presenters

Chamber Music Scotland
Chamber Music Scotland is an organization that celebrates chamber music's tradition and exploring its future.
The ensemble is made up of artists who adopt the performer/composer model, they are interested in how this can be an effective way of fulfilling a creative and sustainable career as a new chamber musician.
What CMS do:
Commission and create new works and projects, working in collaboration with artists. Work with Scottish-based musicians to support their creativity and well-being, and help them develop sustainable careers creating and performing chamber music.
Support and develop the network of local volunteer-run music organisations across Scotland to provide high quality live music, particularly to audiences in more rural areas.
Reach communities across Scotland to deliver creative experiences to those with limited access to the arts.
Creatively explore Scotland and its relationship with its landscape, people, and natural resources, including sustainability and helping to protect the wider environment.

James Barton
James' career started as a Junior Associate of the Royal Ballet School, trained at Elmhurst school, and graduated into Birmingham Royal Ballet. James is currently Assistant Rehearsal Director at Scottish Ballet.
He has worked with Gillian Lynne to Christopher Wheeldon, and was recently part of the team behind London’s award winning return to stage, American in Paris.

Christopher Benstead
Composer Christopher Benstead has worked intensively in the world of dance and theatre for over forty years, composing more than one hundred and fifty scores in a wide range of styles from full orchestral to chamber, choral and electronic. He has created musical scores for large and small-scale dance and theatre companies, youth and community groups, radio, television, and film throughout the UK, in Europe, the Americas, the Far East and Africa. His work as composer for community projects has focused mainly on work with disadvantaged children across the globe, particularly in Cambodia with EPIC Arts, South Africa with the Austrian-based s2arch charity and in Mexico for the British Council. Most recently, he has been composing for a series of documentary films titled 199 Little Heroes, about the journeys children make to school all over the world as well as collaborating with theatre director Alan Lyddiard and The Performance Ensemble, creating work for people over the age of 60 in Yorkshire. He is currently a part-time lecturer in music for dance at the London School of Contemporary Dance and the Rambert School.

Vinicio Colella
Graduated with a degree in piano, organ and composition for organ.
For over thirty years he has dedicated his work as musician to dance and theatre. He has collaborated with many companies and schools in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, U.S.A., Germany,Russia and Luxembourg; he also has performed in Rudolf Nureyev's Diaghilev tour.
Throughout the years he has collaborated with such artists as Anya Gibert, Anne Marie Holmes, Margherita Traianova, Mauro Bigonzettl. Denis Ganyo, Riccardo Nunez, George Garcia, Anett Peck, JohnSutherland, Jean Wes Esquerre, Patrick Armand, Robertstreiner, MichelSebban, Erick Bruhn, Richard Lee, Ekaterina ldaximova, Wette Chauvlre, Irina Grjebina, Antonio Gades, Elisabetta Terabust, OIMer Wecxsteen, Christiane Marchant, Dlnna Bjorn, Frank Andersen among others. Vinlclo Colella is music composer and currently a lecturer al the Accademia Nazionale di Danza in Rome.
Since 2019, he has been Joining European School of Ballet as a regular guest for Summer and Winter Schools .

Francesco de Rubeis
Graduated in Jazz Drumming at The Royal Conservatory of Holland (The Hague), Francesco's activity covers many different fields of music, from Jazz to Fusion and World Music, from Pop to Rock, to music for Contemporary Dance. Francesco performed in some of the most iconic music festivals and venues, such as The North Sea Jazz Festival (Rotterdam), WOMAD Music Festival (Gran Canaria), Ronnie Scott Jazz Club (London), Bimhuis (Amsterdam), Lantaren Venster (Rotterdam), Body & Soul (Tokyo), Motion Blue (Yokohama), Auditorium Parco della Musica (Rome), Heineken Jazz Festival (Tenerife), Tijuana Cultural Center (Tijuana), Zinco Jazz Club (Mexico City), Ankara Opera House (Ankara).
Francesco De Rubeis is Faculty member at the Accademia Nazionale di Danza di Roma. He also collaborated as accompanist for the Dance division of Juilliard School (NYC), Martha Graham School (NYC), Merce Cunningham Trust (NYC), Tisch School at New York University (NYC), American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA - NYC), Peridance Center (NYC), Caterina Rago Dance Company (TDM Workshops in Rome and NYC).

