About Simon
Background, research & projects
Sound connects us
I’m a musician and sound therapist, with over twenty years’ experience working across education, community and organisational settings. I trained with the British Academy of Sound Therapy (BAST).
Through drumming and percussion, I design structured, experiential programmes that strengthen communication, resilience and collective engagement. My work ranges from long‑standing weekly classes and community initiatives to workshops and development sessions for teams and leaders.
This cross‑sector experience helps me adapt rhythm to different environments while keeping a clear purpose, inclusive facilitation and outcomes that can be meaningfully reflected on.
Alongside group and organisational work, I also offer 1:1 sound therapy sessions in London (and online), bringing the same care, attentiveness and musical craft into a more personal setting.
My Background
Professional Training
I am a qualified Group Sound Therapist, trained with the British Academy of Sound Therapy (BAST), grounding my work in established therapeutic frameworks and professional standards.
Organisational Work
I design and facilitate rhythm‑based workshops for organisations seeking to strengthen collaboration, creativity and resilience. Previous participants include Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trust, alongside a range of educational and community institutions.
Community Practice
For almost ten years, I have led weekly classes and workshops, supporting numerous participants — from beginners to experienced percussionists — to build connection, confidence and collective energy through drumming and percussion. My training has been shaped primerily through training with Henri Gaobi (Côte d’Ivoire).
Academic Leadership
I was Programme Convenor for the MA Photography and Urban Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London, mentoring postgraduate students and shaping the direction of the programme. I also hold a Master’s degree from Goldsmiths, where I focused on visual storytelling, urban sociology and cultural identity.
This academic background informs my facilitation style, bringing cultural awareness, reflective practice and embodied experience into every setting.
Research Interests
Research interest
Exploring music in brain injury rehabilitation
Simon Rowe, in collaboration with Headway, a brain injury association based in Shoreditch, East London, proposes an innovative practice-based research project to explore the therapeutic potential of music for brain injury rehabilitation.
I’m developing a practice-based research proposal exploring how structured, facilitated rhythm and music-making can support people living with acquired brain injury in community settings.
Headway East London previously supported this project in principle as a potential pilot (subject to funding and capacity). I’m currently seeking to revisit the proposal and explore next steps.
Why this matters
Brain injury can affect cognition, emotional wellbeing, confidence and social participation. While there is growing interest in music-informed approaches, there remains a need for accessible, community-based programmes that can be evaluated in real-world settings.
What the project would explore
If progressed, the work would explore feasibility and potential impact of a structured group programme using rhythm and percussion, with participant feedback and reflective evaluation.
Areas of interest include:
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everyday cognition (e.g., attention and memory)
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emotional wellbeing and resilience
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social connection and community participation
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confidence and quality of life
Intended outcomes
The aim is to generate learning that can inform programme design and contribute to wider discussion about music-based approaches in rehabilitation, alongside, not as a replacement for, clinical care.
Headway is dedicated to increasing awareness of brain injury and its consequences, reducing its incidence, and improving rehabilitation and community reintegration for survivors. Their work supports individuals, families, and carers across the UK.