About

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Musical training

Kathleen first gained an MA in French and Gaelic Studies at The University of Aberdeen before moving on to graduate from the Bachelor of Music Degree at The Ian Tomlin Academy of Music at Edinburgh Napier University with 1st class honours, also winning The Harold Gray Prize for Singing. After spending time working in London, she returned to Scotland and graduated with Distinction from the MMus in Vocal Music (Conducting) at The University of Aberdeen. Kathleen has been awarded a number of scholarships and prizes including The James Lobban Conducting Scholarship, The Carnegie-Cameron Taught Postgraduate Bursary and a King’s College Chapel Scholarship.

 

Musical work

Since graduating, Kathleen has worked as a conductor and singing teacher with companies including Scottish Opera and The National Theatre of Scotland, has performed at events such as EuroPride and the Sound Festival, and has worked with a wide variety of musicians including James MacMillan and Diana Burrell.

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Choral Research

Kathleen received her PhD in Education with Music from the University of Aberdeen in 2021, with her thesis focusing on singers' expectations of choral conductors in the UK. The thesis includes a model of Voice-centred Conductorship which can be used as the basis for designing and running rehearsals and concerts which take account of the singers' needs during the process. Kathleen's doctoral thesis, "Voice-Centred Conductorship": An exploration of singers’ expectations of UK-based choral leaders, is available in the University of Aberdeen's library.

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Current work

Kathleen the Musical Director of Loud & Proud, Scotland's LGBT+ choir. Kathleen is also the Projects Manager for musicALL, a Glasgow-based organisation that provides music-making opportunities for disabled and neurodivergent young people. At musicALL, Kathleen leads the Development Team and oversees the Make Your Own Kind of Music project which runs in Additional Support Needs schools throughout Glasgow. Bringing her background in research to the organisation, she also works on the evaluation and monitoring of activities.