Philip Feeney
Composer and pianist, Philip Feeney (b. 1954), studied composition at the University of Cambridge with Robin Holloway and Hugh Wood, and later with Franco Donatoni in Rome at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia. He is best known for his work in dance, which he first encountered in Italy and has since worked with many companies, including Northern Ballet Theatre, Rambert Dance Company, the White Oak Project and the Martha Graham Company. He has collaborated with many choreographers including Michael Pink, Did Veldman, Michael Keegan-Dolan, Derek Williams, David Nixon, Adam Cooper and Sara Matthews, and his works have been performed by dance companies as diverse as Northern Ballet Theatre, Rambert Dance Company, Cullberg Ballet, Boston Ballet, Fabulous Beast, Scottish Dance Theatre, in addition to more than forty works for Ballet Central. From 1991-95 he lectured in composition at Reading University. He is currently composer in residence for Ballet Central and has been a longstanding accompanist at the London Contemporary Dance School.

Steve Forman
For more than three decades Steve Forman made a significant imprint in American recording and film music, working directly with many established artists and film composers; his discography includes hundreds of pop record projects, underscoring sessions for motion pictures, television shows, commercials, interactive titles, and theatrical events.
In 2003, Forman began a career transition from the recording studios in Los Angeles to focus on the study of composition at the California Institute of the Arts, earning a BFA and an MFA in composition in four years. In September 2008 he joined the research department at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and was awarded a PhD in composition by St. Andrews University in 2011.
His research has led to an expanded understanding of multi-dimensional polyrhythmic systems and high resolution synchronicity, semi-malleable forms, and non-standard instrumentation. In 2009 the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland initiated a choice module, Pulse Relational Rhythm Theory, based on insights emerging from Forman’s research, and more than three decades of professional practice.
Currently that practice includes active participation in Glasgow’s vibrant folk music sessions, compositions of new concert for works in a variety of genres, and lecturing at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Richard Honner
After 20 years working in opera companies in London, Australia and Scotland, Richard Honner joined Scottish Ballet in 1986.
For 33 years in his role as Head of Music, he conducted over 2000 performances, created two full length ballets, was responsible for the music in all the company's productions and directed recordings until his retirement in 2019.
Richard created the Piano for Dance postgraduate Masters degree in association with the the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2006 and has helped more than 20 young musicians to realise their dream of playing professionally in dance organisations. He continues to play a part in this course.

Signy Jakobsdottir
Scottish-Icelandic percussionist Signy Jakobsdottir is to be found regularly gigging, touring, recording and accompanying dance. She has been developing her unique style throughout her varied career, creating groove and using unusual percussion instruments for texture, atmosphere and melody. She has experience working with gamelan orchestra, contemporary dance and traditional folk music and has recently been developing her own compositional style and performing as a solo artist using drums, kalimba and loop pedals.

Aya Kobayashi
Born in Japan, Aya is an independent dance artist currently based in Glasgow. She teaches, performs and creates her own work with various companies and communities. Aya has worked with choreographers including Yael Flexer, Rosemary Lee, Charlie Morrissey and Gecko Theatre. She practices improvisational performances and is a member of Collective Endeavours. Since 2009 Aya has been working as a Resident Artist for Anjali Dance Company in Oxfordshire, which works with dancers who have disabilities She has presented her work in the UK and abroad at locations including Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and the Paralympics 2012 Torch relay ceremony. Indepen-dance is an award winning inclusive dance company for disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy, express, and fulfil their potential through dance. Their mission is to enable participation in high quality arts provision and improve wellbeing, quality of life and provide opportunities for disabled and non-disabled dancers in both the professional and non-professional dance sectors

Juan Mata
He began his musical studies at the age of eight with Adela Mascaraque, disciple of Pablo Sorozábal, and obtain his Degree at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid. Scholarship by the AIE expands his studies in Jazz and Improvisation at the School of Creative Music, he studies music pedagogy at the Complutense University of Madrid, and works for the SGAE (Sociedad General de Autores) in computer-music and musicology.
As an interpreter and composer he works for RTVE and Telecinco, and also collaborates in outstanding productions such as the Ensemble Español of Northeastern Illinois University of Chicago, the feature film “Rotas", or the ballet of Carmen Roche and Ballet Nacional de España, among others. Like a Faculty member of the University URJC of Madrid, he had developed a dedicated teaching job and obtains his Ph. D. in Arts with his thesis titled "Analysis, Study and Musical Proposal for Dance" in 2017, with the qualification "Sobresaliente" Cum Laude.
He has worked as a specialist Pianist for Ballet class, Character Dance, Spanish Dance (Bolero School and Stylized Dance), and Contemporary Dance in: the Víctor Ullate Ballet, the "Alicia Alonso" Dance Institute, The Ballet Nacional de España, The Russian Masters Ballet Camp, The Central School of Ballet, and the English National Ballet School.

