ABOUT | Dopey Monkey

Dopey Monkey is a collaboration between Scottish composers and musicians Martin Lee Thomson (Euphonium) and Danielle Price (Tuba). An art ensemble with ambitions to venture beyond the traditional boundaries associated with their instruments, Dopey Monkey’s journey since their formation in 2015 has seen the duo explore a range of mixed media creations, and present bespoke performances that highlight the inquisitive dynamic of the duo’s partnership.

Dopey Monkey’s releases and commissions thus far have taken the shape of genre-defying collages inspired by curiosity, playful collaboration, storytelling and art, bringing a DIY approach to their compositional process and to the visual complements that they craft, while seeking to construct an exciting, inspiring space for artistic and sonic exploration, and an inviting atmosphere for listeners and collaborators to accompany them on their journey.

Danielle Price- Tuba

Danielle Price (she/her) is a UK/Norway based performer, improviser and composer whose work explores a range of creative outlets, mainly using tuba and voice. She studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, graduating in 2013 with Distinction from the Master of Music course and winning the Governors' Recital Prize for Brass. In 2020 Danielle, returned to studies with duo Dopey Monkey to complete a Masters in Improvisation/Jazz at Oslo’s Norges musikkhøgskole. She is grateful to The Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Help Musicians UK, The Anglo Norse Society and Scottish International Education Trust for their support during her studies.

Danielle enjoys a versatile career involving her own projects as well as having worked alongside the likes of; The Night With…, Scottish Ballet, Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, New Antonine Brass, Ali Affleck, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, OJKOS, Tori Kudo, Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat, Oxbow, Ntshuks Bonga, Laura Jurd and Martin Green. Danielle was selected out of over 500 applicants as one of six successful musicians to participate in the Chilly Gonzales "Gonzervatory 2019”.

Danielle regularly collaborates with Bill Wells, as the Sensory Illusions (Karaoke Kalk) and the Viaduct Tuba Trio (Bison Records). Most recently, she has ventured further into composition, having written music for filmmaker Ida Myklebost and through the release of her debut solo EP “After the Allotments” (OTOROKU 2022).

Martin Lee Thomson- Euphonium

Martin Lee Thomson (he/him) is a euphonium player, trombonist, and composer from northeast Scotland. A BMus Jazz graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, he recently completed a Master's in Jazz/Improvisation at Norges musikkhøgskole (Norwegian Academy of Music). As a freelance musician, Martin has performed with a wide range of ensembles across the UK and Europe. His recording credits include Mercury Prize-nominated jazz artist Laura Jurd’s Stepping Back, Jumping In and Elliot Galvin’s Police, Police.

Martin’s compositions are deeply inspired by his Scottish heritage and the natural world. He was recently selected as a member of OJKOS, a contemporary jazz orchestra representing the next wave of creative voices from Oslo. His latest large ensemble work, Fraileach, premiered in March 2025.

Outside of music, Martin is passionate about film photography. Two of his visual works were recently exhibited at the Nairn Arts Festival’s open exhibition, Every Picture Tells a Story.

Martin is a founding member of several innovative ensembles, including Dopey Monkey (current Chamber Music Scotland Artists-in-Residence), the award-winning trombone quartet Aeris Brass, and Carnyx Brass. He also serves as the Artistic Director of the Dandelion Jazz Orchestra. His achievements have been recognised with numerous awards, including the Fordham University Founder's Scholars Award, the Scottish International Educational Trust Award, the Cross Trust Award, the Anglo-Norse Scholarship, and the Donald Dewar Award, which supports Scotland’s most promising young artists.

His collaborative composition Fresh Fish, written for Dopey Monkey, was a finalist for the 2021 ITEC Jim Self Creative Award and featured in the NMC Big Lockdown Music Survey 2022. Martin proudly endorses Denis Wick Productsand is a Brakul Products Ambassador.