Simon Bradley

Simon Bradley is a Lecturer at UHI North West and Hebrides (University of the Highlands and Islands), affiliated with Lews Castle College. He teaches across the HNC Music, BA Applied Music, and MA Music and the Environment programs, utilizing blended and networked learning with virtual classrooms and residential sessions. He is Module Leader for four BA and one MA modules and has contributed to program validation and revalidation.

• BSc in Geology, University of Edinburgh (1991)
• MSc in Transport Planning and Engineering, Edinburgh Napier University (2005)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Managing Rural Sustainable Development
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2017)

Simon's research and professional work bridges music, education, and cultural sustainability. His primary interests include traditional music composition, Scottish-Asturian cultural exchange, virtual communities of practice, and interdisciplinary arts. He integrates pedagogy with performance and community engagement, emphasizing cultural identity and rural sustainability.

His two major research outputs focus on real and virtual learning communities in the Outer Hebrides and the Albastur Cultural Exchange field trip. These reflect a consistent trend in blending artistic practice with academic inquiry, particularly in remote and rural educational contexts, and highlight his commitment to experiential and collaborative learning.

• Nominated for BBC MG Alba's Composer of the Year 2012

Simon leads the Albastur Cultural Exchange (ACE) as Artistic Director, mentoring students and collaborating with musicians from Scotland and Asturias. He curates the 'TuneBook' project with prominent traditional composers and performs widely. Though no formal grants are mentioned, his activities suggest sustained project-based funding for cultural outreach. He has co-authored research and actively disseminates work through festivals and conferences.

Simon is the Artistic Director of Albastur Cultural Exchange (ACE), an ongoing initiative since 2013 that fosters cultural dialogue between Scotland and Asturias. He also performs as part of the Simon Bradley Trio and collaborates in interdisciplinary projects such as 'Expressing the Earth'. His work is deeply embedded in community-based and practice-led research environments.