Andrew Miller
Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Andy Miller arrives at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee after holding positions as professor of percussion at Olivet Nazarene University and at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (Associate Instructor) where he is a doctoral candidate in percussion performance.
Miller has been a featured percussion concerto soloist with the Indiana University Orchestra, University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra and the Wright State University Wind Symphony. He has held residencies at many summer festivals including the Bang on a Can and Atlantic Music Festivals.
He has accompanied members of the Mark Morris and Trisha Brown Dance Companies, as well as held staff accompanist positions at the University of Illinois and substitute accompanist at Indiana University. His collaborations as a composer-performer with contemporary choreographers have received performances in New York (Judson Church, Gibney Dance Center), Illinois (Dance @ Illinois), and Colombia (IX Festival Santander en Escena).
In addition to his activity in dance and contemporary chamber music, Miller specializes in Afro-Colombian, West African, and Afro-Brazilian folkloric music. He was awarded a Fulbright fellowship from the U.S. Government to Colombia in 2011 and the Graduate Presser Award from Indiana University in 2015.

Maud Nelissen
Maud Nelissen is a Dutch composer and pianist who has particularly dedicated herself to the creation of musical accompaniment for classic silent films. She worked in Italy with Charlie Chaplin’s last music arranger Eric James, who was himself a veteran of music hall and film accompaniment in the silent era. Since then she has been much in demand by festivals and special events in Europe, America and Asia.
She founded her own ensemble, ‘The Sprockets’, for silent film accompaniment, and performs with them or with various other ensembles and orchestras in Holland and abroad. In 2008 she made her American début at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado.
Among her most notable orchestral scores is that for Erich von Stroheim's 1925 classic THE MERRY WIDOW, interpolating themes from Franz Léhar's operetta with the permission and approval of the composer's estate. She has conducted this at the Komische Oper, Berlin (2008) and at various venues in Europe (Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Theater an der Wien, Vienna) and the United States (The Egyptian Theater, Hollywood).

Lewis Normand
Lewis is a Scottish Dance Artist, working across performance, education and choreography. He graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with a BA in Modern Ballet in 2014.
As a dancer Lewis has performed with Scottish Opera, David Hughes Dance, Errol White Company, Diana Loosmore, Steinvor Palsson, Kate Haughton, Ashley Page, and Company Chordelia.

Juan José Ochoa
Juan José Ochoa is a Spanish pianist and composer known for his vibrant music for electronic prepared piano and his sought after soundtracks for films and dance shows.
His style builds bridges between the classical tradition, the avant-garde and the electronic dance music, with compositions that present a strong visual and physical aspect as well as deep and emotive sensitivity.
Nominated for best music at the Zurich International Film Music Competition, he collaborates regularly as a pianist and composer for thatre and dance companies such as Pau Aran Company, Dana Raz Dance Company, the English National Ballet, Rambert Dance Company, Inquiquinante Danza and Stream Movements, amongst others.

Mariana Palacios
The creator Mariana Palacios develops her artistic career by combining the fields of music and dance.
She has extensive experience collaborating with major dance companies and institutions (Royal Danish Ballet, Göteborgs Operan, Swedish National Ballet School, English National Ballet, Royal Academy of Dance). In 2016 and 2020 she premieres her own music and dance short films, SERES and 4, selected and awarded at prestigious video dance and experimental film festivals.
In 2021, she develops a research work in the world of accompanying ballet classes and she creates her YouTube channel and Instagram account ‘Mariana Palacios Pianist’ with the aim of drawing attention to this interesting and complex profession.

Bill Patterson
Bill Patterson is a native of Phoenix, Arizona.
An alumnus of the University of Arizona, Patterson studied music education and dance. He was a company dancer for Artifact Dance Project and has worked extensively in musical theater as a music director and choreographer.
Patterson has studied Dalcroze Eurhythmics and uses movement to train future dance musicians.
Bill Patterson joined Houston Ballet Academy in 2016. where serves as Pianist Coordinator.
Currently he is Vice President of the International Guild of Musicians in Dance.

R N Prakash
RN Prakash is a versatile percussionist who specialises in south Indian percussion instruments like the ghatam, khanjira and the mridangam. He learned his art from the age of 6 in Bangalore India, under the tutelage of K.N. Krishna Murthy. Prakash grew up in India where he was groomed into a fine percussionist. He specialised as a ghatam player and started performing many concerts all over the country at a young age. Prakash was 17 years old when he moved to England and began his career as a percussionist in the UK and Europe. Thereafter, he has performed in Carnatic classical and fusion ensembles with many leading artists. Prakash has toured extensively as a performer and has also earned solid credentials as a teacher, mentoring Indian and non-Indian students in many countries. He is known for his drumming workshops with children which are a source of joy to the students in many schools. He also holds a prime position as a faculty at the London School of Carnatic Music.

