Music Journal January/February 2021

January/February 2021 The Empowered Musician 2020 TEM2020 presenters: Perspectives on the pandemic Musicians in lockdown: Lawrence Power Livestreaming – is monetisation possible?

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Members’ Day: Save the date Join us on Saturday 24 April 2021 for our popular annual event, which brings ISM members from all over the UK together to enjoy stimulating musical sessions, catch up with friends and network with fellow music professionals.

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Please look out for further details about our Members’ Day in our member updates.

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Welcome Well, 2020 has certainly been memorable. Last year many people were keen to see the back of 2019 following the Brexit trials and tribulations and felt that 2020 could only be better. And yet very early in 2020 we knew that there was a real risk that our lives were going to change fundamentally. And for some in our communities the past year has been truly traumatic, with the loss of a loved one, or work disappearing with grave financial consequences.

Above: Deborah Annetts Photo: Mark Thompson

Front Cover Joe Broughton’s Conservatoire Folk Ensemble from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire part of Birmingham City University, perform at the Music For Youth Proms, Royal Albert Hall.

They also performed at TEM2020.

Photo: Alick Cotterill See feature ‘The Empowered Musician 2020 (TEM2020)’ on pages 8–11 Inset image: Lawrence Power (right)

The ISM was set up in 1882 to support musicians and promote music.

We have assisted musicians through two world wars, the Great Depression, numerous recessions and changing musical tastes. But 2020 was the first time that we saw musicians forbidden to work by government because of a pandemic.

As 2020 has worn on, every part of our sector has been affected – as our latest report, The heart of the school is missing, clearly demonstrates; you can read the report at ism.org/news/heart-school-missing-report.

The past few months have showed an ambivalence from the Westminster Government to the arts. It took a huge amount of lobbying for a support package for the arts to be delivered. But there was disappointment when only a very small amount reached performers. And while there have been some positive moments such as the introduction of the self-employed scheme and its extensions after formidable campaigning from the ISM, we know that its flaws have left many musicians exposed and excluded.

We also know that the furlough scheme has not been without its problems.

Then as we reached October of 2020, we started hearing words from Government ministers that music and the arts in general were not viable.

This was compounded by circulation of the advert featuring Fatima, a ballet dancer whose next career step apparently was a move into cyber security.

Never mind that the cultural sector contributes over £111bn to the economy every year, the same as construction or banking. Out of this came the ISM’s decision to put on the The Empowered Musician 2020. It was our first large virtual event in our history, with over 750 people attending. I would like to say a big thank you to all the panellists and speakers who made the conference such a success. You can read all about this incredible event on page eight and hear more from some of the speakers on page 12.

What really came across was a huge sense of community and compassion.

Everyone agreed on the importance of music and the deep need for musicians to be able to perform. It was a truly uplifting two days. So if you have not seen it go to ism.org/em2020, where you can watch the event.

And now all we have to do is get through Brexit… Do keep an eye on the website for all the latest updates from the ISM team.

In the meantime fingers crossed that 2021 is better than the year we are saying goodbye to – and Happy New Year from all at the ISM.

Contents 4 8 12 17 19 20 24 26 28 32 32 33 40

News & campaigns The Empowered Musician 2020 TEM2020 presenters: Perspectives on the pandemic Legal & business: Teaching adult learners Professional development Musicians in lockdown: Lawrence Power Livestreaming – is monetisation possible?

Financial support News from our members Local area events Classified advertising News from our corporate members Ask me a question

Volume 87 / Number 5 Published by: The Incorporated Society of Musicians 4–5 Inverness Mews, London W2 3JQ T: 020 7221 3499 E: membership@ism.org W: ism.org Incorporated Society of Musicians is a limited company registered in England No. 36882. Registered Office as address above.

Editor: Deborah Annetts Sub-editors: Vinota Karunasaagarar Clare Stevens Proofreader: Christine Gwyther-Scott All ISM publications are copyright

Design: cogdesign.com Typography: marcmarazzi.com Advertising: Ruth McPherson, Senior Partnerships & Marketing Manager T. 020 7313 9316 E. Ruth.McPherson@ism.org Editorial and advertising copy date: 1 February 2021 for March/April 2021 issue Price: £7 per copy Subscription: £35 per year Circulation: 10,000 named recipients Views expressed in MJ are not necessarily those of the ISM. The publication of any advertisement does not imply endorsement of the advertiser or the product advertised.

Printed by Optichrome, Woking GU21 5HX ISSN 0951 5135

Photo: Jack Liebeck See feature on pages 20-23

deborah@ism.org

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS & CAMPAIGNS

News & campaigns Read our feature ‘The Empowered Musician 2020’ on page 8 to learn about our online music conference

#MakeMusicWork Musicians have had little to celebrate in 2020, but the final months of the year saw a series of victories for the ISM. In November the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced an extension to both the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). For months the ISM campaigned for the government to extend these schemes and deliver on its pledge to ensure parity between employees and the self-employed, and we are delighted that politicians have listened to us.

We are extremely proud of our open letter to the Chancellor, which was supported by over 200 organisations and over 2,200 professional musicians.

We are grateful to everyone who has supported the #MakeMusicWork campaign, particularly our

campaign partners at the Musicians’ Movement and their volunteers. The ISM would also like to thank many others including the Musician’s Answering Service, Help Musicians, the London Symphony Orchestra and Chi-chi Nwanoku, OBE. However, our campaigning is far from over when an estimated three million workers remain excluded from government support. We continue to lobby the government to extend the eligibility criteria of the SEISS to prevent an exodus of highly skilled talent from our world-leading arts sector. Specifically, we are calling for the criteria to meet the particular needs of creative freelancers and those whose income is derived from a mixture of employed and selfemployed work. You can support our lobbying work by writing to your elected representative with our new template letter calling on government to include those who remain excluded from accessing support.

#MakeMusicWork 4

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS & CAMPAIGNS

Photo taken prior to the COVID-19 lockdown

The Music By Numbers 2020 report from UK Music revealed the enormous contribution that the music industry makes in every region of the UK and the scale of the crisis that we now face. In 2019, music contributed £5.8 billion to the UK economy, but this year those who create music will lose two-thirds of their income as a result of coronavirus. This report is a timely reminder of how fantastic our industry really is and why it is so important we can get musicians back to work and contributing once again to our communities and national life.

Read our response to the latest report: ism.org/news/music-by-numbers-2020 Looking ahead, it is clear that if the government wants music to contribute again to the UK’s wealth, global influence and wellbeing then it must also develop a clear roadmap now for the return of live performance.

This is essential so that the industry has enough time to prepare and implement the necessary measures to resume safely. Going forward, campaigning for the safe reopening of venues in a financially viable way will be one of the ISM’s top policy priorities across all regions of the UK. We have also witnessed important developments for the self-employed workforce. For example, a recent ruling by the High Court made it clear that workers should enjoy the same EU health and safety rights as employees, including the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE). All workers, including musicians, must be provided with the PPE necessary to stay safe from coronavirus. Even though the case focused on drivers, such as taxi-drivers and couriers, it still emphasised that the flexibility offered by the gig economy must not create a loophole for negligent businesses – whether they are responsible for bus drivers or for musicians.

Read our response to the recent High Court ruling: ism.org/news/judgement-workers-health-safety

Championing music education Ensuring that music education is not overlooked by government decision-making has been one of the ISM’s most important tasks during the pandemic.

That is why we published our report The heart of the school is missing, which looks at the devastating impact of COVID-19 on music education in schools across the UK. Most shocking is the discovery that almost 10% of primary and secondary schools are not teaching class music at all and that extra-curricular activities are no longer taking place in 72% of primary schools and 66% of secondary schools. The report also contains recommendations that will form the basis of our campaigning over the coming months. We are calling on the government to support safe music teaching and implement a fair, consistent approach to assessment this academic year. Read the full report at: ism.org/news/heart-school-missing-report Our advice team have worked hard to provide clear interpretations of complex regulations, reconciling contradictory and ambiguous advice from different departments, all of which has created confusion for teachers, parents and pupils, across the devolved nations.

Stay up to date with our latest guidance on our Coronavirus Advice Hub: ism.org/advice-centre/ coronavirus-listing In response, our external affairs team have campaigned for music lessons to continue in and out of school settings. During the national lockdown period in England we urged the Department for Education (DfE) to change its position and allow private music teaching to take place in tutors’ home and private studios. We also highlighted the challenges facing private music teachers in Scotland, which was then debated by members of the Scottish Parliament.

Sector collaboration continues to be at the forefront of our advocacy work, and we are proud to have formed successful partnerships with other organisations Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS & CAMPAIGNS

to maximise impact. For example, we worked with other members of the Council for Subject Associations (CfSA), asking the government to reconsider withdrawing teacher training bursaries for arts and humanities subjects. This intervention emphasised that the DfE’s decision sent a strong negative signal about the value of teaching in our society and that the financial consequences will deter well-qualified and ambitious applicants.

Campaigning for you The ISM campaigns tirelessly on behalf of its members, lobbying policymakers in public and behind the scenes across Westminster and the devolved nations. But what does that really mean and how does public affairs campaigning really work?

Below: The ‘Let Music Live’ campaign performance in Parliament Square, Westminster, October 2020 Photo: Boyan Ivanon

We encourage our members to take any opportunity to contact their representatives and persuade them that supporting the music sector is worth their time.

This can be proactive, through using our template letters, or reactive, such as by submitting evidence to the inquiry into music streaming. If a politician receives enough messages encouraging them to prioritise an issue, they will be more receptive when we explain the subject or ask them to raise a point during a debate. Sometimes we even help them write questions to gather more evidence from the government about the need for action.

For more information on how to get involved in our lobbying work visit our ‘Take Action’ page: ism.org/take-action This combination of different types of influencing techniques is crucial for the success of any campaign.

The government’s decision to raise the level of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) followed this combination of public and private pressure.

The first that an ISM member may hear about our lobbying efforts is when they read one of our news stories about (to take recent examples) peers calling on the government to provide more financial support Your voice in public, magnifies our voice in private. for freelance musicians, or Members of the Scottish Parliament debating the future of music. But in order to reach that point, it can require an enormous amount Brexit update of work to persuade a policymaker to take an interest in music. After all, they can choose to focus on any issue they want and many other sectors are also trying As of November 2020, the UK Government is negotiating with the European Union (EU) over a Free to get their attention.

Trade Agreement to take effect from 1 January 2021.

Keep an eye out for our news pages on social media Negotiations have intensified ahead of the impending and member updates for more information on the deadline. However, outstanding hurdles remain, such latest external affairs and lobbying activity: as the access EU ships will have to UK fishing waters ism.org/news/news-updates and the role of state aid.

Despite the current levels of uncertainty, there are aspects of Brexit that will be unaffected whether there is a deal or not because the UK will be leaving the customs union and single market. This includes the implementation of border checks between Great Britain and the EU and, because Northern Ireland will continue to enforce the EU’s custom code, between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Musicians travelling for work purposes to Europe and Northern Ireland will require additional documentation.

Musical instruments containing CITES-listed materials (for example, over 10 kg of Brazilian rosewood or ivory) will need to obtain a Musical Instrument Certificate (MIC) and travel through CITES-designated ports of entry and exit. MICs are valid for three years and the application is currently free of charge.

At the time of writing, the CITES-designated airports are: Belfast International, Birmingham International, Bristol International, Cardiff International, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow International, Glasgow Prestwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester, Southampton International. Ports are: Belfast Seaport, Dover, Eurotunnel, Felixstowe, Harwich International,

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS & CAMPAIGNS

Holyhead, Liverpool Seaforth Container Terminal, London Gateway (Port of London), Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth International Port, Southampton ABP, Tilbury (Port of London). It is important to note that not all of these ports are designated for passengers.

Musicians travelling with instruments and equipment for professional purposes will need to obtain an ATA Carnet to cover the temporary transport of these items.

Carnets can be obtained through the London Chamber of Commerce and are valid for 12 months. The cost is dependent upon the value of the goods being transported. More information on this can be found on our Brexit advice page.

Other important travel considerations include ensuring that passports have at least six months of validity, applying for an International Driving Permit if necessary, and arranging health insurance, as the EHIC will no longer be available to UK nationals who do not already live or study in the EU.

before 31 December 2020 are entitled to apply for free to the EU Settlement Scheme up until 30 June 2021.

