My first experiences of the Alexander Technique were as a Trumpet student at the Royal College of Music in London. It took a few sessions before I began to get accustomed to what was at first a very new way to think about how I played my instrument. I recall the moment something first clicked. As my teacher helped me to find a more dynamic way of balancing with my instrument, I felt my breathing become more expansive. It came to me with what felt like no effort at all. I was no longer getting in the way of my body’s natural capacity. From there, Alexander lessons became one of the most important parts of my study – helping me to work through performance anxiety and to develop an intentional, problem-solving approach to instrumental practice that significantly reduced the hours I needed to spend working with my instrument. 

I began to train as an Alexander Teacher in 2019, primarily as a means of deepening my personal practice of the Technique, as it continued to enhance my abilities as a performer. But shortly after beginning a Masters degree at the RCM I suffered a facial palsy. Unable to play my instrument and dealing with nerve pain and fatigue, my experience of Alexander took on a new dimension. I was able to accept the things that were out of my control because I learned to recognise the countless opportunities that were available to me in which I could make small but meaningful choices that would lead me in the direction of peace and well-being. 

Since qualifying from the London Centre for Alexander Technique & Training, I’ve enjoyed returning to the Royal College of Music to teach, offering workshops in a variety of settings and teaching privately. In recent years my motivations have become increasingly influenced by my practice of Zen and my interest in other spiritual traditions. Now back in Glasgow, I feel guided by the aspiration to be of service to others in sharing my skills and experience.

When I’m not teaching, I can usually be found with my nose in a book, at the gym, being a silly Uncle or rewatching the Lord of the Rings … again.