Dr Kathy Dyson
GDip, MA, PhD

Kathy Dyson writes:

"I attempt to juggle three strands of my career, all of which I love - performing, research and teaching - and try not to drop the ball!

As a jazz guitarist I regularly perform in the North West and around the UK with saxophonist John Dyson, and more recently with Deirdre Cartwright in ‘Remembering Emily Remler’, a tribute to the late, great, jazz guitarist. The project is intended to celebrate her life and work but also to encourage more women and girls to play jazz guitar.

Recent research work includes a report for Arts Council North East on jazz education, and a co-authored chapter in Women in Jazz Series. Ongoing action-research continues on how improvisation is learned, and especially on how the learning of specific skills come to be generalised and how musicians develop their own creative improvising voice.

I currently teach jazz improvisation, jazz guitar, music industry modules, research skills and supervise dissertations at Leeds College of Music. In June, I was delighted to receive the Jazz Educator of the Year Award 2010 from the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. In my spare time, I am Chair of Inner City Music, which runs the newly re-opened Band on the Wall music venue in Manchester.

Last, but definitely not least, I am an active, committed and enthusiastic Musicians’ Union member, privileged to serve on the national Executive Committee, and also a busy branch chair and union rep for the University and Colleges Union at Leeds College of Music."