationwide—making him the first British musician to perform there since Glasnost.

In addition to performing and teaching, Richard has contributed to music education resources. In 2011, he published The Crabbers Scale Manual for violin, viola, and cello—a unique system using letters and numbers to help students of all ages and abilities build confidence in scale practice.

She studied Theatre at Dartington College of Arts in the 80s, where she first encountered Release Dance with Mary Fulkerson and Contact Improvisation with Steve Paxton and Mary Prestidge. As a performer, Kathy has worked with Steve Paxton, Laurie Booth, Yolande Snaith and Motionhouse Dance Theatre, Michael Mayhew, Jia-Yu Corti and Florence Peake. Her practice is also informed by studies in education, psychology, shiatsu, and an MA in Dance and Somatic Well Being.

Kathy’s previous work includes: performing with Motionhouse Dance Theatre, Jai- Yu Corti and Florence Peake; collaborations with choreographer Yolande Snaith and theatre directors Richard Gregory and Tim Wheeler; research and performance-making with choreographer/composer Sarah Goldfarb; site-specific work with composer Charles Hayward; improvised music and dance with composer Paul Bartholemew; and Live Art with Michael Mayhew. Kathy is a member of SoFt, a collective of artists with a mutual curiosity for exploring ensemble performance, CI, and improvised music.

Tony has had close ties with music making in Norway where he held the position of co-principal trumpet in the Bergen Philharmonic orchestra and the contemporary music ensemble BIT20, in addition to teaching at the Bergen Conservatoire. On returning from Norway Tony enjoyed a period of six years working as principal trumpet in West End musical theatre. It was during this period that he realised a long held ambition to train as a teacher of the Alexander Technique, which he now uses as an educational tool in his instrumental teaching. Tony has taught at the Purcell School for the last twelve years and also holds teaching positions at Trinity Laban, the London College of Music and the RAF. He continues to freelance widely.

Recently, Billy has been involved in the development of new musical works, including THE CREAKERS by McFly’s Tom Fletcher, and SYREN, penned by Olivier Award nominee Anoushka Lucas and Jess Edwards. He played opposite Sir Ian McKellen in MOTHER GOOSE and in the role of Nicholas in the Old Vic Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. Billy workshopped the choreography and appeared in the Netflix musical film MATILDA, directed by Matthew Warchus and choreographed by Ellen Kane. Billy’s screen debut was playing the role of Hector in Russell T Davies’ IT’S A SIN for Channel 4/HBO.

Billy originated the lead role of Alex in the critically acclaimed world premiere of LEAVE TO REMAIN at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, a production written by Matt Jones (Doctor Who) and Kele Okereke (Bloc Party). He also understudied the role of Seymour in  the Olivier Award nominated production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and played the role of Mark Cohen in the 20th Anniversary production of RENT (London/UK Tour).

Following his graduation, Billy’s stage career varied with roles such as the Mad Hatter in ALICE IN WONDERLAND (European Tour), Moritz Stiefel in SPRING AWAKENING (UK Tour), and Jesus in GODSPELL (Union Theatre). His West End debut came in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of MATILDA THE MUSICAL at the Cambridge Theatre, followed by CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY under the direction of Academy Award winner Sam Mendes at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Billy gained a Broadway World nomination for understudying the role of Jesus in the Olivier Award-winning production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

In addition to his stage work, Billy is an accomplished recording artist having release two studio albums. His recent releases have been featured on BBC Radio 2, and he has been recognised as a BBC Introducing artist, collaborating with prolific songwriters and producers in both London and New York City. His creative talents extend to choreography, where he has directed music videos for MTV, Urban Outfitters, and other notable artists.

Billy has also assisted with the casting process for West End shows such as Matilda the Musical, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Hairspray and many more.

As leader of the Cummings String Trio and the English String Quartet, Diana has performed widely both nationally and internationally. The English String Quartet was also the resident ensemble of the London Festival of Chamber Music, a month-long event which during the course of 13 consecutive years (1995 – 2007) gave over 200 concerts, bringing an extensive repertoire of both familiar and rarely heard works to audiences across London.

With regard to orchestral work, Diana has guest-led the London Philharmonic, the BBC Philharmonic, the Liverpool Philharmonic and the Hallé Orchestra and has played with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the English Chamber Orchestra. She has performed Bach’s complete concerto repertoire with the London Bach Orchestra at London’s Southbank Centre several times, and she was leader and soloist of the Northern Chamber Orchestra. She is the leader of the Milton Keynes City Orchestra, often appearing as a soloist.

In all these capacities Diana has broadcast frequently and has made many recordings for major labels.

Diana is also a Professor and Fellow at the Royal Academy of Music, where as part of her work she is the Specialist for the LRAM Teaching Diploma. She is violin coach of the National Youth String Orchestra and is frequently invited to give masterclasses and workshops, and to participate as adjudicator, panel and jury member at Competitions and Festivals both nationally and internationally.