Hofesh Shechter
Choreographer Hofesh Shechter OBE is recognised as one of the most exciting artists making stage work today, renowned for composing atmospheric musical scores to complement the unique physicality of his movement. He is Artistic Director of the UK-based Hofesh Shechter Company, formed in 2008. The company are resident at Brighton Dome and Shechter is an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells and Artist-in Residence of Gauthier Dance (2021-2024).
Shechter has also staged and choreographed works on leading international dance companies including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Batsheva Ensemble, Candoco Dance Company, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater 1, Paris Opera Ballet, Royal Ballet and Royal Ballet Flanders.
He has choreographed for theatre, television and opera, notably at the Metropolitan Opera (New York) for Nico Mulhy’s Two Boys, the Royal Court on Motortown and The Arsonists, the National Theatre on Saint Joan and for the Channel 4 series Skins. He co- directed Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice with John Fulljames at the Royal Opera House in 2015 and in 2016 received a Tony Award nomination for his choreography for the Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof.
In 2018 Hofesh Shechter was awarded an honorary OBE for Services to Dance and the company's first dance film, Hofesh Shechter’s Clowns, was broadcast by the BBC in September to great acclaim. His next short film POLITICAL MOTHER: The Final Cutpremiered in July 2021 and in 2022, a collaboration with French filmmaker Cédric Klapisch saw the release of the much-anticipated feature En corps.

Valentina Squarzoni
A native of Verona, Valentina graduated with honor at the Accademia Nazionale di Danza di Roma in 2019.
Valentina has a background of musical studies, that inform her practice of dance, both as performer and choreographer.
Valentina collaborates with international dance companies and choreographers such as Giovanni Di Cicco (DEOS - Danse Ensemble Opera Studio, Genova), Alexandra Pirici and Mihai Mihaicea (Bucarest), Angelo Smimmo (Gran Teatro Liceu, Barcellona), Mattia Agatiello (Fattoria Vittadini), Stian Danielsen, Alberto Del Saz, Paco Decina, Marco Donnarumma.
She is member of the ANAM Dance Company, founded by Alicia Alicicco, and she's part of the Theater/Performative Company Kontra Moenia.
Valentina recently took part in the tour "Tango Macondo", directed by Giorgio Gallione, choreographed by Giovanni Di Cicco and with the original music live performed by Paolo Fresu.

Eleni-Persefoni Stavrianou
Eleni-Persefoni Stavrianou is a pianist from Greece, regularly performing in solo, chamber music, and dance settings.
Recent highlights include her collaboration with The University of Arizona School of Dance in her doctoral thesis "Adapting Piano Music for Ballet: Tchaikovsky’s Children’s Album, Op. 39" and the Arizona premiere of Pierre Boulez’s Sur Incises with faculty and students from The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music.
She holds a D.M.A. in piano performance (John Milbauer, Fanya Lin) and dance accompaniment (Suzanne Knosp) from The University of Arizona, where she served as president of the Collegiate Chapter of the Music Teachers National Association, and worked as teaching assistant for group piano and accompanist for dance.
For her research, Eleni has been awarded with scholarships from the Greek State Scholarship Foundation (IKY), the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and The University of Arizona. Eleni is currently staff musician at Ballet Arizona.

John Sweeney
John Sweeney started playing for dance in New Zealand, playing for contemporary classes for Limbs Dance Company and ballet for Dorothea Ashbridge. Moving to Australia he played for Australian Dance Theatre and the Centre for the Performing Arts, and since moving to London he has played for most of the major companies and schools, including Rambert Dance Co, Michael Clark, Richard Alston Dance Company, ENB, Mark Baldwin Dance Company, and London Contemporary Dance School.
In addition John Sweeney has a flourishing career as an accompanist for silent films, which has taken him to many venues around the world including the National Film Theatre, the Barbican Cinema, Broadway in Nottingham, the Imperial War Museum, and Watershed in Bristol. He has recorded DVDs for the BFI ('Wonderful London', parts of 'Pioneers and Primitives') and also Cineteca di Bologna ('Albert Capellani') and Edition Filmmuseum ('Crazy Cinématographe') as well as recording a soundtrack for Hitchcock's 'Downhill' for broadcast on Sky TV. He is one of the founders of the Kennington Bioscope, doing regular screenings of neglected silent films at the Cinema Museum London with live music. He has recently written a score for the DVD release of Lois Weber’s 1916 film The Dumb Girl of Portici, and also recorded a piano score for A Couple of Down and Outs..