Hi. My name is Luke Crookes. I am a bassoonist and creative music and cross-arts workshop leader. I work for cultural, educational and community organisations and healthcare settings. I collaborate with musicians, dancers, actors, artists, sculptors, architects, animators and bakers; performing in Concert halls, Museums, Galleries and Heritage sites. I perform with orchestras, ensembles and am a member of NSRO (The North Sea Radio Orchestra)
Here are some of the organisations I have worked for:
BBC. THE NATIONAL GALLERY. THE PRINCES TRUST. THE MUSEUM OF LONDON. THE BRITISH MUSEUM. THE GUILDHALL SCHOOL OF MUSIC & DRAMA. THE ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL. WIGMORE HALL. THE WALLACE COLLECTION. THE MUSEUM OF LONDON. THE BARBICAN. PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA. EVELINA CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. CREATE. THE ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL. SIRF (STOCKTON INTERNATIONAL RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL.OPEN CITY.OPERA NORTH. HERON CORN MILL. LEIPZIG GERWANTHAUS ORCHESTRA. THE SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA. BT. THE LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA. BARINGA PARTNERS. INTERCRUISES. GROWING OLD DISGRACEFULLY.
Some current zoom projects, click the name to take you to the project page.
Soundscapes on zoom for well-being
SEND family story making for people with Downes syndrome and their families
SEND sensory activity for children, families and carers in lockdown
(Please scroll through this page for an overview of project films and photos or click on the orange tab at the top for individual projects)
A participant June 2020
“I could feel my creativity being tapped into. I loved working with you on the track, I thought the way you were so inclusive and encouraging with everyone was great, a rare skill!“
A Teacher
“Thanks for an amazing project. It was inspiring, creative, educational, and most importantly FUN for the staff and the pupils”.
Kerri Ovel. Deputy head of Beatrice Tate Special School. Museum of Docklands. Feb 2020.
A collaborative artist
“Brilliant work with children working with @luke_crookes – inspiring music practitioner – truly talented and genuinely searching for the innate power of creativity in young people”. Carran Waterfield. Theatre and performance maker. August 2019
Adhoc Community Dance on Zoom
It’s fab! Amazing to be part of this!
Sail Away
Sail Away is a cross arts sensory activity for children with special needs and their families whist in lockdown.Sail Away. SEND Isolation activity.
X’s mum is reporting to me that x absolutely loves the Sail Away episodes and she insist on playing them every day and at least every night before going to sleep…….it is so amazing that you could offer this to x with the work you’ve been doing with Luke and how it’s now helping her to cope through the quarantine. It’s one of the few things she feels like engaging with.
Powsowdie online & by post
A reminiscence project for older people with food and music. Each Powsowdie has its own unique theme, with a hearty and nutritious lunch provided by Nell.
We have also been creating Powsowdie online and by post for our group in lockdown. You can see the content by clicking this link Powsowdie at Home
Dissolve SIRF 2019
This is a human story rather than a love story… with water.
‘Beautiful’
Stella Hall, Festival Director of Festival Of Thrift, Redcar and programmer.
‘Stunning’
Rachel Swanwick, Promoter/ programmer, Oldham Council.
The North Sea radio Orchestra
MANCHESTER ART GALLERY CERAMICS & ADHOC DANCE 2019
A moving and meditative performance by Adhoc and bassoonist Luke Crookes creating a sense of Halima Cassell’s sculptures almost becoming alive. Beautiful!
Ruth Edson. Head of education, Manchester Art Gallery.
OPEN CITY SPECIAL SCHOOLS ARCHITECTURE 2019
HERON CORN MILL 2019
DOCKLANDS MUSEUM 2019
SCHOOLS, ANIMATION & SCULPTURES
Year 5 July 2019
“it’s the depth of thinking that goes into a moment, of true student centred learning, that can then appear to be so easy when it is facilitated so well (by you).”
Collaborative workshop artist
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND MOVEMENT
February 2019
WIND BAND SOUNDSCAPE EXPLORING ARMENIAN HISTORY
February 2019
MUSEUM TACTILE STORY
March 2019
WOMENS INTERNATIONAL DAY AND GALLERY
March 2019
HERITAGE SITE & AUTISM
April 2019
SCHOOLS & SCULPTURES
Year 5 October 2018
DANCE & GALLERIES
Adhoc at Manchester Art Gallery. November 2018
“Not only is your sensitivity to the dance amazing but the fact that you seem to produce it in such a short time” Liz Patrick, participant.
SPECIAL NEEDS & GALLERIES
The National Gallery. October 2018
SCHOOLS & ANIMATION
Open City. July 2018
“Thank you all for a wonderful project and experience” Class Teacher
HERITAGE SITE & SPECIAL SCHOOLS
The Charterhouse. 2018
Thanks to all for a truly remarkable project. Project Manager. The Charterhouse.
COMMUNITY
Local history & valuing community
“Thank you so much for all the fantastic work you put into the project. It was a pleasure to work on this with you.”
COMMUNITY COHOUSING
“The mystery of interpretation of OWCH’s journey became a joyous recollection which was a quite different way of owning the feelings in which we normally express ourselves.” Participant.
ORCHESTRAS
Musicianship – creativity – performance
Nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society Award 2015
“Your musicality, professionalism, collaboration, communication, team work & dedication is such a joy & pleasure to work with.” Project Manager.
COMMUNITY DANCE
Art in the park & exploring presence
“Thank you for last night. I really enjoyed it and found it very compelling……. a visual treat. Loved the bassoonist…..live music just adds that extra magic!! I left feeling very uplifted!!” Audience member Pauline Gibson.
SPECIAL SCHOOLS
“it was absolutely magical – to see how the painting became alive through the careful selection of detail and then interpreted through music, singing and movement and back to painting – all of it was wonderful ! I met one of the pupils yesterday and she was talking to me about “the baby” ( signing actually). the speech therapist that she was with said the class team said it was the best trip they’d been on.”
SCULPTURES
Year 5s create sounds for their sculptures in 30 minutes
“Thank you so much for this morning. It was absolutely brilliant and all of the teachers and people involved in the project said how amazing it was” Project Manager
ORCHESTRAS
Scottish heritage & poetry
“A very inspiring project that led to real creative freedom and an end result that was entirely the students.”
Teacher, Candlebird Creative Composition Workshop, 2015.
BASSOON
Greek folk songs and classical music
Bassoon concerto with the Cyprus State Chamber Orchestra.
BUSINESS & TEAMWORK
Perfomance and collaboration
“Totally and completely exceeded my wildest expectations!” “As a whole company we achieved something which felt pretty incredible!” Particpant. Baringa staff.
UNDER 5s & PAINTINGS
“I really liked the use of the body as a paint brush, it worked very well because they could more clearly understand how it was relating to music” Project Manger.
FAMILIES
“Dan, Caitlin and Paul were singing the song all the way home and today we listened to the opera! It was so amazing and transported us all to the land of imagination and collaboration you made!” Parent.
LEARNING & CREATIVITY
Learning about film soundtracks
“Wow! Brilliant as always! Thank you so much for delivering such amazing workshops!” Project Manager August 2017