I'm primarily a tenor horn player, however, for Gael Warning, I thought I'd swap one bit of metal for another and play the tin whistle! My first exposure to the whistle was through a garage sale purchase a number of years ago, which set me back a whole $2 (and certainly sounded like it!). Thankfully, I've since gotten my hands on some better instruments and am really enjoying learning and playing Celtic music with this fantastic group. I hold a Bachelor of Music in Composition and an Honours in Musicology with a research focus on 21st-century Australian brass bands—a subject in which I am keenly interested. Nevertheless, there's definitely plenty of room in my heart for some folk music with Gael Warning!

Growing up in a brass band family, my musical journey started while still in nappies, being entertained with renditions of nursery rhymes and accompanying improvised animal noises by my trumpet-playing father. Dad gave me cornet lessons from the age of five, and at age 12 I was able to satisfy my lifelong ambition of playing with the local town band at the South Street competitions. I also commenced piano lessons at the age of 14, with the dream of one day becoming a professional musician. Traditional folk music has always resonated with me, and in my late teens I taught myself Irish whistle and guitar.  It wasn’t until hearing the Irish Band Deiseal at a concert on Bodmin Moor while living in Plymouth, UK in the 1990’s, that I discovered the real richness and diversity of contemporary Irish folk music, and the haunting beauty of the low whistle. With influences from many other bands such as Clannad, Solas, Lunasa, Flook, Grada and Trouble in the Kitchen et al, Gael Warning is a wonderful opportunity to play the music I love with like-minded musicians.

Having started out playing piano, clarinet and singing in my childhood, I took the path less trodden, choosing to play the viola in my teens. I have played in many community orchestras ever since, including in Australia, Germany and the UK. I founded the Bungendore Youth Orchestra in 2011 here in my hometown. After visiting Ireland and Scotland and learning Irish dancing in my 20s, I was hooked on the rhythms and melodies of the Celtic tradition. I'm inspired by the playing of great fiddlers like Kevin Burke, Martin Hayes and Pascal Gemme, among others. I also enjoy playing folk/classical crossover arrangements such as those by the Danish String Quartet, whose tune Gale Warning inspired the name of our band. Playing in Gael Warning is the latest string to my bow! 

I am a brass player and picked up the double bass for some lockdown entertainment in 2020! My first formal music tuition started at the age of five with piano lessons, and music has been a big part of my life ever since. I completed a PhD  from the University of Queensland in 2023, which is a culmination of my years of dedication and passion for brass bands and music education history. I am currently the Musical Director of Canberra Brass, and have extensive conducting experience, mostly with community bands and school bands. Playing the double bass in Gael Warning has been a steep learning curve, particularly as I am a classically-trained horn player, however it’s a lot of fun and very fulfilling!