This grants settled or pre-settled status and allows the same access to services and work that are currently available to EEA or Swiss nationals. More information on EEA or Swiss nationals obtaining work in the UK after the transition period can be found on our Brexit advice page at: ism.org/advice-centre/brexit The ISM has been lobbying Government for reciprocal visa-free arrangements for short-term work purposes which would enable musicians on both sides to continue earning their livelihoods through touring and engagements abroad without unwieldy bureaucracy and expense. We are also lobbying in respect of carnets, MICs and a range of other measures since post-Brexit there is a real risk that working in Europe and Northern Ireland will no longer be straightforward.

Our Brexit advice pages will be updated as more information becomes available.

From 1 January 2021, a new points-based immigration system will be implemented in the UK. The system will make no distinction between EEA (EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and nonEEA citizens. EEA or Swiss nationals who are in the UK

Do you receive our email updates?

We regularly email members with the latest news, advice and guidance that music professionals need to know. If you haven’t been receiving our updates, please let us know, as it may be that we have incorrect contact details for you, or that

you have unsubscribed from our mailing list in the past.

Make sure you are subscribed by contacting our membership team on 020 7221 3499 or membership@ism.org

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | THE EMPOWERED MUSICIAN 2020

The Empowered Musician 2020 The UK’s music sector came together on 2 and 3 December to share what they have experienced and learned from this exceptionally challenging year. Clare Stevens and Ruth McPherson highlight some of the themes that emerged from the ISM’s hopeful and future-focused online conference

Read our next feature to hear from some of the presenters

@ism_music

‘Probably the most enlightening, reassuring and engaging discussion about musician’s livelihoods I’ve heard this year.’

Robin Browning

Clockwise from the top left: Dr Anita Collins Photo: Megan Lewis David Lammy Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason Photo: Jake Turney Roderick Williams Photo: Benjamin Ealovega

Is the music industry a viable profession for the 21st century? The conclusion for anyone who watched or took part in the ISM’s free The Empowered Musician 2 (TEM2020) virtual conference at the beginning of December must surely be that it is. Keynote speeches, panel discussions, interviews and performances demonstrated that musicians are not only skilled in their own artistic disciplines but are adaptable, inventive, generous in their support for one another and determined to find a way of maintaining their careers despite the extraordinary challenges faced by everyone in the arts at the present time.

That said, comments from one contributor after another revealed the seriousness of their situations.

Future engagements continue to be struck from their diaries and the rules about how many people can or cannot meet under one roof keep changing. In one sense every performer is in the same boat at the moment: whether they are superstar soloists used to receiving four-figure fees for one engagement or members of a band playing for next to nothing in pubs and clubs, their expected income plummeted in 2020 and prospects for 2021 range from uncertain to very bleak indeed.

‘You could say that COVID-19 has really been a moment when the masks came off and we learnt just how much the government cares for and supports the sector,’ said Annetts in her opening address to the conference, explaining that this realisation had prompted her to put on an event where musicians could come together to share experiences and learning from the past nine months.

Setting the current situation in the context of the ISM’s long history highlighted just how devastating it is. Since 1882 the Society has supported musicians through two world wars, the Depression, numerous governments and changing musical tastes, but it has never before seen the enforced closure of venues, with musicians being prevented from performing not just in concert halls and local music venues but also in churches and at weddings.

As contributors appeared on screen from their homes across the UK it was obvious that for many, TEM2020 provided a rare and hugely valuable opportunity to talk about what they have been going through and bond with colleagues who are in similar situations.

Even those musicians who have been lucky enough to be engaged for some of the socially-distanced The ISM’s CEO, Deborah Annetts, was inspired performances that have been streamed from selected to run TEM2020 by the apparent reluctance of the concert halls since the summer are desperately missing Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and Culture Secretary, the interaction with audiences and the socialising that Oliver Dowden, to acknowledge the value and takes place afterwards. Singer Nicky Spence vividly sustainability of careers described the fundamental trajectory from preparation in the arts when planning financial support for workers by oneself over many weeks as repertoire is thoroughly in response to COVID-19. The debate last autumn learned, through rehearsal and performance to the about whether or not they were implying that it was post-concert release, usually experienced through a somehow not worth contemplating a long-term shared meal or drink with colleagues. With pubs and future as a musician or an actor was fuelled by the restaurants closed, he and his pianist found themselves circulation of the (historic) government advertisement resorting to takeaway coffees after a Wigmore Hall suggesting that dancer Fatima might retrain for a recital, ‘hanging around a street corner like a couple of career in cyber; was this what the Chancellor and his very well-dressed vagrants’. colleagues thought all artists should do?

Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | THE EMPOWERED MUSICIAN 2020

Read our feature ‘Streaming live performances’ (page 24 ) to learn about Julia Haferkorn’s research project

@ism_music

‘Really insightful, compassionate and on-point conference.’

Sorana ‘Some really great discussions and some visionary ideas. Well done to all concerned.’

Graham Casey

Right: Sessions were punctuated by performances, including by baritone Jeremy Huw Williams

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The honesty with which people outlined their circumstances was remarkable and immensely helpful. Cellist Gabriella Swallow described how she was bounced into creating an income stream to replace her many cancelled engagements by a friend’s offer very early on in the first lockdown to pay for a ‘musical postcard’ – a performance that could be sent instead of flowers to celebrate a relative’s birthday.

Word spread and Swallow found herself sending more and more musical postcards, but she had forgotten to set prices that reflected the amount of work she put into making transcriptions and learning the requested pieces. Now she knows that the way to make this sort of initiative work – and it can work – is to offer a choice of pieces in different styles from a set repertoire.

Time and time again contributors described how they had wrestled with unfamiliar technology, from the set-up required to film stream their own performances to the sophisticated editing software required to produce a complete piece of music from multiple individual tracks recorded separately. Some had found the process exhausting and ultimately unrewarding, others had found it energising and inspiring, offering enriching possibilities for the postCOVID future. An attendee of the conference, Natasha Loges, tweeted ‘So honest about what musicians have endured in recent months, but also encouraging.’

chaired by the ISM’s Head of Business Development, Sarah Osborn. The panel shared lots of top tips, including ‘always get something in writing’, ‘invest in time rather than equipment’ and ‘tweet others the way you’d like to be tweeted’. Numerous viewers commented that they found this panel really valuable, with one saying, ‘Thank you to all of you, this session has been so useful for updating my knowledge of how the music profession “works” in the 21st century.’

The difficulties of juggling any kind of work with childcare and, even more challenging, home schooling, were recurring themes. But singersongwriter Lisa Jên Brown, speaking from rural North Wales, commented that she would not have been able to film some of her lockdown livestreams without the help of her children, who operated the cameras.

Others spoke of the pleasure of stepping off the relentless treadmill of rehearsing, performing and travelling and being able to spend meaningful time with their families – a rare upside of the pandemic.

A controversial issue this year has been the fact that most of the government’s much-trumpeted financial support package for the arts was allocated to venues, enabling some of them to furlough staff and offer performances with reduced or no audiences, rather than to individuals, leaving freelance musicians out in the cold. ‘The view from the venues’ presented For those who are keen to develop their technical the other side of the coin, with contributions from skills and explore possibilities, TEM2020 offered owners and promoters including Paul Mandry of the plenty of inspiration and expert advice. Yet even the Grand Elektra in Hastings, who said ‘It’s exhausting, session devoted to this subject, with contributors we have been very much villainised in this situation, ranging from harpist Pippa Reid-Foster who has been unfairly’. Kit Fraser, from Hootananny in Inverness, able to use IT very effectively to continue teaching was outspoken in his frustration; he has been unable online, to beatboxer Shlomo for whom electronics to present any live music in his award-winning pub are fundamental to his performances, concluded that and even background music is prohibited, so the technology can never be a complete substitute for atmosphere that normally attracts customers is face-to-face contact. completely lacking. However, he ended on a note of hope, giving thanks for the vaccine and looking ‘The musician’s toolkit’, a practical session aiming to equip freelancers with the skills and tools needed to forward to a brighter long-term future: ‘I think there is a lot of pent-up appetite for live music.’ navigate the ever-changing industry landscape, was

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | THE EMPOWERED MUSICIAN 2020

Another controversial topic is the tendency of different promoters to book the same high-profile artists for livestreams and broadcasts, so that the small amount of paid work available this year seems to have gone to a limited number of singers and instrumentalists. Challenged on this point in conversation with Ashutosh Khandekar, editor of Opera Now magazine, baritone Roderick Williams acknowledged the problem but said that steps are being taken to address it. He cited in particular the Momentum mentoring programme launched in August by soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan.

Young professional soloists are invited to share the stage on leading soloists’ engagements, while young professional conductors assist leading conductors and are given invaluable opportunities to lead an orchestra during the rehearsal period. In each case the young artist receives a fee. An attendee of the conference, Karen Hubbard, tweeted ‘Incredibly stress-relieving to hear the experiences of others and feel we have a voice.’

There are few more eloquent ambassadors for the empowering effect of a musical training than David Lammy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, and Culture Minister in the last Labour government, who in conversation with Deborah Annetts stated that he attributes his legal and political careers entirely to the benefits of his Peterborough Cathedral chorister scholarship funded by Hackney Council. It gave him both the confidence to speak in public and the discipline required to work hard and to deal with the daily chore of ministerial red boxes. He said the government’s use of the word ‘viability’ in relation to jobs in the creative industries was ‘incredibly poor, it should have been redacted straight away,’ and spoke passionately about the damaging effect of the EBacc on arts education.

An inspiring keynote speech from Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, mother of cellist Sheku, pianist Isata and the five younger siblings who are following them onto the musical stage, and a panel discussion on inequality and diversity ensured that the Black Lives Matter campaign that was one of the defining movements of 2020 was not forgotten. It was fascinating to hear black musicians from different genres and generations such as Keith Harris OBE and Mahaliah Edwards describing how they have overcome the barriers they faced and how even now the most important thing is providing role models so that children and young people from BAME communities can ‘see it to be it’.

‘Who cares for artists in a time of crisis like COVID-19?’ asked Dr Aoife Monks in the final discussion, ‘Staying resilient’. Panellists shared their experiences and offered practical guidance on looking after one’s physical, mental and financial health at a time of turmoil, change and hardship. One attendee commented on the event as a whole, it was ‘incredibly stress-relieving to hear the experiences of others and feel we have a voice’.

ISM President Chris Collins closed TEM2020 with some poignant words: ‘We’ve learned so much since March, and we continue to learn. It’s been a difficult time, but out of adversity comes strength, unity and innovation. Once the venues re-open we will be even better musicians than we were before; I hope this conference has helped you to recognise that.’

Above: Joe Broughton’s Conservatoire Folk Ensemble were among the performers who appeared between the conference sessions (photo taken prior to COVID-19 lockdown) Photo: Alick Cotterill

@ism_music

‘It’s just lovely hearing humans speaking about music from all sorts of perspectives.’

Skinny Lane Sounds ‘Made me feel enveloped in love, creativity and support’ Caroline Slade ‘Intelligent and insightful.

Thank you ISM for this gift.’

Jessica Burroughs

If you’d like to share feedback from the day, please use the hashtag #EmpoweredMusician on social media, or email us at membership@ism.org If you weren’t able to watch TEM2020 live, all the sessions are now available on the ISM website, so you can catch up free of charge at your leisure ism.org/em2020

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | TEM2020 PRESENTERS

Perspectives on the pandemic Some of the musicians who took part in The Empowered Musician 2020 (TEM2020) sessions spoke to Clare Stevens about their experience of 2020 and how it has shaped their future plans

Above: Clare Stevens Photo: Bruce Childs

Read our previous feature to learn more about The Empowered Musician 2020

Left: Gabriella Swallow Photo: Philip Gatward

A sense of loss equivalent to bereavement seems to have been common to most musicians at the start of the first COVID-19 lockdown in the spring of 2020 – followed by disbelief as the likely impact of the pandemic and the possible duration of the restrictions sank in. Reflecting on a year like no other, many describe a trajectory of initial numbness, combined with an odd sense of relief at being able to step off the treadmill of constant work, travel, and separation from their families for a while, followed by frustration, anxiety and fear for the future of the entire industry… and then a determination to create performance opportunities for themselves, to connect with audiences and with their colleagues, build new online musical communities and plan for the future.

