Melissa Collins is here today with Leah Cotterel, Jazz and folk singer Leah Cotterell has appeared on TV and radio, playing concert halls and festivals. She has toured extensively in schools programs and developed as a songwriter through band projects with some of Australia’s best musicians. Over the last decade Leah has also produced music theatre presentations telling stories of social importance through song, story and image, in partnership with festivals and venues and managing arts funding of over $250,000.
But this artist’s life was interrupted when her mother and brother, who had a long history of mental illnesses, lost capacity to live independently in the community. During challenging years of care and advocacy, Leah found resilience through her studies at Southbank TAFE in the Diploma of Accounting (2012-2013). She subsequently began Masters research at the Queensland Conservatorium producing ‘The Pleasure of Sad Songs’, about which Katie Noonan has said: ‘…this is storytelling of real courage, authenticity and compassion…’ In 2016 Leah began her Doctor of Musical Arts program on an Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship.
Find Out More About Leah Cotterell
Leah Cotterell on Twitter @leahcotterell
Tune in to this amazing conversation!
Interviewed by: Melissa Collins