Louise Martin MMus, PGCE, BA (Hons)
Louise spent eight years as a high school music teacher before running away with the circus, where she branched out from classical cello and piano into rock, punk, ska, country, theremin, musical saw and stilt-walking. Following postgraduate MMus study in Ethnomusicology, and Music in the Community, she settled back in Edinburgh.
She now works as a freelance musician in a variety of contexts: she has led creative music projects for East Lothian and Highland Councils, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Ensemble and Royal Lyceum Theatre; has taught Music in the Community at Napier University and (currently) the University of Edinburgh; has been privileged to study djembe techniques at Alla Leake Percussion (The Gambia); has organised education work for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra; works with adult leisure-time musicians as Musical Director of the Merchant Sinfonia (Glasgow) and Stockbridge and New Town Community Orchestra (Edinburgh); and has led community choirs for the Royal Lyceum Theatre and Stellar Quines theatre company. Alongside her freelance work she is Director of Access, Engagement and Participation with Scotland’s exciting contemporary classical music group Red Note Ensemble.
A few fun facts about Louise:
- If she was an animal she’d like to be a Friesian cow – just mosey-ing along, grazing all day. Mmmmoooooo!
- Her favourite day out in Edinburgh a walk along the River Almond walkway, ending up at the ice-cream van at Cramond harbour
- 3 scoops of ice-cream: Belgian chocolate, blackcurrant sorbet, raspberry sorbet
- She started to play the Recorder when she was 8
Piano when she was 9
Violin when she was 10
Cello when she was 11
Musical Saw when she was old enough to know better!