Gabriella Swallow Cellist Gabriella Swallow is one of the most versatile instrumentalists around – she is classically trained with a passion for contemporary music, but she regularly crosses over into the worlds of jazz and pop, playing on both recordings and commercial tours with high-profile commercial artists such as Charlotte Church, Hugh Jackman and Rob Brydon. In normal times she might be appearing at the Wigmore Hall one week, at a jazz festival in California the next and in a workshop with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group the next. She is very involved with the classical club night scene and as well as curating and performing for other people she has run her own ‘Gabriella Swallow and her Urban Family’ sessions at The Forge, Camden in North London, for the past six years.

‘As freelancers we are very, very used to hustling for work, doing different things and working for different organisations, having crazy summers, busy autumns and very quiet Januaries so we are better

built for this situation than those who depend, say, on regular depping work for just one or two orchestras,’ she says. ‘For example three years ago I had a six month tour with a pop singer cancelled completely because one of the producers had to drop out for personal reasons, and the singer didn’t want to go ahead without them. In the pop world I’m used to having to find new sources of income at short notice when the promise of a really exciting project turns out to have been a mirage.

‘At the start of the pandemic I did that thing of looking at my diary to see where I should have been in the world, but actually as time went on I realised it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing to be at home for a prolonged period rather than always at Heathrow Terminal 5. It has been nice to be able to spend more time with my kids, and I’ve been able to reflect on relationships and friendships in a way that I wouldn’t be able to normally.

‘I’m doing more teaching now, including a new job since September at a couple of independent schools just outside, which has been interesting as in the past I have only ever taught specialist musicians – it’s fascinating now to be teaching young people who want to be scientists or doctors, and instilling in them the importance of music – after all they are potential sponsors of the future! I’ve also been mentoring cellists around the world online.’

Swallow has had one or two actual performances, including the VE Day commemoration with Katherine Jenkins at the Royal Albert Hall: ‘That was surreal, performing in that huge space with no audience, but it was a chance to put on a nice dress and makeup and kept me going.’ But occasional bookings are not enough to pay the bills, so she has created an online subscription service which enables people to request performances of particular repertoire (‘Musical Postcards’) or to access practice tips and Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | TEM2020 PRESENTERS

By May Shlomo was ready to start working online, initially with weekly mass beatboxing sessions for ‘kids aged 4-14 and their grownups’. He was joined by guests such as K T Tunstall, fellow beat-boxer Bastille and Bill Bailey; over six weeks his ‘Homeskool Beatbox Adventures’ was viewed by over 200,000 people and raised substantial sums for the NHS and #BlackLivesMatter.

Shlomo was also awarded a BBC Culture in Quarantine grant to develop new work, but because he was busy with Homeskool Beatbox he was not able to embark on that immediately. In some respects the delay was a good thing, however, because by the time he was ready to start work some of the restrictions had eased and his new project could be filmed in a rented cottage.

Reconnect is a reinvention of a solo theatre show he was to have taken to the Edinburgh fringe, inspired by his experience of being unable to go out to celebrate his birthday while he was struggling with his mental health, and how wonderful it was to have his friends and family join him for ‘a massive rave’ in his house. The seated audience would have realised at the end that they were actually part of the show.

‘So we moved to a TV adaptation – the story arc is the same, about an isolated guy, but his mental health problems are now exacerbated by COVID-19. Then we introduce a digital rave at the end, so that people can be connected.’

Above: S K Shlomo Photo: Richard Gardner

advice. Her most important tip for anyone aiming to do something similar? Don’t undervalue the time you spend preparing performances; Swallow says she made the mistake at first of inviting people to choose anything they wanted, and then spent days learning or arranging unfamiliar repertoire. gabriellaswallow.com

If you’re struggling with your mental health please visit ism.org for more information about our 24-hour personal support and advice helpline, and counseling service

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SK Shlomo Beat-boxer, producer and live-looper Simon Shlomo Khan (aka SK Shlomo) spoke at TEM2020 about his struggles with mental health and how he had to take time out from his career to recover from a long period of depression. He had many weeks when he couldn’t leave the house. Asked if he is finding it difficult to handle being forced back into a lockdown situation, he says in some ways it is easier this time round: ‘Back then the rest of the world was carrying on and it was just me suffering, but now everyone is affected.

For New Year’s Eve Shlomo took this further, using fitness app Sweat Coin, which measures steps.

‘You tap a link, put the app in your pocket and start dancing and if you do more steps than anyone else you are at the top of the leaderboard. We piloted the idea on my birthday – me and my friends did the DJ-ing and 250 families joined us from their homes, dressed up to go “out” out. We realised they had done more than 17,700 steps, that’s like climbing Mount Everest, so we decided to take on a bigger challenge for New Year and see if we could get enough steps to take us to the Moon.

‘The maddest ideas have become possible as a result of this situation, everyone is stuck at home on the hamster wheel and people will give anything a go just to be doing something. The idea of a digital rave has exploded – the demand is quite terrifying.

‘As for the future and predictions for how 2021 will look and beyond, it’s a constant delaying process. I do still have some dates in the diary for the summer but it’s not going to be normal – the idea of a festival with thousands of people in a field who can’t wash for five I normally do a lot of travelling – I’m a 14,000-milesdays seems ludicrous.’ a-year kind of guy, I do a lot of international touring. So So digital looks set to be the medium of choice for it is very different. Once I understood that this would the foreseeable future – but Shlomo and his colleagues be going on for a long time I found I could accept it – are clearly making the most of it. it was grounding to be grounded. I know where I’m going to be for the foreseeable future and that creates skshlomo.com a sense of wellbeing.’

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | TEM2020 PRESENTERS

Rakhi Singh Manchester Collective was formed in 2016 to bring cutting-edge contemporary music, classical masterpieces, and staged theatrical work to a new audience in concert halls, warehouses and factory spaces across Europe as well as in the UK. It might seem as though such a relatively young organization would be very vulnerable to the sudden cancellation of all its live events, but violinist Rakhi Singh, its cofounder with DJ, producer and sound designer Adam Szabo, says they have actually coped quite well.

‘We feel incredibly lucky, because we had grown enough to have the manpower and energy to steer our way through the past few months, with the help of the Culture Recovery Fund and Arts Council England. We had taken on a Director of Marketing and Communications at the end of 2019 and just as the pandemic kicked in we took on a Director of Development; having those two people in post has been incredibly helpful. It’s been a challenge, and we have had to work as a team even more than usual, but it has helped us to focus our activity.

was released by the Icelandic label Bedroom Community; and they have also expanded their education work, working remotely with conservatoire students to deliver holistic, skills-based training for a changing musical world.

When we spoke, the Collective were creating their most ambitious project yet: Dark Days, Luminous Nights, an immersive new live experience, partexhibition, part-installation which they describe as a tapestry of music, film, dance and photography, inspired by a journey along a ruined waterway.

Read our feature ‘Lawrence Power’ on page 20 to learn about how he continued working in lockdown

At its heart is a newly created 30-minute film featuring subversive artist Blackhaine, alongside a display of photographs by Simon Buckley and a dramatic score by Edmund Finnis, Béla Bartók, and Wojciech Kilar. All the artistic content has been captured and recorded in Manchester and Salford, during the pandemic; the work looks deep into the soul of a city and asks: what have we lost?

The plan is for the installation to run from 26-31 January at The White Hotel in Salford; it has been designed to accommodate Tier 2 COVID-19 restrictions, but if Manchester finds itself in Tier 3 that week it will ‘Fortunately Adam had insisted that we should film be rescheduled. everything we did right from the start, so we have a ‘In a time when we can’t physically be together, good archive that we were able to package for online we wanted to shape an experience that contains viewing while we worked out how to create some new humanity and creates space for reflection,’ says Singh. work. It’s not the same as the immersive experience Dark Days, Luminous Nights is the story of what we’ve of our events that people like, but it gives a flavour of all been going through, not as individuals but as a what we do.’ collective experience.’

The Collective’s ten Isolation Broadcasts were manchestercollective.co.uk watched by tens of thousands of people around the world; in September 2020 their debut EP Recreation

Below: Rakhi Singh Photo: Robin Clewley

Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | TEM2020 PRESENTERS

Right: Carol Main

because there was an outbreak of the virus.

Photo: Rachel Keenan

‘In most places the staff are aware that music lifts the spirits, but it’s been a very steep learning curve. In some care settings there might be just one member of staff with a smartphone that can receive streams or recordings, and if they are unexpectedly not available, a planned concert may have to be cancelled. The digital divide is real!

‘And in any case, the essence of what we do is making music WITH the service users – singing together, breathing together, playing or listening to instruments in the same room is all part of the experience.’

Carol Main An organisation whose raison d’être is giving young professional musicians an opportunity to perform in community settings including hospitals, care homes and special schools was never going to find it easy to adapt to a global pandemic; and Carol Main, director of Live Music Now Scotland (LMNS), admits that the past nine months have been exceptionally challenging. The Scottish rules about musical performances have been very strict, and the country’s complex series of tiers has meant that in some areas no activity at all could take place while in others musicians have been able to go to places of work in order to record performances for streaming.

The pandemic has also had a big impact on the charity’s income, which comes from a range of sources including public funding from Creative Scotland; trusts and foundations; individual giving; and earned income from appearances by LMNS musicians at festivals and events such as the Loch Shiel Festival, St Magnus Festival and Cumnock Tryst – all of which, of course, were cancelled this year.

Nevertheless Main says LMNS has been determined to keep providing work for its roster of musicians. ‘We have provided some pre-recorded concerts on YouTube, which is a platform people recognise, and that has worked well, and we have been able to continue with some performances linked to paintings at the National Gallery of Scotland.’

As this feature was being finalised, LMNS joined in the Scottish Government’s #ScotlandIsNow Winter Festival, a virtual celebration on 30 November marking ‘We have been able to offer outdoor performances Scotland’s national day, St Andrew’s Day, and similar in the gardens of a few care homes, and we have done online celebrations were in preparation for New Year’s some Zoom livestreams in care homes and day centres Day. Despite the difficulties encountered in 2020 as that we would normally visit in person. Many of them a result of the pandemic, the organisation believes have been very well received, but they depend upon it is more important than ever that the joy and having good enough technology in the venues and transformative effects of music can continue to reach staff who understand how to work it and can spare its audiences far and wide, including those living in the time to facilitate the sessions. Their priority is isolation, hospitals and care homes. the physical care and wellbeing of their residents or clients, and making sure they are fed and don’t livemusicnow.org/scotland catch COVID-19. One centre had to stop Zoom concerts

Recommend a friend and save up to £20 Know a friend or colleague who would benefit from ISM membership? We’ll give you money off your next year’s membership fee every time someone you recommend joins us at the full or early career rate – £20 off if you are a full rate member, or £10 off if you are an early career rate member. If they join at the full rate, we’ll give them £10 off their membership fee too.

Send the name and email address of the friend(s) you are recommending to membership@ism.org Ask your friend to quote the code FULLREC if they are joining us at the full rate or EARLYREC if they are joining at the early career rate.

Please note: the number of rewards you can redeem is limited to the value of your subscription upon renewal Find out more at ism.org/recommend

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | LEGAL & BUSINESS

Teaching adult learners A new set of guides in our ‘How to….’ series was released at the end of last year; they are available at ism.org/advice-centre. Here we offer a taster of one that may be particularly useful at the moment: How to… Teach Adult Learners, by Lucinda Mackworth-Young

As we continue to deal with COVID-19 and regional lockdowns, we wanted to offer some guidance on how you might expand your clientele to include adult learners, particularly as adults may be looking to take up a hobby in order to occupy some of the time we’re being asked to spend at home. How to… Teach Adult Learners, by Lucinda Mackworth-Young, provides advice to get you started, looking at topics such as ‘Beginning to teach adults’, ‘Maintaining motivation’, ‘Knowing how to teach’ and ‘The business side’.

This feature, taken straight from the guide, introduces some of the reasons that adults take up music lessons and the issues you need to consider before you begin teaching.

The majority of instrumental and vocal teachers begin their careers teaching children, usually in schools.

Hence when adult learners first make enquiries, and often these are the parents of our first pupils, we can find ourselves feeling ill-equipped. The main difference between teaching adults and children is that adults tend to come with clear personal motivation: an idea in their minds, or feeling in their hearts, of what they want to achieve. And, of course, they are paying, and they’re free to walk away whenever they wish.

brain and fingers, often because their partner plays or sings, and is encouraging them • to have help composing their own songs, and to be able to accompany themselves singing (a favourite for singers learning the piano) We need to feel equipped to offer our learners what they want and if we feel unsure or unable to deliver the kind of tuition they are hoping for, we should say so and either offer a trial period or recommend a colleague or internet search, in their chosen direction.

