Esther Keappock

Biography

Esther Keappock is a senior lecturer on the BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance and BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance and Production degree courses and has been teaching at Solent University since 2009. Teaching specialisms include keyboards/piano, instrumental studies and artist development, composition/arranging, music technology (Sibelius) and music in practice.

Esther trained as a classical pianist and violinist before studying music at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (2007) and gained a Master's with Distinction in Songwriting at Bath Spa University (2015).

She has worked as a session musician with artists including Rumer, Bianca Obino and Danni Nicholls and supported artists including Neneh Cherry, Nerina Pallot and Ezio, playing venues throughout the UK including the Royal Albert Hall, London’s Festival Hall, The BIC, O2 Academy and Poole Lighthouse.

Esther co-wrote the album The Knitting Circle (2011) with singer/songwriter Julie Staines, which led to collaborations with David Lowe (BBC) and Simon Darlow (Slave to the Rhythm).

In 2012, Esther was commissioned to write All In The Same Boat as part of the Weymouth Olympic Sailing event, and continues to write for film/TV, with her composition for the documentary Where Inspiration Lives premiering at the Southbank Centre in March 2014 (C&C Arts & Education Department).

Esther is the co-founder of the Chicken Soup Choir, a 70-member community choir based in Poole, Dorset and is currently developing a catalogue of popular music vocal arrangements for mixed voice. Esther's work as a musical director/vocal arranger has included the creation of vocal a capella group Restless Symphony, who reached the semi-finals of the BBC2 series The Naked Choir (2015), featuring Gareth Malone. Esther continues her work as a vocal arranger/choral workshop facilitator across Dorset and Hampshire.