Dovetail Orchestra
What we do
We’re here to give everybody in the room a voice in the music we make, to provide a warm and welcoming community, and to learn new skills together.
MUSIC TEAM
I’ve been running music workshops now for almost thirty years, from when I started doing educational projects with an orchestra I was conducting. I love the buzz of creating a new piece out of nothing and surprising people with what they can make together in a short amount of time.
I’ve worked for many orchestras as a workshop leader and presenter, and for major concert venues across the UK. The ones I have a more regular contact with these days are the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
After a career as a conductor and teacher, I specialised in running creative workshops. I now lead workshops in conservatoires (Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music), universities and organisations such as the National Children’s Orchestra, Pro Corda (a national chamber music course) and Aldeburgh Young Musicians’.
My community work has been wide-ranging, and I’m comfortable working with all sorts of musicians. I love directing the Bristol Recovery Orchestra — a community ensemble for people recovering from addiction — and founded the Bristol Pre-Conservatoire in 2012, where creative musicianship is an important focus.
My PhD was in collaborative musical creativity for advanced musicians: how it can work across different styles and how it’s taught.
Anna Gibson-Hart is a Community Musician who is based in Bristol, was born in Essex, and has Pakistani and Mauritian roots. She spends her time playing and teaching music with people aged 3, 103, and everyone in between. One of her favourite instruments to play is the Ghanaian balafon (a West African wooden xylophone). She also finds inspiration in many other forms of West African and Latin inspired music – basically anything that makes you want to dance!
Anna has a background in supporting people with their mental health and wellbeing through Social Prescribing and other projects. The role of music in bringing people together to create community is what drives her in her work. Dovetail is one of the highlights of her week.
My career has taken me down a different path – into the world of academia, most recently as Chief Operating Officer for a large research infrastructure in the NHS – but music remains my home. I perform as much as possible and play principal flute for various ensembles and projects in the Bristol area. I also enjoy teaching meditation and mindfulness when time allows.
Dovetail is very close to my heart. Music has a transformative power and an ability to connect people, no matter what life experiences we have encountered along the way. Dovetail embodies this. It is a joy to be part of such a special community of musicians from all over the world.
Her most recent album ‘Kaleidoscope’ included a limited edition DINKED vinyl with a bonus EP of non-album tracks featuring This is the Kit and Rozi Plain, which followed Rachael’s critically acclaimed ‘Flux’ album, which gained a coveted 6 Music’s Album of the Day.
Rachael has received wide support from DJs on BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 Late Junction, BBC Radio 4, Xfm and France Musique, and has done live sessions for Radio 4’s Loose Ends and The Roddy Hart Show on BBC Scotland as well as creating an hour show for BBC6Music’s Loose Yourself.
With a background in fine art, Rachael puts great attention into the conceptual and visual through her music videos, album artwork, hand-made merchandise and exhibitions.
Alongside recording and performing with her band, Rachael writes songs for her Bristol based community choirs BYOB Choir (bring your own baby) and OAK Choir (Of All Kin) a new inclusive choir celebrating diversity and the coming together in the unity of song.
Lately Rachael has become an integral part of a new network of Mothers in Music discussing the barriers in the music industry for mothers and how to challenge them and pave the way for change. She has recently set up a new improv collective called MMILK (musician mothers in loving kinship), “a well-being focused exploration of our changing identities as we traverse matrescence, encouraging each other to be vulnerable and brave, trying new instruments and ways of being.”
Recently Rachael has joined Dovetail Refugee Orchestra and set up The Beehive singing Circle (inclusive intergenerational group). With her own growing sense of belonging to Bristol’s diverse and vibrant community she is now working on a new event series called Grove which will bring all of her groups together. Growing the community is at the very heart of this project and music is the glue, alongside planting trees and flowers in the neighbouring green spaces.
Grove will platform all of her groups, sharing their musical offerings and collaborations with an audience. The first event is on the 15th February from 1-4pm at St Ambrose Church, Whitehall, Bristol.
I was born in Istanbul and started playing the bağlama at a young age. My musical journey began in Turkey and became more active in the UK, where I continue to perform and teach bağlama. I play traditional Turkish and Kurdish folk songs as well as my own compositions.
Music is my way of expressing emotions, telling stories, and preserving culture. I believe in its power to connect people and strive to blend tradition with modern influences.
I’m continuing my music work on different projects in Bristol.
Roxana Vilk is a UK/Iranian performer, musician and filmmaker based in Bristol. Her work often explores the themes of human rights, cultural identity and migration. She has made work in USA, Lebanon, France, Iran, Norway, Turkey and Iraq for BBC, MTV and Al Jazeera.
Music has always been at the core of her creative practise and she is co-producer / singer and keyboard player with her band Vilk Collective.They have played several UK Festivals and were selected for the UK JAZZ EXPO. BBC Persian TV recorded them at the Premises Studio in Hackney and followed them as they recorded their new album. She is currently recording, mixing & collaborating with Bristol musicians for a new Vilk Collective album release in 2025
Recently she was Associate Artist at Trinity Community Arts Bristol, where she was commissioned to create a large scale multi disciplinary work called Lullabies – co-created with communities across Bristol. The piece explored heritage and migration to Bristol through the sharing of lullaby songs and the personal stories behind the songs. (The project was featured on BBC Saturday Live and BBC News) In 2022 she was Expanded Performance Inclusion Fellow with Bristol and Bath Creative R + D. The fellowship explored how new technologies can help us expand the performance practises in music and theatre in an inclusive way. This led to her becoming a resident at Pervasive Media Studios Bristol to further pursue creative projects with new technology.
Recently her band Vilk Collective and Squidsoup received Prototype funding to explore live immersive audio. Together they co-created a new immersive show ‘Circle/دایره’, which they performed to sold out gigs at The Arnolfini Bristol, Trinity Centre, Bristol Beacon & Royal Theatre Bath. Thanks to an Arts Council Touring Fund they have performed the show ‘Circle/دایره’ t Portsmouth, Barbican Plymouth and Hull Freedom Festival.
She is currently writing her first full length play set between Bristol and Tehran, with mentorship by Bristol Old Vic Theatre as part of their new writing scheme.
Dovetail is about learning from each other, sharing cultures at a deep level through our music.
Rather than just do covers, we re-invent and create new fusions.
Where and when?
If you want to join in, fill out the contact form below, or you can ask any questions on:
hello@dovetailmusicworkshops.co.uk
Our rehearsals are 2.30pm-4pm every Tuesday followed by refreshments in the Beehive Centre opposite.
We can contribute towards your bus tickets.
- 6 or 7 to Gordon Road
- 42, 43, 44 or 45 to Blackswarth Road
There is wheelchair access via the main entrance of the church and accessible toilets available in the Beehive Centre. Do please get in touch with us with any further needs you may have.
Come and play with us!
Just fill out this form!