The adult learner has started lessons with you, you have noted down their aims and are happily working with them. But, however motivated they are, learning is about developing understanding and achieving skills that they don’t yet have; about pushing themselves beyond their current boundaries. It can be a great deal more challenging, and can take much more time, than expected.

Adults who have never played or sung before, and re-starters who have had a long gap in their learning, will need to strengthen and develop their musical sense, deepen their musical understanding and connect all of this to their fingers, vocal cords and body, involving the use of many muscles – often for Begin by finding out about your potential student’s the first time. New neural pathways will need to be personal motivation. It’s vital that we take time at formed in the brain, and the effort needed can feel to the outset – through email, a telephone conversation the learner rather like having to push through dense, or initial consultation lesson – to key in to their inner dark undergrowth in a forest, repeatedly, in order to vision and find out what they are hoping for from us. create a footpath which will eventually become a main Here are some examples of why adults come for lessons: road. Finding themselves struggling and ‘unable to • to pick up from where they left off at school, do it’ can be especially hard for adults who are used often many years later to feeling competent in their daily lives. And these • to begin from scratch, because they always wanted feelings are made worse because their learning has to take place in front of the teacher, the authority figure. to learn, but never had the chance • to learn outside the conventional box; for example, Although we teachers are as encouraging and supportive as we can be, there is a psychological level to play spontaneously without notation at which learners unconsciously transfer onto teachers • to play pop, rock and jazz rather than the classical the role of parent – the ultimate authority, judge and repertoire they learned when they were younger executioner – and place themselves in the role of child • to take up a new recreation that’s good for their Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | LEGAL & BUSINESS

– desperately seeking approval and fearing disapproval as a matter of life and death. In this case, musical life or death. But, being adults in our society where it’s not okay to be vulnerable, they won’t show it!

In order to help our learners maintain motivation through challenge and difficulty, we need to offer unfailing support and empathy, foster an equal relationship based on mutual repect and provide extrinsic motivation.To explore these topics in more detail and to continue on to look at the business side, such as attracting adult learners, logistics and fees read the full guide at ism.org/advice-centre

Lucinda Mackworth-Young is a former teacher of both children and adults; author; and an internationally renowned lecturer and workshop leader. She directed the Piano Teacher’s Course UK from 2007-2020 and is now their International Director.

Taking her place as Director of the PTC is pianist and pedagogue Masayuki Tayama.

The Piano Teacher’s Course offers the following courses and, new for 2020-21, all courses are available with online participation: Above: Lucinda Mackworth-Young author of How to… Teach Adult Learners

PTC Teaching ABRSM Diploma Course: The Teaching DipABRSM Course is the ideal choice for piano teachers with some experience looking to improve their teaching skills and confidence. Join a supportive tuition group and musical network of likeminded teachers, work with your tutor to develop a structured framework for your exam preparation, and receive tailored coaching to guide you through the requirements of the qualification.

PTC Teaching LRSM Course: Do you already have your Teaching DipABRSM and are you looking to further Cert PTC: Whether you are just beginning a career, your teaching skills and qualifications? The Teaching changing from another profession, or have years of experience teaching piano, the Cert PTC will equip you LRSM Course calls for the practical application of your with a whole world of new tools to refresh and develop knowledge and understanding of teaching pupils at a high level, up to and including ABRSM Grade 8. The your teaching practice. Share in the pioneering work course also provides the perfect opportunity for you of the principal tutors and see your teaching and performing skills grow alongside your pupils’ increased to explore and develop new and different teaching methods to enhance your own teaching and even enjoyment, while making lifelong friends. inspire and raise standards in the profession as a whole.

Join the ISM Members’ Community on Facebook Stay connected to your fellow ISM members by joining over discuss hot topics, the group offers you a chance to network 1,500 other music professionals in our exclusive Facebook and feel supported by your peers. group. A space to share stories and ideas, ask questions and Access the group at facebook.com/groups/myismis

Indian Takeaway: Rāg and Tāl basics Take away a lesson in Indian classical music.

Our innovative, free online resource brought to you by the ISM Trust and Indian music expert Yogesh Dattani enables you to take away our lesson plans and successfully play or teach a piece of Indian classical music on any instrument.

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This lesson explores the basics of the melodic (rāg) and rhythmic (tāl) al) structures of North Indian classical music: sargam, as you gradually learn to play a short composition, Sargam Gīt. ism.org/indian-takeaway

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional development The ISM provides you with opportunities to build up your skills in the digital arena with our advice pages and webinars. We also have a collection of professional development videos and resources available to members and the wider music sector through our sister charity, The ISM Trust.

How to… guide series Our How to… guide series was launched after our first Empowered Musician conference and in the last edition of Music Journal, we introduced two new guides in the series, which examine making a recording and teaching adult learners. At this time, when many musicians are sadly unable to work, this is an excellent opportunity to explore new areas and build on your professional development.

Catch up – past ISM webinars With Music in Mind by The Amber Trust With Music in Mind is The Amber Trust’s pioneering new music service for families who have a visually impaired child with neuro-degenerative disease, such as Batten disease. This webinar is for parents, carers and music professionals caring for, supporting or working with a young person with neurodegenerative disease. Amber founder and trustee Professor Adam Ockelford introduces the new music service and resources developed after three years of research in collaboration with the University of Roehampton. ism.org/professional-development/webinars/ amber-trust

The guides provide crucial information and top tips on how to get started and make an impact in several key areas for the contemporary professional musician.

Other topics in the series include: • connecting with digital audiences • making a DIY marketing plan • working with artist managers • playing at festivals • negotiating contracts.

You can read extracts from the resources free of charge on the ISM website, or become an ISM member to download the guides in full. ism.org/howto

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | MUSICIANS IN LOCKDOWN

Lawrence Power The winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Instrumentalist Award 2020 (which is supported by the ISM) tells Clare Stevens how he spent the year of the pandemic

Interviewed by the Guardian in 2016, violist Lawrence Power was asked if he had ever considered an alternative career to music. He responded that in a parallel fantasy life he would probably be an architect or a writer: ‘both seem incredibly rewarding professions’.

Above: Clare Stevens Photo: Bruce Childs

Read our feature ’Perspectives on the pandemic’ on page 12 where some of our presenters from The Empowered Musician 2020 discuss lockdown

The first piece, simply entitled Power, was written by his close friend and frequent collaborator Huw Watkins. It was dramatically filmed on a sunny spring day on the roof of St John’s Smith Square, Central London, and its fleeting, contrasting movements Fast forward to autumn 2020, and many musicians express both the anguish of our current situation and the beauty of performances we have lost. The second, are seriously considering alternative careers, as Quartet for One by Garth Knox, was filmed at the performing engagements vanish from their diaries.

Royal Festival Hall during the spring lockdown, when Lawrence Power, however, is not one of them – the building was completely closed to the public and although he is adding another string to his bow, of which more later. Love of music is still the driving force most performers. Power is seen arriving at the hall in his life; and while his public concert schedule is now and walking through the backstage corridors to the main auditorium, where the stage is set for the usual severely reduced as a result of the pandemic, he is determined to find new ways of sharing performances four members of a string quartet. But there is only one performer … with audiences.

Power realised that the way to do this was through film; he was not alone, of course, but he was quicker off the mark than some of his colleagues and unusually creative in his approach. It would not be enough, he felt, just to capture a performance exactly as it would have been with an audience; programmes would have to be devised specially for a new context of online viewing. It was a logical next step to combine this idea with his passion for contemporary music and commission some new works for himself to play.

Power was given access to the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh to perform Objets Trouvés for solo viola and drone, by Esa-Pekka Salonen, principal conductor of the Philharmonia; and to the concert hall at Snape Maltings for his solitary premiere of Cassandra Miller’s Daylonging, Slacktide, a transformation of a piece originally written for the soprano Juliet Fraser as part of an audio-video installation. Miller’s piece requires Power to sing as he plays, and the film begins on the shore at Aldeburgh where the sound of the tide washing in and out over the pebbles becomes part of the piece.

Two major strands of work occupied Power’s time throughout much of 2020: his ‘Lockdown Commissions’ Matchless Space by Martyn Brabbins, music of short solo works for viola, imaginatively filmed in director of English National Opera (ENO), was filmed closed concert venues; and a reinvention of his West in the empty London Coliseum, ENO’s home. Brabbins Wycombe Chamber Music Festival, which should have took his inspiration from both the violist’s ‘matchless’ taken place in the Buckinghamshire village in October. playing and the ‘theatrical jewel’ that is the Coliseum: For the Lockdown Commissions, he set out to ‘The music was conceived in such a way that create a really varied collection of ten pieces by Lawrence’s glorious sound and creative musicianship composers he knows well – not all of them British would fill the quiet, empty space of the theatre, bring – beautifully presented on film, and exploring the the air to life, as it resounded once again to the sound relationship between the silence of these iconic of music.’ concert venues and the music.

Left: Lawrence Power Photo: Jack Liebeck

Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | MUSICIANS IN LOCKDOWN

Right: Lawrence Power prepares a filmed performance at The Red House, Aldeburgh Photo: Jessie Rodger

Read our next feature ‘Streaming live performances’ to learn about Julia Haferkorn’s research project on monetising livestreaming

More Lockdown Commissions are in the pipeline from Sir Harrison Birtwistle and the Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür. The project is supported financially by the Viola Commissioning Circle, set up in 2018 with the aim of raising money to create ten new viola concertos.

One by Gerald Barry was premiered in 2019 and has just been released on CD; another by Anders Hillborg is scheduled for 2021 and Power is also hoping to commission composers such as Thomas Larcher, Kaija Saariaho and Magnus Lindberg. By underwriting new works at the beginning of their commissioning cycles, the process itself becomes simple.

The Lockdown Commissions are captivatingly filmed by Jessie Rodger, with sound by Brett Cox; Power was fortunate in that he had already worked with them before the COVID-19 crisis hit, and has been able to snap them up for his projects at a time when people who can film classical music performances sensitively are much in demand.

‘The amazing thing has been the reach of these online films,’ says Power. ‘I love new music, but normally when you premiere a piece the most you can hope for is an audience of a few hundred people in a concert hall and maybe one or two future performances. These films have had 10,000 views on Instagram and YouTube over the past few months, because if people like them they share them.’

‘Up to now, classical music has completely ignored the potential of music video; maybe we think we don’t need it,’ he says. ‘But it can be a way in for so many people – they can find music that appeals to them and share it with their friends, without the barriers that inevitably exist around live performances in concert halls.’

Lawrence Power grew up in Buckinghamshire, and in 2011 he established the West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival, based at the extraordinary hilltop church of St Lawrence. When it became obvious that

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audiences could not be invited to West Wycombe in 2020, Power abandoned the planned festival programme and created a completely different online edition, consisting of an introduction, two concerts, a masterclass and interval conversations between Power and his fellow performers, filmed by Rodger at West Wycombe, plus a couple of performances from the 2019 festival which had been captured on film.

The festival was entitled Fermata, which MJ readers will know means ‘a pause of unspecified length’. In putting together the programme, Power and his colleagues were faced with some fascinating challenges and questions: ‘How do we recreate the energy and soul of our special festival on film?

How should we programme without the energy of an audience to help and influence a performance?’

Reflecting Power’s own experience of finding it hard to concentrate on complete online performances of long, multi-movement chamber works, they included some short pieces but also experimented with juxtaposing separate movements of works by different composers, resulting in some fascinating sequences. They are presented informally, with the musicians casually dressed, but filmed as though they were public concerts. However the lack of an audience meant that the players could face one another more easily than usual, and allowed the camera more flexibility and intimacy.

Power is professor of viola at Zurich University of the Arts; how did the pandemic affect his teaching?

Initially, like so many others, he was forced to communicate with his students over the internet, which he quickly discovered worked for one-toone lessons but not for group coaching sessions.

One strategy to get round this was to encourage his students to record performances for one another, which made them raise their game. During the autumn he was able to resume his regular trips to

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | MUSICIANS IN LOCKDOWN

Switzerland, but we spoke on a day when European countries were shutting down again and just before the second English lockdown was announced, and it seemed likely that he would be confined to home again. With two young children, this was not necessarily a bad thing, he admitted, adding that he feels fortunate compared to some of his younger colleagues who are not yet on the property ladder and may have more difficulty surviving the financial impact of COVID-19. ‘The insecurity of the freelance life has really had a light shone on it by this crisis.’

