About me

I am a professor of music in social work / community music at the University of applied Sciences Düsseldorf. After graduating with a degree in Performing Arts/Community Arts I set up my community arts company AMABADELO and spent 10 years working as a community artist in Liverpool: I ran music and movement workshops in community centres, schools, nurseries, with museums, dance and music organisations. I also worked for Creative Partnerships/Curious Minds for four years as a consultant and practitioner, supporting whole school change by developing creative learning projects with head teachers, In 2012 I moved to Germany to start a PhD in music education. I co-edited the first German book on community music, and an issue of the International Journal of Community Music on Community Music in Germany and together with other partners in Munich we ran a community music conference in 2015. In 2015 I developed and lead the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra's first community music programme, from 2019 - 2021 I worked with the Konzerthaus Dortmund on the development of their community music programme, from May 2022 until June 2023 I served as critical friend of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg on their first community project Love est. 2023.
I have lectured at universities in Germany, the UK, Switzerland and Austria and I have also delivered workshops to music practitioners, music teachers and arts organisations who want to develop community music practice. From December 2016 until August 2021 I worked as a lecturer at the department of music education for the Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt on the first MA in inclusive music education/community music in Germany, which I co-wrote. Since October 2019 I am responsible for a module of the MA cultural diversity in music education at the University Hildesheim. In September 2021 I was appointed professor for aesthetic practice with music and media at the University of Applied Sciences Landshut, in March 2022 I was appointed professor of music in social work / community music at University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf.
I have a BA Performing Arts/Community Arts and a MSc in Arts and Cultural Management and a PhD in music education (Thesis: The development of community music in Munich), for which I received a PhD scholarship by the Bavarian State Ministry of Culture and Education. In November 2019 I received the Bavarian Culture Award (Kulturpreis Bayern) for my PhD thesis.
I am an associate member of the International Centre for Community Music and a member of the International Society of Music Education. Since 2018 I am an editorial board member for the International Journal of Community Music. In 2020 I co-founded the German national Community Music Netzwerk of which I am elected chair. Since 2021 I am a Commissioner of the Community Music Activity Commission (International Society of Music Education), and a Research Fellow of the Laurier Centre for Music in the Community (Wilfrid Laurier University Canada).



I have worked with:
  • Ashton-under-Lyne Art Gallery
  • Aspire Trust
  • Bronte Youth and Community Centre
  • Bev Hayes Photography
  • Bundesakademie für musikalische Jugendbildung Trossingen
  • Chester University
  • Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre
  • Catalyst Performing Arts
  • Creative Partnerships Merseyside
  • Deutsche Bank-Direkt, Germany
  • ICARUS Collective
  • Department of Arts and Culture/City of Munich
  • Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
  • Hochschule Düsseldorf
  • Katholische Stiftungshochschule München
  • Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
  • Konzerthaus Dortmund
  • Liverpool Personal Service Society (PSS)
  • Liverpool Lighthouse
  • Learn Direct
  • Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität München
  • Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Merseyside Dance Initiative
  • Münchener Waisenhaus
  • Münchener Philharmoniker
  • National Football Museum Preston
  • Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO)
  • Sports Linxx Liverpool City Council
  • Sure Start and Children's Centres in Liverpool
  • TheaterSpielhaus München, Germany
  • Universität Hildesheim
  • University of Applied Sciences Munich
  • Villa Stuck
  • Züricher Hochschule der Künste und Züricher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften
  • Many nurseries, primary and secondary schools
I am committed to continuously developing myself:
July 2004: Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, BA Hons Performing Arts / Community Arts
August 2005: British Kodaly Academy, Kodaly Sound Beginnings Course (Early Years Music)
October and November 2005: Jabadao, Developmental Movement Play Training
August 2006: Dalcroze Society, Dalcroze Summer School
August 2007: Dalcroze Society, Dalcroze Summer School
February 2008: Manchester Metropolitan University, MSc Arts and Cultural Management
March 2008 Bologna, Italy: 'Visioni di Futura' Conference on Theatre in Early Childhood
November 2008: Jabadao, Social and emotional learning through movement
September, October, November 2008: Dalcroze Society, Dalcroze Training Weekends
September and November 2009: Berlin, Germany: Jesper Juul / Family Lab Seminarleader Course
October 2013 - November 2018: PhD in music education at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München. Title: The development of Community Music in Munich. Supervised by Prof. DDDDr. Wolfgang Mastnak.