Please click the links on the menu above to go to my professional publications
'Listening to the Great Round' film and
The Quadrants GIM Programme
Click on the button below to watch the film: 'Listening to the Great Round', first shown at the AMI conference 2021. The film combines images relating to the different archetypal stages of Joan Kellogg's Great Round of the Mandala with music. I created the Quadrants GIM programme as a means of exploring the relationship between these archetypes and music, and it is designed to take the listener on a journey through the Great Round. [The artists retain copyright of their music and artwork, and are acknowledged and referenced at the end of the film]
The pdf below is titled 'The Musical Qualities of the Great Round of The Mandala' and gives explanations of the musical qualities and their relationship to the Great Round, based on my heuristic analysis
Below are music resources and suggestions for listening to each stage of the Great Round which includes YouTube and Spotify links
This is an advanced programme when listened to in full, however it can be broken down into the different quadrants which consist of 3 pieces each, and is designed to be used flexibly, therefore it may be suitable for a range of travellers when modified. To listen to the full Quadrants GIM Programme on Spotify, click here:
Please contact me if you wish to use any of this material for teaching or training purposes
Finding Hope:
A programme created for those who have become stuck and could benefit from a different perspective, helping to restore hope. The core of the programme is the piece: A Solis Ortus Cardine, an ancient chant arranged for Die 12, by Volker Schott, with the extraordinary voice of Jocelyn B Smith. The soaring vocals shift the traveller's perspective, leading them towards solutions.
The modified version omits this piece and replaces it with Debussy's La Cathedrale Engloutie for those who prefer instrumental music. Suitable for all travellers.
There are three versions of this programme:
Uplifted by Beauty
Sometimes we need experiences that uplift and resonate with the beauty we find in nature. This programme was created in response to the landscape I live in, and is designed to connect to our inner resources and the simplicity of nature, to give us an experience of being bathed in beauty. The music selections focus on pastoral pieces and simplicity, opening with Julie Cooper's orchestral piece: Continuum, and closing with Dobrinka Tabakova's Whispered Lullaby for viola and piano. Suitable for all travellers.
Meeting Point
This working programme combines music of Middle Eastern origin with Western classical harmonic elements. Designed for those people who have a complex heritage and identity, and may experience feelings of dislocation within the predominant culture. The lead stringed instrument gives the traveller opportunities to explore different aspects of east and west through the music. There may also be opportunities to explore spiritual life.
Sweet Regrets
This is a beginners programme which was designed for those who might struggle with western classical music, and with reference to Anthony Hall's 'Earth Spirit' Programme. It aims to explore relationships, lingering regrets and bittersweet feelings that may remain as a result of letting go.
Musically the focus is on male and female voices and instrumental selections which look backwards to different times and places, beginning with William Grant Still's Enanga II which references the musical voice of his ancestors. Seckou asks his ancestor to help him understand his dream in 'If Only I Knew.' Nadia Boulanger's music helps bring the traveller into the present time, ending with Able Selaocoe's 'Love', helping the traveller to finally let go with joy.
Please note: Seckou's 'If Only I Knew' is louder than the proceeding track and the guide needs to be alert to volume changes between these tracks. Midnight Blue is sung in a very high female register and may not be suitable for every traveller.
Short Programs for a Therapy Hour
These programmes are designed to fit into a therapy hour, following the classic contour of the core Bonny / Bruscia programmes, but using pieces from a number of different genres and including music by female composers. They last no more than 20 minutes each and have all been tested in reflective practice sessions for fellow arts psychotherapists.