Lawrence Power won the Instrumentalist category of the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards 2020. The virtual ceremony was held at London’s Wigmore Hall on 18 November, livestreamed on the RPS website and broadcast later on BBC Radio 3. Guitarist Sean Shibe and pianist Yuja Wang were also nominated this year for the Instrumentalist award, which is supported by the ISM.

Power himself is now planning to set up a film production company with Jessie Rodger, drawing on his experience so far of creating classical music performances for video and giving him another potential source of employment.

‘I really miss the experience of performing live in concert halls with international orchestras, but I feel I am one of the lucky few – I can find another way to be creative.’

Fermata, the West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival 2020, featured pianist Pavel Kolesnikov; violinists Timothy Crawford, Vilde Frang, Annabelle Meare and Alexander Sitkovetsky; violists Lawrence Power and Timothy Ridout; cellist John Myerscough; and guitarist Sergio Bucheli. westwycombechambermusic.org.uk

royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/awards

The festival concerts and masterclasses and the Lockdown Commissions for solo viola can be found on YouTube; search for ‘Lawrence Power Official’.

Power’s recording of James MacMillan’s viola concerto with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins was released in June 2020 by Hyperion. His recording of Gerald Barry’s viola concerto with the Britten Sinfonia conducted by Thomas Adès was released on Signum Classics in October 2020. lawrencepowerviola.com

Below: Lawrence Power premieres Matchless Space by Martyn Brabbins at the London Coliseum Photo: Jessie Rodger

ISM early career membership – just £50 We understand that the early stages of musicians’ careers can be tough financially. That’s why, if you have fewer than 10 years’ professional experience, you can join the ISM for just £50 a year (less than £1 a week).

If you know someone starting out in their music career who would benefit from the expert advice, representation and support of the ISM, why not recommend us to them? You could even save up to £20 on your own membership fee.

Find out more at ism.org/recommend

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | LIVESTREAMING – IS MONETISATION POSSIBLE?

Livestreaming – is monetisation possible?

During the pandemic, online performances have enabled many musicians to keep busy and stay in touch with their audiences. But YouTube views and Facebook likes don’t pay bills. Julia Haferkorn introduces a research project aimed at finding ways for professional performers to make money from livestreams and improve their quality.

In April this year, like everybody else working the music sector, I watched in dismay as the pandemic put a stop to performances in concert venues and, consequently, a stop to musicians earning from performing live music. The feeling of helplessness and a desire to want to help was overwhelming. What could musicians do to continue making money from live performances? During lockdown, a number of performers turned to streaming concerts live from their homes. Few, however, charged a fee to viewers.

Above: Julia Haferkorn

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These thoughts and observations led me to discuss the artistic and financial value of livestreams, and what might stop musicians from monetising them, with jazz pianist Sam Leak, one of my teaching

colleagues at Middlesex University. After all, musicians desire adequate remuneration for the streaming of recordings (on platforms such as Spotify) and also attach high value to live performances in physical spaces. Live performances in the digital sphere, however, do not as yet seem to carry such value.

Sam and I, together with King’s College London lecturer Brian Kavanagh, applied for research funding to investigate further and were delighted to be awarded a grant by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of the UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to COVID-19. Our sixmonth research project, entitled ‘Investigating the monetisation of live streams of musical performances

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | LIVESTREAMING – IS MONETISATION POSSIBLE?

in the wake of COVID-19’ is now under way and we hope it will make a contribution to musicians being able to access additional income through livestreaming.

Livestreaming has many advantages and much potential, not just in COVID times but beyond. With Brexit looming, livestreaming could enable musicians to build their fanbases in Europe, without having to pay for the hasslesome visas and expensive carnets for COVID-19 has the potential to be the catalyst for ‘creative destruction’, bringing into question traditional equipment that will soon be required. Livestreaming music industry business models while offering new ones. can bring together an audience separated by geography but united by a taste for a particular type of Social distancing measures are likely to restrict niche music, while music fans who feel worried about audiences for many months to come, with regular attending events in crowded places are able to watch attenders deciding to stay at home and venues their favourite artists live from the comfort of their having to reduce capacity to adhere to government own homes. regulations. Post-COVID, the music sector landscape will have changed, potentially with fewer venues As part of our research we are circulating two operating and fewer performance opportunities surveys, one for musicians and one for regular live available. music event attenders, to establish what musicians’ and attenders’ experience and expectations of Through our research project we are aiming to livestreams are. You can find the surveys at the instigate a shift in thinking about livestreaming and project website livestreamingmusic.uk. Each survey the value of livestreaming. A report featuring best should take no more than 10 minutes to fill in and practice guidelines and focusing on the staging of your participation will make a valuable contribution virtual concerts, technical requirements, streaming to establish the best way for musicians to generate platforms, methods of generating income, legal additional income from livestreaming concerts. issues, collaborations with venues, and online

Read our next feature ‘Financial support’ to learn what government help is available

audience engagement will be published on the project Julia Haferkorn BMus, MMus, PGCHE, FHEA website in April next year. is Senior Lecturer in Music Business and Arts One challenge is that musicians cannot draw on Management at Middlesex University. With Ed McKeon, successful, long-term models from industry, as, prior she runs the music production company Third Ear Music, to COVID, arts organisations generally livestreamed which provides guidance and support as consultants free of charge, using online content predominantly for to organisations and other music professionals (for brand building, promotion and, ultimately, to attract example as Artistic Directors of the British Composer viewers to the concert hall. Similarly, many highAwards 2014-16), and organises symposiums and profile musicians have offered their performances events bringing together new music professionals without charge, making it more difficult for other in the UK, Europe and other parts of the world. musicians to monetise their livestreams. Much can be learnt, however, from other forms of art and entertainment, including gaming, where monetised livestreams on platforms such as Twitch form an essential part of the industry.

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Financial support While government schemes have offered a lifeline to many musicians who lost work during the pandemic, others have fallen through the net. Sarah Osborn offers an update on SEISS and other areas of help

A collective sigh of relief could be heard when the SelfEmployed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) was first announced in April 2020. As the country plunged into lockdown, the freelance and self-employed workforce was reassured that the safety net put in place to support employed workers would extend to them too.

Or so we thought. As the parameters of the scheme became clear, so too did the scale of the number of musicians who would be excluded from the scheme become apparent.

Above: Sarah Osborn, Head of Business Development for the ISM Photo: Emile Holba

Despite significant flaws, which the ISM continues to campaign to change, SEISS has been a lifeline for many, and over the spring and summer of 2020 those meeting the eligibility criteria were able to access two taxable grants to help counter the impact of losing income as a result of COVID-19.

The ISM has been instrumental in keeping the plight of freelance musicians in the public eye, which helped secure improved terms to SEISS announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in October. As well as extending the scheme to run until the end of March 2021, the Chancellor went on to announce in early November that the third grant would be increased to 80% of average trading profits up to a maximum value of £7,500. At the time of going to print the level of the fourth grant has yet to be determined, but the ISM will continue to press Government to ensure that there is parity between employed and self-employed workers and that the eligibility criteria is expanded to include those who are currently unable to access any form of support, whether because they recently became self-employed, because they are company directors, because more than 50% of their income comes from being self-employed, because they have been taking time out to raise a family or one of the myriad of other reasons that three million self-employed workers in the UK have been excluded from receiving support.

While the scheme continues to be limited to selfemployed individuals who met the eligibility criteria for the first or second grant, it is not necessary to have claimed either grant previously to receive the third grant. Remember that grants are classed as taxable

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income and will also be subject to National Insurance contributions. You will need to declare that you intend to continue trading but have either seen your income reduced or be unable to trade due to coronavirus.

The HMRC factsheet misleadingly refers to the grants as covering the period from November 2020 to January 2021 and February to April 2021 – subsequent clarifications to accounting bodies have confirmed that the grants do not relate to, or seek to replace, lost income over a particular period.

Nor are grants intended to provide a month by month replacement of income. Instead, dates refer to the periods during which the eligibility criteria need to be met and we advise members to keep all paperwork and correspondence pertaining to lost work during this period.

While these developments are welcome news to those who are eligible to receive support, for those that aren’t, there are some further options to explore.

In the devolved nations both the Scottish and Welsh governments have made additional funding available to freelancers in the creative industries.

Holyrood continues to offer musicians access to hardship funds of between £500 to £2,000, administered by Creative Scotland, as well as offering grants to sustain creative development; while in Wales, local authorities are distributing grants of up to £2,500 to freelancers from the Cultural Recovery Fund. Arts Council England has allocated £1m from the £1.57billion Cultural Recovery Fund to support freelance musicians which will make its way to musicians in need via Help Musicians.

The sector has long recognised the precariousness of the profession and there is a long tradition of benevolent funds providing assistance – whether financial or by way of practical support – in times of crisis. From the outset of the pandemic, Help Musicians has played a pivotal role in disseminating hardship funds to enable those musicians most in need to access monies quickly. A third round of funding opened in November and is aimed at musicians who

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | FINANCIAL SUPPORT

do not qualify for SEISS support or are unable to make ends meet through Universal Credit payments.

At the time of going to print there was a glimmer of hope for those based in Northern Ireland as the Northern Irish Executive announced a £200 million package of support for business owners. Included in this is an allocation of £20 million specifically to support company directors who have been unable to access other forms of support. The ISM will continue to make the case to each of the national governments to press for further support for any musician currently unable to access funding.

A final word about the other benevolent funds offering financial support at this time. A list of alternative sources of funding, including from other benevolent funds, is available on the ISM website (ism.org/advice/funds-musicians-covid-19) and members are reminded that the ISM continues to offer bespoke payment plans to those experiencing financial difficulty. Members are encouraged to contact the membership team on membership@ism. org to discuss their individual circumstances.

Sarah Osborn is Head of Business Development for the ISM

Protect yourself at work with 30% off PPE

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Want to protect yourself while you’re teaching or performing? Ethical stationery company Ethstat is offering ISM members an exclusive 30% discount on personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, hand sanitiser, cleaning supplies, gloves, wipes and visors, as well as additional discounts on office supplies and carbon reporting. Ethstat is a social enterprise and gives all profits from PPE supplies to help provide critical PPE for the homeless, care homes and dementia families.

Take the hassle out of renewing your membership by setting up an annual Direct Debit. Your membership will automatically renew every year and you won’t have to contact us unless you wish to cancel or change your payment method. If you are a full member, you will get £10 off your membership fee if you pay by annual Direct Debit.

Access the discount at ism.org/my-ism/your-discounts

It’s quick and easy to set up Direct Debit payments.

Simply log in at ism.org/direct-debit, call us on 020 72213499 or email membership@ism.org

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS We welcome your brief news (max. 150 words) and high-res images. Please email mj@ism.org The next deadline for copy is 1 February for the March/April 2021 issue.

Jane Manning, OBE In her two new volumes of Vocal Repertoire for the 21st Century, published by Oxford University Press, New York, (available for pre-order on the OUP website) the singer Jane Manning presents a personal selection of 160 contemporary art songs, set to English texts, analysed in detail from the performer’s viewpoint.

The anthologies are aimed at singers and teachers looking for new recital repertoire to place alongside traditional fare, and cover a broad spectrum of styles, from traditional to contemporary.

Volume one features pieces written up to 2000, including some by a neglected earlier generation. Volume two is confined to works written in our present century.

Each song bears a full description and performance guide, with music examples, and comments on interpretation. Works are graded from I to VI in two distinct categories of difficulty: technical / vocal, and musical. A companion website gives supplementary information, and each volume contains programming suggestions.

Right photo: Malcolm Crowthers

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Dances from Arbeau’s Orchesographie Lizzie Gutteridge, a multiinstrumentalist specialising in medieval and renaissance music, has produced a performer’s edition of the dances from Arbeau’s 1588 Orchesographie, which is one of the best known dance manuals from the 16th century, containing some of the dances most popular at historical dance groups, folk clubs and medieval banquets. Some tunes from its pages are still current in European folk traditions, others are well known thanks to Peter Warlock’s ‘Capriol’ Suite, and of course Branle d’Officiale has been better known since the 19th century as ‘Ding dong merrily on high’. A surprising number of tunes in the collection, however, are rarely heard. While there are several good modern editions and translations of Orchesographie, they are not laid out for use by musicians. Arbeau’s ingenious tablature system, with the tune down the side of the page and steps alongside the appropriate notes, makes his original version the most useable for players, but both the

original and modern editions have an irritating habit of breaking off in the middle of the tune to give a paragraph or two of explanatory text, meaning that even a simple eight-bar tune might be spread over two or three pages.

