Experimental viola, violin, guitar, mandolin, banjo and album artwork.
Jos was raised in a musical family surrounded by instruments, where he developed a love of folk and blues music. By age 6, he was learning the violin and also taught himself to play guitar and mandolin. He was soon founding bands, performing at primary and secondary schools and local venues. As a teenager he was a taught by ...
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Experimental viola, violin, guitar, mandolin, banjo and album artwork.
Jos was raised in a musical family surrounded by instruments, where he developed a love of folk and blues music. By age 6, he was learning the violin and also taught himself to play guitar and mandolin. He was soon founding bands, performing at primary and secondary schools and local venues. As a teenager he was a taught by renowned folk fiddler, Dave Shepherd of Blowzabella. Jos is equally passionate about drama and art. While at secondary school, he landed a lead role in ‘the Pilgrimage ’performed at the Young Vic in London, composing and performing the soundtrack for this production.
Jos later studied Fine Art at degree level at the Colchester Art School. He studied Contemporary Curating and Gallery Studies for his MA at the University of Essex, specialising in Sound Art.
He has been a prominent figure in the Colchester music scene as a member of several key bands (including the Jazmine Ava Band and Fishclaw) for over ten years. He was also a go-to session musician for many local artists. In 2013 he played violin for Damo Suzuki (previously a member of 1970s prog-rock band Kan) as a ‘Sound Carrier ’at the Colchester Arena.
He has worked at several arts venues in the Colchester area (including Colchester Arts Centre and Firstsite), employed as a freelance art practitioner and workshop leader for numerous venues and events. His proposal for a series of sound art workshops and the formation of a sound ensemble was embraced by the learning department, and sparked the beginning of what is now a key element of the YAK (Young Art Kommunity) programme at Firstsite. This has provided young people from more deprived areas of Colchester and Essex with an opportunity to learn about sound art and music, and helped them develop their own skills in the context of a contemporary art gallery setting - an experience they would not otherwise have had. Jos has also co-run workshops for young people of different age groups at Colchester Arts Centre, as part of their Arts Awards programmes, covering a range of subjects and skill sets ranging from Animation to Sound Art and performance.
Working with Simon Keep (co-founder of Fishclaw) Jos has been commissioned to write and record several compositions for clients including the Royal Academy, Penguin Books and Rosemary Butcher, the latter having featured exhibitions in London and Berlin.
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