Here is a list of previous projects that highlight social practice and participatory projects:
Kalila Wa Dimna: Play for Progress project in collaboration with P21 Gallery: This was a half-term project I co-led for Play for Progress. Throughout the visual creation process we explored making musical accompaniment for storytelling and soundscapes based on the story’s atmosphere, wisdom, and the journey of its characters. Certain words, phrases, and action of the story stood out to us, which resulted in two accompanying audio tracks at the exhibition. This is one of the soundscapes that was played during the exhibition, and we wanted to bring people into the process of making and experimenting that is so central to session at Play for Progress: Click here for details
RAW Vol. 1: Play for Progress created this collection of tracks during our weekly sessions, where we Record, Arrange, and Write music. Each track was built directly by or in collaboration with the young people and displays their creativity, characters, and wide-ranging talents. From rapping, singing, and writing original music, to arranging covers of cherished music from home, these songs represent countless hours of time spent sharing culture, practicing the art and vulnerability of self-expression, and building relationships across languages in celebration of our differences. Click here to listen.
Peace by Peace: professionally facilitated events processing grief and conflict around Israel/Palestine, bringing together artists, therapists and community members working towards collective liberation.
Ground & Sound: I co-created a permanent rooftop sound installation with Grounded Ecotherapy & Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck, celebrating the work of Grounded Ecotherapy’s transformative work in recovery through gardening. Click here for details + audio
Skylark Café at the Southbank Centre
These are extracts from pieces made in collaboration with participants when I was musician in residence for the Southbank Centre’s monthly accessible Skylark Café. Click here for more details. This first extract was made with Ross, a keen writer. We made this piece together after he read some of his writing about birds, with him on whistle and myself on piano:
This particular piece was made around the time of Hallowe’en, with the theme of exploring beauty. It combines an interpretation of a song that was written with the participants alongside different excerpts of poetry also written by the participants.
This piece was made with Larry as part of a morning mingle session showcasing the Skylark Café. Larry’s son makes electronic music and he was really interested and wanted to try this out, so we made percussion samples and a dance track using Koala (a digital sampler/sequencer application)
Moving On Resonance
This was part of a project aimed at engaging with outdoor space as we emerged from lockdown. Organised by Exit Map, Moving On facilitated outdoor movement through speech and sound. The audio was played through dozens of FM radios scattered amongst different outdoor green spaces, guiding audiences through movement and exploration of parks and natural space. It was also available as a download for use with earphones and is now part of the Siobhan Davies Dance Archive. I made the music for all the pieces below. They feature (in order) Tania Soubry, Sara Ruddock and Laura Doehler.
Other examples of my work:
These are examples of my work as an artist and the kind of work I have been making the last few years:
Troubled Waters is a new performance piece of oral storytelling and live music, exploring current themes of water pollution through ancient British and Irish river folklore and myth. Touring to UK theatres, arts centres, festivals and public stages 2025-2026.
Behind the Beat is my first solo theatre show. It came from a period of R&D working with renowned theatre maker Haley McGee, who is now directing the show. The show explores my relationship with the drums, an instrument I have played since I was three years old, and treats this as a metaphor for all the other things in my life. I draw on my writings, musical ideas and artistic reflections. After the show’s inception in 2021, I then spent a week with master clown teacher Philippe Gaulier and bring this experience to the show’s new form. This is a show for anyone curious about the creative process, meeting inner critics, finding joy amidst chaos and seeing the sensitive side of someone who hits things for a living.
Simon Roth 