Growing up, playing music was a part of my daily life. I started learning the piano at age 5, shortly after my family emigrated to Aoteaora New Zealand from Korea. Learning and playing music was a much-needed affirming experience for me during a time when I felt a lot of self-doubt about my sudden inability to communicate with my new peers. I picked up the violin at age 7 and since then have had the opportunity to play and tour with a hugely diverse mix of ensembles, bands and artists. Today, I still get the same sense of affirmation when I play as I did when I was a kid.

My background is in arts education and management. Back home, I ran a public arts organisation centred around values of community learning. The ‘Sites for Regenerative Learning’ programme used creativity and imagination as practical tools to question what an arts centre was and what it could and should be. Values of collaboration, compassion and regeneration were collectively agreed and the first series of free community-led public workshops and projects were organised. Workshops were reflective of the broad spectrum of interests and skills of the community and ranged from zine-making, foraging and pickling, DIY clay-harvesting, and pasture painting. Last year, I moved to London and joined the Creative United team as Strategic Relationship Manager for Own Art and Take it away. I am currently involved in the Inclusive Access to Music Making stream of work and have begun research on the current market and supply chain of adaptive musical instruments with support from members of the Consortium.

As someone who found confidence and self expression through learning and making music as a young person, I am passionate about finding ways for music making to be inclusive and accessible for everyone.

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