with Alexander Massey (he/him)
Hello, and welcome to my website. I am a leader of creative Jewish ritual and prayer; interfaith activist; composer and songwriter; a professional singer, cantorial soloist and multi-instrumentalist; a researcher and writer. In order to focus on these activities more, I stepped back in April 2022 from 40 years as a teacher of singing, voice and communication, songwriting, and music and theatre. (Read detailed biography here.)
Interfaith work
My current activities centre around developing materials and trainings on creating successful interfaith events (formats, pitfalls, & best practice), responding creatively to unintended microaggressions and microtransgressions in interfaith settings, and understanding intersectionality in faith settings. (Please get in touch with me if you are interested in these topics.) Over the years, I have been: a celebrant for interfaith weddings; presenter and contributor to events with the International Jewish-Christian Bible Week in Germany, the Council of Christians and Jews, the (Turkish Muslim) Dialogue Society, the One World Festival at the Ashmolean Museum, the Faiths in Tune festival at SOAS, and ‘United for Peace’ events with the (Muslim) Oxford Foundation; preached to Unitarians at Oxford’s Harris Manchester College; attended the annual interfaith friendship walk with the Oxford Council of Faiths for many years; and composed music for the annual Christian-Jewish Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration at Keble College, and the 150th anniversary of the University Tests Act (abolishing religious discrimination). I am currently planning a trip (for Oct 2023) to Tbilisi, Georgia, teach and perform as part of interfaith initiatives based at the Peace Cathedral.
Composing
My Jewish sacred music compositions, instrumental music and arrangements of traditional vocal music are used in the UK, Germany, France and the USA (including the Hava Nashira Reform songleading camps). My music has been published by the Reconstructionist movement (on Ritual Well), Adding Our Voices (Jewish Renewal gender-inclusion initiative by Reclaiming Judaism and Soundscape Synagogue Hanover University), and Reform Judaism UK (Shirei Ha-T’fillot / Songs of Prayer), and in anthologies by Transcontinental Music Publications; my compositions have also been regularly shared on the Cantors Assembly SongSwap sessions (Conservative Judaism, USA). For 20 years, I have performed in a duo with David Roth (former member of the Allegri Quartet, 1976-2000), and written music for us, both voice and violin, and violin and piano. Most of my Jewish compositions are available to listen to here.
Presenting, performing and leading
As a speaker and performer, I have presented for the British Voice Association, British Institute of Composing, Liberal Judaism UK, Jewish Music Fair, UK Reform Judaism‘s Shirei Chagigah music conference, Oxford Psalms Network (Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities), and Limmud Festival. I am involved with music and service leading for both the London Ruach Chavurah (a Jewish Renewal community) and the Oxford Progressive community, and founded the Jewish Music UK Facebook network. Prayer and people are the two priorities in my music making and composing. As a professional singer, I’ve have performed around the world, with individuals and groups as diverse as Lyons Opera, David Roth (Allegri String Quartet), Russell Stone, and Philip Clouts, and at venues as diverse as the Royal Festival Hall, and the Guernsey Festival of Folk and Blues, including much work on TV and radio.
Get in touch
As you can see, my work and interests are wide ranging – the threads weave together creatively and effectively. If you would like to have a conversation on how might I be able to help you, please get in touch using the contact page, or call me on +44 (0)7771 988207.