Our Team

Chase Watson is the Assistant Producer of Wired4Music. A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, music producer, educator, and event curator, she brings a unique blend of lived experience, creativity, and compassion to her role.

Her journey into working behind the scenes in the music industry began as a Young Producer at the Royal Albert Hall, where she discovered a passion for programming and live production. Since then, Chase has led the coordination of impactful events including full-scale showcases featuring DJs, dancers, steel pan orchestras, and live bands; blending community, culture, and creativity.

With Caribbean roots and often being the only woman in the room, Chase is passionate about creating inclusive, empowering spaces for young people to explore and express their musical voices. At Wired4Music, she delivers programmes such as the monthly WIRED UP showcase and Collaborate Sessions, supporting emerging artists with access to studios, songwriting development, and performance opportunities.

Chase’s self-directed journey into music fuels her commitment to championing underrepresented voices and opening doors for others to thrive. Outside of Wired4Music, she performs as Chase Ty, playing piano, guitar, and saxophone alongside artists and bands across London.

intern@sound-connectins.org.uk

Helen Evans is a Programme Coordinator at Sound Connections, and is responsible for coordinating projects for the consultancy programme. She works on a range of evaluation and research projects, with a particular focus on data collection, data analysis and research. She has recently worked on evaluation consultancy projects such as British Council World Voice, National Open Youth Orchestra programmes, Wigmore Hall Learning partner schools programme, and Live Music Now Inspire special schools programme.

helen@sound-connections.org.uk

Jasmine Padda oversees the smooth running of our Sector Support and Consultancy work, including the day-to-day running of our consultancy team, our Activate investment programme for Music Hubs; the Wired4Music Associate training programme— supporting young people into paid work within our consultancy service; and co-developing and delivering our youth voice and participation training alongside young people.

Jasmine works closely with the Co-Directors and Programme Manager on the development and delivery of our consultancy services across the UK and further afield, which support arts and culture organisations to develop their work in areas such as participation, impact, inclusion, evaluation and strategy.

Jasmine joined Sound Connections in 2021, and brings 5+ years of experience in marketing and communications to this role, both within Sound Connections and the wider Music Education sector.

Beyond her work with Sound Connections, Jasmine is a practicing artist, producer, musician, and model. Before joining the team, she was an active member of Wired4Music, our network for young creatives in London, and participated in the Generate investment programme for emerging artists, amongst other opportunities. Her lived experience within these programmes provides her with invaluable insight into their impact and the meaningful opportunities they offer young people. Driven by her dedication to expanding access to music and music education for all, Jasmine is deeply committed to our mission.

jasminep@sound-connections.org.uk

Kerk Henderson – freelance Communications Coordinator at Sound Connections – is responsible for managing communications across all Sound Connections platforms. Kerk assists in the production and implementation of campaigns for the Wired4Music, Training and Professional Development and Sector Support/Consultancy programme strands.  He also manages, maintains and creates content for Sound Connections and Wired4Music websites, newsletters and social media platforms.

Kerk brings almost a decade of experience to this role with his background in computer sciences, award-winning photography, and skills as a videographer. He has worked on projects within academia and the cultural sphere in both the UK and the Caribbean. 

As a songwriter/musician, Kerk has played sets in and around London as well as in his home country of Jamaica. As creative director of media and communications firm Commacross Ltd, Kerk has responsibility for strategic planning, digital-based content creation and branding support.  Recent projects include the completion of a digital policy framework that favours young people’s engagement and safety, and a London-based music video.

comms@sound-connections.org.uk

Liz Coomb is a senior leader, consultant and producer with nearly 20 years’ experience in music education, youth engagement and cultural sector development. Her work focuses on designing and delivering impactful, needs-based programmes that place children and young people at the centre of decision-making and change.

She has held a range of delivery and senior leadership roles across local and national organisations, including Project Manager at Newham Music Hub, Head of Programmes at Music for Youth, and Managing Director (maternity cover) at Drum Works. Alongside her leadership roles, she has worked as an independent consultant and producer, supporting arts, education and community organisations across the UK.

