Three Performances Fellowships, a Doctorate, and a Professorship

Some milestones don’t feel like turning points. They just feel like the next square on a board you’ve been steadily moving across for years. Still, this feels worth pausing for; a small checkpoint, a quiet “hey, that actually happened.”

Over the past few months, I was awarded three fellowships in performance: FNCM in Electric Bass Guitar from the National College of Music (apparently the first time they’ve issued it for bass), F.Perf.ASMC in Percussion from the Australian Society of Musicology and Composition, and FTCSM in Contemporary Piano Accompaniment from the Three Counties School of Music. The first two involved formal performance submissions and documentation; the third was awarded via professional accomplishment, in recognition of long-term teaching and artistic work.

Together, they reflect a part of my practice that’s been steady for years: working across the rhythm section, not just as a performer but as an educator. Bass, drums, piano. I don’t take it for granted that institutions recognise this kind of cross-instrumental work, so to have it formally acknowledged was meaningful!

These fellowships became part of a larger dossier submitted through VAE (Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience). This French-based recognition route evaluates professional and teaching experience as equivalent to academic output. In July 2025, I was awarded the Doctor of Music in Contemporary Performance by European-American University. It wasn’t a thesis-driven doctorate; more a cumulative portfolio: performance work, curriculum development, postgraduate supervision, teaching, and publications. Reviewed by a jury, formally evaluated, and approved. It’s a different path, but a rigorous and legitimate one within its framework.

Following the doctorate, I proposed new degree pathways in Contemporary Performance and Instrumental Pedagogy at Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral levels, which were accepted. I’ve since been appointed Professor of Contemporary Music at EAU, where I’ll be contributing to programme development, advising, and hopefully supporting students who don’t quite fit the mould of the traditional classical pathway.

None of this is an endpoint. I still teach freelance across multiple schools. I still write my own rubrics, prep my own materials, and juggle five calendars. But I wanted to share this moment because it shows that quiet work, done over time, across systems, does add up. And for those building their own teaching portfolios or trying to find legitimacy in routes that don’t always get institutional attention: I see you. This is one way through.

If you’re designing new programmes, building out curriculum, or just looking for someone to help shape rhythm section pedagogy or performance frameworks, feel free to reach out. Always happy to talk shop and see where things might go.