This new version brings the whole collection of dances to the modern musician in a practical performing edition, with the addition of newly devised four-part harmonies and chord symbols. The ranges of the parts are kept narrow to allow them to work on a wide range of early instruments, which also makes them suitable for modern beginner and amateur ensembles. The score and part books in a variety of clefs are available from consortof1.co.uk/shop

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

Steven Devine Steven Devine has completed his recording of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier for Resonus (resonusclassics. com) with Book 2 released last September. Of Book 1, Gramophone magazine wrote: ‘Devine’s readings are flowing and logical, with variety brought to the entire set first and foremost by his extraordinarily sensitive articulation’.

(Association of Organists in Reformed Municipalities) in the Netherlands. It contains sets of variations based on Genevan psalm melodies and provides music for use in worship by organists with a range of abilities. Paul Ritchie is the only British composer to be commissioned by the VOGG and was asked to contribute variations based on Psalm 32, a melody attributed to Louis Bourgeois dating back to the Genevan Psalter of 1551. paulritchiemusic.co.uk

public.’ Jenny Quick (author and teacher in Devon and globally).

Like all creative artists Steven has seen most of his work disrupted due to the current situation, but new opportunities are beginning to appear.

He has recorded two virtual ‘cocktail’ short concerts for the Kings Lynn Festival (kingslynnfestival.org.uk) – one with soprano Kate Semmens and one with his fortepiano trio. In addition, Steven appears on numerous specially recorded concerts on the newly-launched OAE Player (oae. co.uk/oaeplayer) including many in which he directs Bach Cantatas from London’s King’s Place as part of the popular ’Bach, the Universe and Everything’ series.

New organ variations on Genevan psalms Psalmbewerkingen voor Orgel is an annual publication by the VOGG

Above photo: Malcolm Crowthers

‘Freda’s book is wonderful, an act of love and humanity. I can truly recommend it. Many rare gems in it.’

Sonja Higgo (Alexander Teacher).

Freda Hart: A Tribute Freda: A Tribute by Jenny Quick is an affectionate account of Alexander sessions with a 99-year-old musician and veteran of the technique, and explains how Freda Hart applied Alexander Technique to everyday living with the advancing fragility of age.

‘Knowing how precious these moments were, I began writing regularly about our times together.

Freda loved this and said it made her feel important. I am now so happy to honour my promise to share them.

My hope is that the profound beauty of Alexander work and its potential to enrich our lives may reach a wider

The book costs £12 plus p&p (£4.00 will be donated to the ISM). To purchase, contact Jenny at jennyquick.co.uk or jennyquicktm@gmail.com

Ian Higginson

‘...A composer not afraid to write a simple unaffected melody...

Expertly crafted … imaginative...’ ( John Rutter) Composer, conductor, organist and teacher from Gloucestershire, Ian Higginson is Organist and Director of Music at the University of Gloucestershire, organist and piano tutor at St Edward’s School, Cheltenham and conductor of Jubilate Chamber Choir Cheltenham and Cirencester Philharmonia.

Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

As a composer, Ian’s large output of works have been highly acclaimed w in the UK and USA and some have be been selected for various music ex examination boards. Highlights include pe performances of his Christmas carols at the RLPO and CBSO carol concerts.

Pa Parish Publications publishes more th than 70 of Ian’s choral titles, plus two ex exciting new publications, Organ SSo Sound Colours and Piano Sound Co Colours, where the composer seeks to explore tonal variety and different st styles using different instruments.

Ia Higginson’s music is available Ian fro from: Fo Forsyth’s Music Shop, Manchester w website: forsyths.co.uk RSCM Music Direct website: rscmshop.com Ian is delighted to accept commissions – further information, e-mail parish2@blueyonder.co.uk

Adrian Lenthall

The last year has forced us all to reflect that mortality and loss are at once the most universal aspects of human experience, and among the most private. Though planned before the pandemic, Adrian Lenthall’s new CD, A Lament on the Lips of Loved Ones: Private memorials, secret grief, recorded on two fine clavichords made by Peter Bavington, is a timely response to a world both changed and changeless. Several of the finest pieces of keyboard music, including J.S. Bach’s famous Chaconne (recorded here in a version for keyboard) and Haydn’s Andante and Variations in

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F minor, have been shown to be responses to loss – though their composers kept this meaning secret.

This disc brings these remarkable pieces together with two famous ‘Tombeaux’ – memorials to a friend, intended for private circulation only. It is an exploration, through extraordinary music, of the nature of loss, privacy and healing. adrianlenthall.co.uk/ plus-fait-douceur-recordings

The songs start off very simply using open strings only and become more challenging as the book progresses.

Genres include funk, jazz, reggae, classical, folk, groove, motown and blues. The book is written in ‘rhythmic tab’, pure notation and basic tab/notation.

Peter Duncan is very keen for 50 Easy Tunes for Guitar to become the ‘go to’ book for guitar teachers and students throughout the UK and beyond.

More information: pete.duncan1@googlemail.com 07973 756 774 badgoodmit.com

Robert Max Cellist and conductor Robert Max recorded Bach’s Six Cello Suites last year and they were released in September by Guildmusic. The recording earned itself a glowing Peter Duncan review in Musical Opinion, which says 50 Easy Tunes for Guitar is a repertoire ‘Here is musicianship of a high order, interpretively and technically, allied of original songs composed by Peter to a natural recording quality... There Duncan. The songs are designed for is a warmth and humanity to these guitar teachers and their students performances which dig deep beneath and use a very unique ‘Question and the surface... Bach’s genius is laid Answer’ approach. before us with masterful humanity Briefly, the teacher can play a bassline, and insight’. colour coded in red (a question), while Amazon is selling the 2-CD set for over the student responds with a melody, £24 but I would be happy to send ISM coloured in green (an answer), members a copy for just £16 incl. p&p. then both can swap around. This Please email robertmax3@gmail. greatly reduces student anxiety and eventually, he/she will be able to play com for details. both parts.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

Roger Bullivant centenary The 100th anniversary of the birth of Dr Roger Bullivant MBE, celebrated Bach specialist and author of the standard text book on Fugue, occurs on 23 March 2021, writes Simon Lindley. Roger was an ISM member all his working life and a long serving ‘Pennine’ council member. His main work was as Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Sheffield, to which he came after war service and graduation from the University of Oxford. He served at Sheffield University for well over 40 years and lived in a hall of residence for nearly all that time. His work as Conductor of Sheffield Bach Choir from 1962 until 2000 is still widely and affectionately remembered and he was a frequent harpsichord continuo player of first choice for institutions such as Leeds

Philharmonic Society, Worcester Three Choirs Festival and further afield. His playing is to be heard on celebrated recordings of major Handel works for Archiv conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras. Sheffield Bach Choir is working on a programme of commemorative events. sheffieldbachchoir.org.uk

for £8.99. It was created because we all want to understand a subject as well as we can – it is designed to be comprehensible rather than overly theoretical and is the distillation of many years of teaching the piano.

Christopher Russell has taught the piano in the Kew, Richmond area for the last 27 years.

Christopher Russell Notes on the Piano: a Series of Essays on the Playing and Teaching of the Piano by Christopher Russell LTCL ATCL FISM is now available in paperback as well as in e-book form on Amazon, following a good review in Piano Professional from Murray McLachlan, head of keyboard at Chetham’s School of Music. The book is available on Amazon kindle for £3.99 and on Amazon as a paperback

OBITUARIES, we are sorry to announce the deaths of the following members: Mr Geoffrey Hanson FISM of London

Mr Richard Perry MISM of Fareham

Mr Trevor C Hides FISM of Nottingham

Mr Ronald S Pickersgill FISM of Newark-on-Trent

Mr Peter Wild FISM of Brighton

MEMBER COMMENTS You are doing a fantastic job with legal advice (came back to me in one day), lobbying, informing, updating. It makes membership, which can feel like a lot of money each year, absolutely worth every penny.

Thank you for everything you are doing.

Elspeth Williams, ISM member since 2014

Hi, I am writing to say a huge ’Thank you’ to you and your ISM team! I am absolutely impressed with the swiftness of your response and clarity of information. I have

been ever so grateful that I could and will be able to have ISM’s support during this pandemic. I would have totally lost if I had not had all the legal advice that you gave us. I will certainly recommend ISM to any music teachers and musicians. Once again, thank you for always being with us.

ISM member since 2019

I just would like to register my gratitude for all that you do. I have experienced at first hand your excellent legal advice and your informative and thorough updates throughout this crisis have been

both illuminating and reassuring…

We are all so fortunate to be a part of the ISM community.

Ali Sharpe, member since 2007

Your advice and help throughout this very challenging time is hugely appreciated – from the weekly updates, to your specific legal advice to your interesting and enriching webinars... I am so pleased to be a member of the ISM and feel incredibly well looked after by your whole team.

Stephanie Beck, ISM member since 2020

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | LOCAL AREA EVENTS

LOCAL AREA EVENTS Full listings can be found on our website, ism.org. The next deadline for copy is 1 February for the March/April 2021 issue.

Please note that for the foreseeable future all local group events must take place online.

Please contact us at membership@ism.org if you have any questions about this or require assistance in getting your event online.

Sunday 17 January 2021 Oxford (Event postponed from October 2020) Lecture/Demonstration by Anthony Williams MMus, DipRAM, GRSM, ARAM The new 21/22 ABRSM Piano Syllabus: Highlights and Pathways 3pm streamed from Radley College ** Abingdon, OxfordOX14 2HR

Right: Anthony Williams performing at Radley College (photo taken prior to COVID-19 lockdown)

element of interpretation, technique or notation. He will then use these as a theme for exploring a range of some of the most imaginative and exciting repertoire within the syllabus.

hear Anthony and will be able to ask questions.

**Due to the continuing uncertainty surrounding restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have regretfully decided that this event will definitely be online, via Zoom.

All participants will be able to see and

Contact: Carolyn King for your bookings, queries or questions for Anthony

Attendance: ISM members £8, guests £10. (Advance booking is essential for this event)

01235 522774 carolyn2king@btinternet.com

Anthony Williams is Head of Keyboard at Radley College. As well as being a concert pianist, writer, lecturer, ABRSM examiner and festival adjudicator, he also gives piano master classes, public lecture recitals, and seminars on performance. He is the author of the acclaimed book The Piano Teachers’ Survival Guide and will be able to throw plenty of light on the new syllabus.

Anthony has agreed to base his presentation around specific questions sent in by you in advance on any

Classified advertising HOW TO BOOK: please send advertisement copy with payment (cheques payable to the ‘Incorporated Society of Musicians’ or T: 020 7221 3499 with credit card details) to the ISM, 4–5 Inverness Mews, London W2 3JQ or email mj@ism.org Copy date by 1 February for the March/April 2021 issue.

PRIVATE AND TRADE 50p per word, minimum £5.

Advertisements from ISM members are half-price (i.e. 25p per word, minimum £2.50). Name, address and contact details must be paid for if included. Box numbers £2 extra. Prices include VAT. A series of six or more identical insertions qualifies for 10% discount.

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FRENCH HORNS, Several from £150 01747 828552 VARIOUS BRASS, WOODWIND and STRINGED instruments for sale or to rental.

Tel: 07974 412269 STUDENT CELLOS, mostly German, various sizes, from £100. Tel: 07974 412269 BASSOONS several. Tel: 07974 412269 SPINNETT WITTMAYER (German) four octaves, C-D, light walnut. VGC needs tuning, hence £395 for a quick sale.

Tel: 07974 412269

DOUBLE BASS PAESOLD concert model 590.

Excellent condition cost £3k plus in 1997, £895 ONO 01747 828552 STEINWAY 0 (c1918), fully reconditioned by expert ex-Steinway technician, beautiful ‘golden era’ sound and impeccable case. £32,995. To view (COVID-19 safely) or for pics, ring 07775 911251.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS We welcome your brief news (max. 150 words for platinum and gold members, max. 100 words for silver members) and good high-res images. Please email mj@ism.org. The next deadline is 1 February for the March/April 2021 issue.

