The Joy Dispensary

Hi! I'm Liv from The Joy Dispensary! Since the age of three, I have explored and studied the joys of dance, singing, acting and music making, working as an all-round performer and musician throughout Australia and internationally. In my teenage and early adult years, I performed in musical theatre productions, dance troupes and a variety of bands, including Latino-jazz band, Mucho Mambo, where I performed alongside James Morrison and Monica Trapaga. After gaining a residency at Bar Broadway in Sydney as a singer/dancer in original cabaret-rock band, Crosson, our music videos, “Got a Crush” and “I’m the Doctor”, appeared on Rage, and our album, "Head for Earth" was released internationally in 2014.Performing regularly in Sydney venues, various events and weddings as the singer in jazz duo, Reflector, with guitarist, Marko West, we were recruited by Galilee Superstar in 2007 as the resident band at Novotel Hotel, Hyderabad, India. We also performed alongside world class percussionist, Sivamani, and some of India’s top jazz musicians in Mumbai. During our fifth contract in 2010, I discovered music's power in improving quality of life when invited to perform and facilitate a music jam at I Foundation Orphanage, Uppal. This experience inspired me to complete a dual degree in Music and Psychology at University of Queensland in 2013, where I now work as a lecturer, tutor and research assistant in the Psychology of Music field.Having also taught classes and workshops in dance, singing, music, movement meditation and body percussion, I joined forces with Zac Callaghan in 2017 to establish The Joy Dispensary. We offer interactive performances, sound meditations, and transformative multi-arts programs/workshops in a diverse range of sectors, community events, and festivals, specifically focused on enhancing health and wellbeing. In an exciting project, funded by Arts Queensland, we are currently designing and trialling our new Own Your Beat Multi-Arts Programs, and conducting research on the wellbeing outcomes for four target sectors: Diverse abilities, Aged Care, Youth At-Risk, and Mental Health. Additionally, we're further developing our facilitator training program to enable health practitioners and other industry professionals to implement creative approaches into their work.We are also the creators of Oom-Pah! The ultimate fast-paced card game for music nerds and legends... or those who wanna be! Utilising research in neuroscience, this game is designed to help people learn and practice music theory in a fun, interactive way, and our ultimate goal is for Oom-Pah! to be included in school curriculums around the world.Since 2016, I have worked regularly as a percussionist at events and festivals, African drumming facilitator through Talkin’ the Drum and InRhythm, and percussion/song-writing facilitator with Topology. I also deliver musicking and creative play sessions for private NDIS clients, and for various community groups, schools, and corporate teams. A therapist in a range of modalities, including massage, bodywork and sound healing, I have composed musical soundscapes to facilitate my sessions, and produced the soundtrack for Zac Callaghan’s award-winning one-person show, Queer as Flux.My next plan is to undertake a PhD in 2025, focusing on the impact of active community music-making on wellbeing and human flourishing, and the transferable benefits in other domains.