Liz joined Sound Connections in 2020, initially leading the charity’s youth voice and participation work through Wired4Music. She went on to lead its sector support and consultancy programmes before becoming Co-Director in 2024 and Director in 2025.

As Director of Sound Connections, Liz leads the organisation’s strategic development and day-to-day management, overseeing programmes that champion youth voice, inclusion, equity and social justice across music and the wider cultural sector. She works with young people, practitioners, organisations, funders and policymakers to strengthen participation, develop inclusive practice and create meaningful opportunities for young people to influence the cultural landscape.

Through consultancy and partnership work, Liz has supported organisations including Arts Council England, BBC Children in Need, English Heritage, National Youth Arts Wales and numerous Music Hubs and arts organisations across England and beyond. Her expertise spans youth voice and participation, inclusion, strategy, evaluation, organisational development and impact measurement.

liz@sound-connections.org.uk

Kay joined Sound Connections in August 2026 as Early Years Lead. Kay is a music educator, teacher and trainer with a passion for enhancing people’s lives through music. Over the past 20 years she has worked in collaboration with schools, music venues, theatres, charities and cultural organisations both in the UK and internationally, using music and arts as a vehicle for change.

Kay is based in Newcastle upon Tyne and is passionate about championing music education equality. She is currently Programme Leader for Early Years and Families at The Glasshouse (formerly Sage Gateshead). Here she runs music-making programmes for care experienced children and their grown-ups, families seeking sanctuary and a choir for new mums. She also has many years experience as a primary school teacher and head of music, a peripatetic tutor for music hubs, a fiddle tutor, and a community musician. One of her most notable achievements was working with displaced Burmese refugees in Mae La refugee camp, Thailand, through a folk music project that she brought over there. Kay is also a skilled trainer and mentor.

Mwathi is an entrepreneur and creative who’s passionate about the arts and community. 

He started in events management as a volunteer and then transitioned into being involved in curating and producing events as well as managing some of his own and helping to consult for others. He now freelances across many different roles in events and works with community programmes as well as with artists, producers, creatives and with his own ventures. 

Mwathi got involved with Sound Connections through Wired4Music’s Generate programme, which gave him funding as an artist. He has also been involved in many of the community events, including hosting at Wired Up and participating in the Sound Connections Inclusive Practice In Action (IPIA) gathering last year. 

mwathi@sound-connections.org.uk

Shakira Alleyne is a writer and musician from London. Guided by an experimental ethos, her focus as an artist is to reconnect people with raw emotions and encourage critical questioning. Shakira has been involved in various grassroots projects including her Roundhouse residency and Brownswood’s talent initiative Future Bubblers. She has also worked with an array of prestigious brands such as Fred Perry, Universal and Vacheron Constantin. Making music has been a powerful outlet for Shakira over the years and this fuels her passion for creating exciting and inclusive musical opportunities for all.

shakira@sound-connections.org.uk

Tee Peters is the Wired4Music Programme Producer developing webinars and producing our events and opportunities. With a background in video production and marketing, he also makes his own music.

Recent singles ‘Seasons’ & ‘Numeracy’ premiered on BBC Introducing as Track of The Week and has since been featured on Spotify’s ‘Conscious’, ‘Dazed’ and ‘Free Form’ official playlists. To follow this up, Tee performed for the Mayor of London and has teamed up with brands such as O2, DICE, War Child, Nandos and Rough Trade.

wired@sound-connections.org.uk

Yasmine is a spoken word poet and playwright born and based in South-West London, passionate about sharing stories centring joy, lyricism, and nostalgia from a Black and working-class lens. She has performed at the Roundhouse and the Royal Court Theatre and an extract of her audio play ‘I used to know H.I.M’ was featured on BBC Radio London to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop. Yasmine initially worked with Sound Connections as part of the Workforce Development Programme in 2022 and is also a Wired4Music member.

yasmine@sound-connections.org.uk