Naxos UK

in the future but – like me – doesn’t Free Trials necessarily have the means to achieve For complimentary 30-day access to it to apply next time around.’

Charanga, visit triboroughmusichubchoirschools.org.uk elearning.org/site/free-trial/

New ISM corporate member Naxos UK have appointed Julian Edwards to manage their music education resources. Julian brings extensive Charanga experience of working in the world of music education and is delighted to be Supporting Hybrid, Blended and maintaining those links in his new role.

Home Learning NaxosMusicBox.com is the latest award-winning addition to Naxos’ portfolio, and is a perfect introduction to classical music. Tailored to suit 4-12 year olds, the resource also provides teachers with comprehensive support material. Naxos also offer Naxos Music Library, a subscription service giving access to over 12,000 titles in their catalogue, as well as playlists, essays, work synopses and an online music dictionary.

Julian can be contacted at jedwards@naxosmusic.co.uk or on 07768 448381

Choir Schools’ Association Becky-Ellice Creighton, a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and a pupil at Highworth Grammar School, Ashford, is the new David Willcocks Organ Scholar. She will study with Dr David Newsholme, Director of the Girls’ Choir and Assistant Organist at the Cathedral.

The David Willcocks Music Trust supports the musical training of young musicians and honours the most influential choirmaster of his generation. The Organ Award is administered by the Choir Schools’ Association (CSA) with support from the Royal College of Organists (RCO).

In light of the pandemic, teachers are turning to Yumu (the children’s area of our platform) to support students’ music-making and learning at home, at school or anywhere else – and at no extra cost. It’s all covered by your Charanga licence fee. For more information, visit charanga.com/ site/home-learning.

The Adapted for COVID Scheme If you haven’t already, do take a look at the Adapted for COVID Scheme, complete with signed songs, replacement and additional activities, if you have any concerns about teaching music safely. charanga/site/ongoingsupport-music-teaching-partners Signed Songs

Mark Allen Group Classical Music magazine is going online with the launch of our new website: classical-music.uk The new digital service will provide news, resources and practical advice for all music professionals.

Subscribers receive our daily newsletter, and gain unlimited access to extensive online articles from news, analysis and opinion, to podcasts and industry resources.

Lucy Thraves, editor of Classical Music, said: ‘Classical music has never faced a more taxing time. Whether the immediate challenges of the coronavirus crisis, or the technological revolution that continues to change how people listen to, learn and experience our wonderful art form, our community’s need for a dedicated digital resource to provide expert advice, news and information has never been greater. We are excited to provide this new digital platform to help support the professionals in our sector.’

ISM members save 20% on subscriptions with code ISM20. classical-music.uk

A fantastic Signed Songs collection, created by Samantha Harper, has also been added to our platform to support teachers and students working and learning in special needs Felix Kirkby, the first award holder in 2014, is the new Organ Scholar at Christ and other settings.

Church Cathedral, Oxford. ‘I doubt if CPD & Training this would have been possible without the generous support of the Trust,’ says Visit the CPD & Training Centre for Felix, ‘and I strongly encourage anyone details of upcoming webinars focusing on teaching during COVID. who wishes to do something similar Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

Clarice Goff, from Allianz Musical Insurance, said: ‘As we look back across our history, we’re proud to have always been a team of music experts who offer a product that supports musicians in everything that they do. We’re especially proud of our ability to take care of our customers at their time of need and our commitment to the music industry.’

Song Academy Limited The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2021 competition Entry period 1 February to 31 March 2021 An inspiring opportunity to engage your musical and creative pupils aged 8-18!

With judges including Fraser T Smith, Tom Odell, Miranda Cooper and Tom Grennan, this year is set to be bigger than ever!

Check out songacademy.co.uk for inspiration, tips on songwriting and how to enter #SAYS21 Right: Musical Stars performing at Hubfest, Sheffield Music Hub’s multistage festival @Yellow Arch Studios. (photo taken prior to the COVID-19 lockdown)

Allianz Insuring the nation’s musical instruments for over 60 years

Get two months’ cover free when you buy a policy online at allianzmusic.co.uk

Awards for Young Musicians Sheffield Music Hub is excited to announce the recruitment of 30 more superstar musicians to the Furthering Talent – Musical Stars programme.

Thanks to generous support from the Friends and Volunteers of Sheffield Music Hub who are able to fund the extra places, and to our friends at Awards for Young Musicians for providing us with additional funding and strategic support.

We know music has the power to change lives and that the Furthering Founded in 1994, Academy of Music Talent and Musical Stars programmes and Sound has welcomed over 5000 have a real impact on those who students onto further and higher need it the most. Through funding education courses in popular music, for tuition on an instrument of their production and music business choice, exciting termly musical events courses over the years. In July 2019, and Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), we celebrated our 25th anniversary – this personalised approach reaches always changing and adapting to keep to the heart of every young musician, in step with changes in the modern unlocking unique potential and music industry, we’re excited to see building communities of confident what the next 25 years will bring. musicians who are in charge of their own musical futures.

In addition to this, the Academy of Music and Sound also offers pathways for a professional fast track to the BA (Hons) Music and Sound for those who have significant music industry experience.

Academy of Music & Sound

Photo: Sheffield Music Hub

Feldenkrais Guild UK We at Feldenkrais Guild UK are pleased to announce that, following the success of their summer and autumn workshops, three of our practitioners, Niall O’Riordan, Emma Alter and Anita Morrison, will be teaching a two-day online Feldenkrais Workshop for musicians on Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 January 2021. The theme will be ‘creativity and new beginnings’. Sign up on the Allianz Musical Insurance has just feldenkraisresourcesformusicians. celebrated its 60th anniversary of co.uk mailing list to be kept up to musical insurance cover. The company date. If you’d like to join a regular is proud to have been providing cover class with one of our musician for musicians of all types since 1960 practitioners they can all be found at – longer than any other insurer. They feldenkraisresourcesformusicians. insure all kinds of musical instruments, co.uk/classes/ To find a practitioner equipment and accessories, and today near you go to feldenkrais.co.uk insure over 70,000 musicians with over 357,000 instruments.

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Trinity College London Trinity College London is delighted to bring Digital Grades and Diplomas to teachers and candidates, across all of our international markets, meaning that whatever the challenges the future brings, candidates will be able to continue taking their exams digitally.

Launching on our newly upgraded digital system offering a completely revamped customer experience, the Digital Grades and Diplomas are now available to all candidates and teachers who want to have their achievement recognised through a Trinity College London Music or Drama qualification.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

In response to a changing world, they reflect the increasing adoption of digital technologies in learning and education. The digital exams enable candidates to record their pieces/ songs and technical work at a place and time of their choice and then submit the video recording via our online platform to be assessed by our expert examiners.

Find out more at trinitycollege.com/dgd

innovative new products and services, Impulse is currently building its programme for ‘CreativeYou’.

Visit impulse-music.co.uk for more information and be among the first to benefit.

Royal College of Organists Sir Andrew Parmley writes: The Royal College of Organists is preparing to take interNational Organ Day online as the focal point of a week-long digital festival for the King of Instruments.

A week of online activity starts on Sunday 18 April with performances on organs from World Heritage Sites across the world. Sunday will also be designated RCO Choral Day.

Impulse Music Consultants Announcing our new brand, ’CreativeYou’.

Along with everyone else, we hope that, come the new year, we will start to see the back of the virus, so that musicians can kick-start all their live activities. When we do, it won’t simply be turning the clock back to pre-COVID-19 times. Far from it – we have had to adapt to survive and in that adapting, we have learnt so much that has stretched us, widened our horizons and challenged our practices as musicians. At Impulse, we have not only reacted to the changing times, but are also, proactively, seeking new ways of helping musicians develop their digital output and find a new balance in their creative lives.

Organists around the world are invited to share their instruments and music through recorded performances which will be broadcast throughout the week. Tuesday will further highlight cinema and theatre organ music; Wednesday will be RCO Organathon Day; a celebrity recital by Stephen Farr will be broadcast on Thursday; and Friday will put a focus on youth, with activities in schools across the country.

The week will culminate in interNational Organ Day on Saturday 24 April, which will include a wealth of performances, workshops and lectures. For more information and details on taking part, visit rco.org.uk/events/ international-organ-day-2021

Portsmouth Music Hub

Recently awarded a grant from KEEP+, a European fund supporting businesses in the development of

Portsmouth Music Hub’s Sound Minds – Portsmouth harnesses the power of music, enabling children and young people to explore, express and address their emotions through music and the arts, using them as a positive channel to support wellbeing and to stimulate and explore conversations about mental health.

With a range of songs including

‘When Life gives you Lemons’ and ‘A Minute can last a Lifetime’, students have worked with Hub composers to contribute ideas and shape the compositional process.

While there are still many ongoing challenges when it comes to singing, the songs are all available free of charge on the hub’s website

portsmouthmusichub.org/ songsource so that children and young people can continue to sing wherever they are.

Sue Beckett, CEO of Portsmouth Music Hub said: ‘As people turn towards creativity in challenging times, Sound Minds enables children and young people to explore issues that are affecting them, using music and the arts.’

The Curious Piano Teachers Founded by Dr Sally Cathcart and Sharon Mark-Teggart in 2015, The Curious Piano Teachers is a global, online community of piano teachers who love to learn as much as they teach.

Members can access a library of readyto-use teaching resources and videos, with new content added monthly. In addition to professional development resources, members can connect with one another – inside the Facebook group, on live Zoom chats, on webinars and on member-exclusive courses.

Left photo: Andreas Forsberg

If you’re curious to find out more, we’re offering all new, first-time members a FREE one-month trial.

Sarah says: ‘I would like to commend everyone at The Curious Piano Teachers for building such a great community and bank of resources, it’s incredible! I have learned so much already from fellow community members...’

Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

Claim your FREE month of membership Teachers can access the platform with the coupon code ‘FREESUPPORT’: free of charge by joining the RSL thecuriouspianoteachers.org/join Teacher Registry, a service that helps teachers advertise their skills to students worldwide.

children, parents and teachers led

by VF Practitioners!

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Into Music: Exploring the building blocks of musical learning and ‘demystifying’ musical ideas for beginners. Ideal for parents and children learning at home, but open to all.

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Into Choral: High-energy sessions exploring choral repertoire. Ideal for teachers and school children, but open to all. Get into choral with vocal warm-ups, songs from around the world, and more!

rslawards.com/ rsl-learning-platform

Voice Workshop MA Performance Coaching

Music Teachers’ Board The Music Teachers’ Board (MTB)’s new 2020 syllabuses are now available to download. Our syllabuses include free online technical resources for teachers and schools and free choice pieces for the recital section.

MTB offers Grades 1-8 in more than 25 classical & popular instruments worldwide, with our exams recorded and submitted via our app and marked by specialist examiners.

The MA Professional Practice (Performance Coaching for the Performing Artist) explores both the theory and practice of coaching and mentoring.

You will apply theoretical perspectives to your practice as both a coach and mentor while gaining a firm understanding of the differences between the two, obtaining a comprehensive insight into the needs of performers, equipping you to engage in Performance Coaching with confidence.

RSL

Right: Jasper Dommett conducting at RWCMD Atmospheres Festival 2019 Photo: Kirsten McTernan

The intuitive practice and assessment technology gives both teachers and learners access to complete suites of available RSL graded music materials, and with Zoom functionality, teachers can seamlessly deliver online teaching from within the platform. The app also benefits from immediate automated detailed feedback on pitch, rhythm and tempo from assigned pieces, alongside an interactive sheet music player.

MA Voice Pedagogy This innovative postgraduate pathway enables the academic study of vocal pedagogy and facilitates the research of new areas of learning, exploring a diverse and often conflicting field.

An Ivor Novello Award is recognized as the pinnacle of achievement, celebrating exceptional craft in music creation and judged by fellow music creators.

Jasper, nominated in the Large Orchestral category of The Ivors Composer Awards 2020 for a composition he wrote for BBC National Orchestra of Wales’ Composition Wales, is one of the youngest ever nominees.

It is ideal for those who are working as vocal coaches or singing teachers or for The awards presentation was broadcast those from a music background who on BBC Radio 3 on 1 December. wish to gain a firmer understanding of ivorsacademy.com vocal pedagogy. voiceworkshop.co.uk

Voices Foundation Voices Foundation is pleased to share three exciting (and FREE) digital opportunities for musical learning.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and visit our website to learn more.

