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For as long as I can remember, performance has been the thread running quietly — and sometimes loudly — through everything I do. Long before academic titles, professional roles, or even military service, there was music. A microphone. A crowd. And that unmistakable rush that only comes from stepping into the light and giving a piece of yourself away. Over the years, I’ve performed as a solo singer, played in more bands than I can reasonably count, acted in productions big and small, and spoken on stages where the only certainty was that anything could happen. Different settings, different audiences, different expectations — but at the heart of it all, it’s the same challenge: communicate something real. Music taught me how to listen.Acting taught me how to observe.Public speaking taught me how to connect.And performing with others taught me how to trust — in the moment, in the room, and in the people beside you. Those lessons have never left me. Whether I’m standing in front of a lecture hall, delivering a talk, or tuning up for another show, I still feel that same familiar electricity. Performance, at its best, is a conversation — even when you’re the only one with a microphone. You offer the audience your energy, your experience, your honesty, and they give something back: attention, emotion, belonging. It’s a quiet exchange, but a powerful one. This part of the website will become a space where I explore that world in more detail: the craft of performing, the discipline behind the art, the stories from decades of stages and soundchecks, as well as the moments that shaped me into the performer I am now. Some posts will be reflective, some practical, and some simply memories worth preserving before they fade into the noise. If the first blog post introduced the journey, this one introduces the heartbeat. Performance has always been my constant — and I’m looking forward to sharing more of it with you. — David      

Today marks the beginning of something I’ve been meaning to create for a long time: a place where all the strands of my life finally meet. If you’ve found your way here, thank you — whether you know me as a veteran, an academic, a musician, a performer, a public speaker, or simply a curious visitor. My journey has never followed a straight line. I served as a soldier, learning discipline, resilience, and the ability to stay calm when everything around you is trying to knock you off centre. Later came the academic world — years spent researching, writing, and trying to make sense of people, history, and the systems we build. Alongside that, my life in music and performance never faded. Whether on stage with an instrument, speaking to a crowded room, or giving a lecture, I’ve always been drawn to the power of expression: sound, story, and human connection. This website will be the home for all of it. I’ll be writing about the lessons I’ve carried from the military into civilian life; about the academic ideas that continue to shape my thinking; about creativity, performance, and what it really takes to stand in front of an audience and hold their attention. I’ll also share the occasional behind-the-scenes look at ongoing projects, research interests, and the odd musical moment that deserves a place beyond the rehearsal room. Most of all, this blog will aim to do one thing: offer something useful. Whether that’s a thought that makes you pause, a story that makes you reflect, or a practical insight you can take into your own work and life. Thank you for joining me at the very start.There’s plenty more to come — and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you. — David