Accessibility statement

Kate Pearson
Associate Lecturer

Profile

Biography

Kate Pearson studied at the Universities of York and Huddersfield and now works as a facilitator, composer and deviser of new pieces of music and music-theatre, leading a wide range of projects for organisations such as Manchester Camerata, RNCM, TiPP, English Touring Opera, Bridgewater Hall, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Opera North, the Royal Opera House, Northern Ballet Theatre, Sing Up, Jessie’s Fund, Accessible Arts and Media, and Turtle Key Arts. 

Kate’s work has been continually focused on the creative, transformative and communicative power of music for all people, whatever their age or circumstance.  Early in her career she co-founded Hands and Voices, one of the UK’s first singing and signing choirs, and since then she has continued to work with both people with learning and communication difficulties, and also with those who have physical or mental health conditions. More recently Kate has led many music and dementia projects, specifically focused on the creation of new pieces, presenting work about this particular approach at both arts and medical conferences. 

Throughout her career she has also worked extensively in education as a leader, collaborator and trainer, working directly with children and young people of all ages and also with established and emerging artists, students and teachers. She has delivered teaching at the Universities of York, Manchester and Chester, Manchester Metropolitan University, and the RNCM.

Kate has written many large-scale pieces of opera and music-theatre, including the critically acclaimed community opera House on the Moon, and The Starry Welkin (ETO), Pied Piper and O 4 E (Opera North), Noah’s Opera (Accessible Arts), Notable Numbers for orchestra, multiple ensembles and chorus (Manchester Camerata) and Coming Home and Before the Storm (RNCM).

Contact details

Kate Pearson
School of Arts and Creative Technologies
University of York
York
YO10 5GB