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RWCMD Composition student Jasper Dommett was nominated for one of the UK’s most prestigious music prizes, the Ivor Novello Award, as part of The Ivors Composer Awards 2020.

You can learn more and view our new exciting syllabus options at mtbexams.com/syllabuses

RSL Awards have released a new app, The RSL Learning Platform.

It is powered by MatchMySound and will transform online music teaching, maximise lesson time and enrich learning experiences.

voices.org.uk

Virtual Singing Assemblies: 10-15 minute singing assemblies for

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

Making Music

Gresham College

Making Music has created an array of resources to help our member leisuretime music groups pick up and thrive again in these uncertain times.

Gresham College’s Russian Piano Masterpieces lecture recital series continues with Scriabin and Stravinsky

Our guidance tool makes sense of what groups can and can’t do under the latest government guidance in each UK nation. Use our survey to help you understand your members’ needs and wants, and plan future activities. Our detailed risk assessment templates can help you prepare for a COVID-secure return to rehearsing or performing. Plus, we have a full suite of resources on how to livestream, make great audio and video recordings of performances at home, and much more.

Professor Marina Frolova-Walker with pianist Peter Donohoe CBE

Scriabin 21 Jan, 6-7pm online (or watch later)

Visit makingmusic.org.uk/resource/ Scriabin took Chopin as the inspiration for bold experiments in his preludes, coronavirus-resources études and above all in his great series of ten sonatas, which span his career.

Piano Teachers’ Course Working within the loose artistic During these difficult times, it is even movement known as Symbolism, his more important to feel connected as ambitions were fuelled by theosophy a community of musicians. The Piano and mystical ideas.

Teachers’ Course UK brings together pianists from across the world to learn, Stravinsky share in the joy of teaching, and make music.

No matter your experience or stage in your career, the PTC has a course that will suit you. Join a group of likeminded individuals and an outstanding team of tutors at the forefront of developments in piano pedagogy, to deliver piano lessons relevant to the 21st-century pupil.

Looking for something to further your teaching skills and qualifications this year? Have a look at our Teaching LRSM Course, beginning end of January 2021.

Online attendance available.

‘I highly recommend the course for anyone who teaches the piano, however long they’ve been teaching’ – Cert PTC course student Enrolment open now: pianoteacherscourse.org/courses

a Guildhall Symphony Orchestra concert in March using groundbreaking low-latency technology to enable the musicians to perform together in real time across multiple venues. A number of courses for music professionals are also due to start in the spring including those aimed at helping advisors, mentors and teachers develop the skills and understanding to become a proficient coach. On 25 January, an Open Evening for our PG Cert in Performance Teaching programme will take place. During this online session, there will be time to find out how the PG Cert develops creative and reflective practice in teaching performing arts. Guildhall also has a range of online short courses coming up including Music Production in Logic Pro X. Visit gsmd.ac.uk for more details.

Left: Guildhall School of Music and Drama Photo: Paul Cochrane

25 Feb, 6-7pm as above Unlike many composers, Stravinsky always wrote his music at the piano; his appeal today stretches beyond the confines of modernist classical music. gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events

Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2020 saw several Guildhall School music alumni recognised in the Queen’s Honours List, including Jennifer Pike (Violin, 2009) who was awarded an MBE for services to classical music. In the Jazz FM Awards, former students Yazz Ahmed (Trumpet, 2006) and Binker Golding (Saxophone, 2008) won awards; Golding, who is one half of the MOBOwinning jazz duo Binker and Moses, secured Instrumentalist of the Year.

Tutti Looking for COVID-secure spaces for your next rehearsal, audition, lesson, or recording?

Browse Tutti’s collection of affordable, COVID-safe spaces, available for any creative need in London. You can compare spaces based on the instruments you need, the safety precautions you require, or a number of other unique filters.

Our spaces include theatres, studios, music venues, creative studios, military halls, and even boats.

Start browsing at app.tutti.space or learn more about Tutti at tutti.space

In 2021, Guildhall is pleased to bring another season of performances to online audiences, via the school’s website, free of charge. This includes Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

Educators and Community Leaders with the Music Industry to increase our connected approach to music education and music career pathways.

Find out more on techmusiced.org.uk or email kate@techmusiced.org.uk

the classroom, culminating in a short assignment. On completion of the assignment participants will be awarded the Music Education Solutions® Primary Music Leadership Certificate. The course runs via Zoom and you can take it in either the spring or summer term. Further information Collins Music and booking are available on the Latest news from Music Express, the Music Education Solutions® website – award-winning digital primary music don’t forget ISM members get 20% off curriculum resource from Collins Music. the £150 fee!

Above: The Grove Sessions

Middlesex University

Photo: Courtesy Middlesex University

The music department at Middlesex University has begun the new academic year with a number of adaptive initiatives. The Grove Sessions, usually held in the Grove Concert Room, have been converted to an online format. Our students have been invited to send in performance videos which have been compiled into a full gig film, which will be broadcast on Instagram with a brilliant new student-run Grove Sessions account.

This has been met with enthusiasm from our students. The new Instagram account can be found at @mdx_grove_ sessions. Our Grove Recitals series is undergoing a similar transformation, providing an outlet for classical music students. Elsewhere in the department our collaborative modules are thriving with projects combining Music with Dance and Theatre students well underway. In staff news, Professor Brian Inglis and Barry Smith’s edition of Kaikhosru Sorabji’s Letters to Philip Heseltine (Peter Warlock) was selected

by BBC Music magazine among the best classical music books released in 2020.

Technology in Music Education Technology in Music Education (TiME UK) is excited to announce the launch of our new partnership project ‘Connectivity’ which has received funding from Arts Council England.

In partnership with UK Music, the ISM and Leicester Music Education Hub we will be delivering a series of online events through February and March 2021 bringing together Music Hubs,

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To help you adapt your music lessons during these times, we’ve created a dedicated COVID-19 support area, which provides information to help you to work safely, while continuing to deliver fun and engaging music lessons.

Authors Helen MacGregor and Sue Nicholls have offered general ideas and tips, curated content, and new activities to use across home and classroom settings. With reference to government guidance, Music Education Consultant Liz Rozier has provided a range of alternatives to potentially risky activities in every lesson (in Years 1-6), which you can choose from based on your own school policies.

Advice on how to keep making music safely is also available on our blog.

Also look out for some additional resources to support SEND pupils coming soon!

Ocarina Workshop The Music Teacher Board has just launched Ocarina Exams, from pre-Grade 1 to Grade 5, with pieces selected from Ocarina Workshop’s Adventurous Music-Making and Play your Ocarina series. The ocarina syllabus is wide-ranging, including whole-tone and blues scales and repertoire in many styles, from classical and jazz to world music.

All ocarina pieces can be performed in MTB exams using backing tracks: mtbexams.com/syllabus/ocarina

The new ‘Adventurous Music-Making’ series has been shortlisted in the 2020 Teach Primary Awards. Six colourful A5 Pupil Books and six A4 Teacher Books plus audio CDs each introduce 20+ themed pieces for pupils to explore, using any combination of voices and non-transposing instruments. The repertoire takes pupils back through time, around the world, improvising, composing and acquiring musical skills as they go. Cross-curricular themes such as coding, natural disasters, Music Education Solutions communications and spying make Music Education Solutions have ‘Adventurous Music-Making’ an announced their brand new exciting project for ages 6 to 13, and Primary Music Leadership Certificate. for whole-class musical participation.

This taught course comprises three ocarina.co.uk/amm half-day training sessions across For a full set of all six Adventurous the course of one term. These will Music-Making pupil books and CDs be supported with access to online with a FREE ocarina, go to: learning materials, and challenges, ocarina.co.uk/adventurous ideas and activities to try out in

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

We are very grateful to all our corporate members for their support.

PLATINUM CORPORATE MEMBERS

ABRSM

Allianz Musical Insurance

GOLD CORPORATE MEMBERS

Musicians Insurance Services NMC Recordings

Benslow Music Instrument Loan Scheme Black Dress Code Classic FM Collins Music Henri Selmer Paris Impulse Music Consultants

Duet Group

Park Lane Group

Hal Leonard Europe Ltd

Portsmouth Music Hub

London College of Music Examinations Middlesex University Music Mark Music Teachers’ Board

Insure4Music

Rocksteady Music School

Kawai

The Royal Central School Of Speech & Drama

Lark Music

The Royal Philharmonic Society

Leeds Conservatoire

Trinity College London

London College of Music

Victoria College Exams

National Preparatory School Orchestras Oxford University Press Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Stainer & Bell Ltd Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH Take it away The Academy of Music & Sound The Curious Piano Teachers

Mark Allen Group

Yamaha Music Europe GmbH (UK)

The Piano Teachers’ Course UK Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Trybooking.com Tutti University of St Andrews

Music Mind Hub

VLT Legal Services Ltd Voice Workshop Ltd WaterBear

For further information about our different levels of corporate membership and a full list of over 180 corporate members, visit ism.org.

Ask me a question

Sir Mark Elder and Sir Simon Rattle.

My go-to sopranos will always be Barbara Bonney and Camilla Tilling.

In terms of sheer magnetism of personality on stage, though, I would have to say Freddie Mercury.

Alice Gribbin

What was the last CD or music download that you purchased?

Soprano, Member of BBC Singers and freelance

I downloaded Diva, a compilation of arias by the likes of Puccini, Massenet and Strauss, performed by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa on the Warner label. I have been trying to really analyse how she makes such difficult music sound like spun silk!

Tell us a little about yourself I’ve spent 20 years enjoying a hugely varied and happy career as a choral singer.

I have travelled the world with choirs and orchestras, sung on film and television soundtracks (and twinkly Christmas adverts!), and have been a member of the BBC Singers since 2017. Thanks to amazing surgeons and teachers I have managed to rehabilitate my voice after two lots of thyroid surgery, and have especially enjoyed learning to adapt how and what I sing, from early tunes in my twenties to Strauss in my forties, as I’ve got older.

I am married to operatic tenor Benjamin Hulett, who I met at the age of 15 in the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.

We have two teenage sons, and I have eight siblings.

Who (or what) has most influenced you and your career?

In the UK we are blessed with a thriving and close-knit community of choral singers. The support, opportunity and friendship which I have been offered by my colleagues over the past two decades have shaped my career as well as who I am. Whether passing on recommendations to prospective employers, or carrying each through difficult periods or even a rough day, the very nature of a choir means that community is paramount, and that trickles down into every aspect of my life.

Alongside this, Ben and I have woven our careers in and around each other.

Our family life influences the work that we do, we compromise and we guide and

ism.org

@ism_music

What are your plans for the future? we listen. We also laugh at each other on a daily basis, which is pretty crucial I feel!

What would you say is your greatest achievement to date?

Joining the BBC Singers, without a shadow of doubt! Three years in, I still get a thrill walking into the Maida Vale studios each morning. At least once a week I find myself in awe of the extraordinary vocal and musical talent which my colleagues display, and I quietly wonder how on earth I got to sit there with them! After so many years touring, and working with different groups of people week by week, I absolutely love working in the same place and being part of a constant team each day. You come to know your colleagues so well that the music-making becomes totally intuitive, and it’s thrilling.

Social distancing rules have presented us with a new set of challenges, but we’re learning and developing all the time. It’s an honour to be part of it.

Who is your all-time favourite artist and why?

I find this incredibly difficult to answer!

Like choosing a favourite food, I can simply never narrow it down to just one.

I would say that the most remarkable and memorable music making I’ve ever done has been under the batons of

facebook.com/ISMusicians

@ism_music

I think that, like most people, I am living fairly day-to-day at the moment. Ben’s schedule has been decimated by COVID19, and we try not to look too far ahead because we’re just not sure what it holds for him or for our family. That said, we’re still working hard at the BBC, and I feel settled and useful there, so that’s where my focus will stay. I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time catching up with my extended family; seeing my boys return to their fencing, cricket and rugby, and most of all I’m looking forward to being able to hug my friends and family again!

Finally, what is your ISM membership to you?

Over the past eight months I’ve felt hugely grateful for the work which ISM is doing.

It’s immensely reassuring to feel that musicians have a collective voice which is heard. At a time of such immense stress for our industry, especially our freelance colleagues, the guidance and practical help has been invaluable. I’ve discovered that the community of support which I’ve always enjoyed stretches far beyond the choral world. I’m also always a huge fan of free stationery, and love it when the diary arrives! bbc.co.uk/singers @AliceGribbin @ben_hulett

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