Research
I am a practical ethnomusicologist working across academic and other sectors. I like to undertake research which can have real-world applications. I am involved in three main areas of investigation, and some of this research is show here:
Learning and teaching traditional music
- Traditional musicians as teachers: sharing skills for participation. In Sound Teaching: A research-informed approach to inspiring confidence, skill, and enjoyment in music performance. Ed. H. Meissner, R. Timmers & S. Pitts. Routledge (2022)
- A sense of who we are: The cultural value of community-based traditional music in Scotland. In Understanding Scotland Musically: Folk, tradition, modernity. Ed. S. McKerrell & G. West. Routledge (2018)
- Digital Folk: A report on digital technologies and practices among folk arts practitioners in England (with S. Keegan-Phipps). University of Sheffield (2018)
- An ethnographic analysis of participation, learning, and agency in a Scottish traditional music organisation. PhD, University of Sheffield (2016)
- Issues in teaching traditional music at RSAMD. In Crosbhealach an Cheoil – The Crossroads Conference 2003: Education and Traditional Music. Ed. F. Vallely et al. Whinstone Music (2013)
- Learning and teaching traditional music. In Scottish Life and Society: Oral Literature and Performance Culture. A Compendium of Scottish Ethnology vol. 10. Ed. J.Beech et al. Edinburgh (2007)
Scottish Song
- Transcribing and editing musical transcriptions for 145 songs in Up yon wide and lonely glen: Travellers’ songs, stories and tunes of the Fetterangus Stewarts. E. Stewart & A. McMorland. University Press of Mississippi with Elphinstone Institute (2012)
- Mary Macqueen’s ballads: From page to performance. In Emily Lyle: The persistent scholar. Ed. F. Fischer & S. Rieuwerts. Trier: WVT (2007)
- Musical transcriptions for Come gie’s a sang. Ed. S. Douglas. Hardie Press (1995)
Music making in Dumfries and Galloway
- ‘In Galloway the nicht’: The writings of Logan Paterson of the Glenkens. Southlight magazine 27, Spring/Summer 2020.
- Music, Song and Dance. In Dumfries and Galloway, People and Place, c.1700 to 1914. Ed. E. Cowan & K. Veitch. John Donald (2019)
- A Fiddle Manuscript from Eighteenth-Century Galloway. In Musica Scotica – 800 Years of Scottish Music. Ed. K. Elliot et al. Musica Scotica (2008)
- Traditions of Music Making in the Glenkens, Galloway. MLitt. University of Edinburgh (1986)
I also perform as a singer and fiddler. Recordings include:
Songs from the Greig-Duncan collection (2013)
Where Ravens Reel with Alison McMorland & Geordie McIntyre ROWAN (2010)
Old Songs & Bothy Ballads: There’s Bound To Be A Row SPRINGTHYME (2009)
Mary Macqueen’s Ballads SCOTTISH TEXT SOCIETY (1998)
Whistlebinkies 5 CLADDAGH (1998)
Under the Hammer with The Saltire Quartet MIRABILIS (1995)
Scotland’s Music: a radio history BBC Radio Scotland series (1991)
Projects
Have a look at some of the projects Jo has been involved in. From singing workshops to community music projects, mentoring and more.