ISM Music Journal Spring 2023

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On demand exams at Grades 1 to 5, whenever and wherever you choose.

I am delighted to share with you the news that we will be holding place after our Annual General Meeting (AGM). We are thrilled TV scores and of music for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee will also be covering everything from digital innovations to how to build resilience in these ever-changing times.

We have separated the annual report from the rest of Music Journal – it is now in a separate publication so you can readily see what the ISM delivered in the year from 1 September 2021 to the end of August 2022. If you cannot attend the AGM in person, please do make sure that you send in your proxy voting form which you will also nd enclosed. ou will see all the motions set out. one of them are controversial – they just need to be passed as part of the usual business of the ISM AGM

Music Journal is not just looking backwards – this issue also features the brilliant Anna Lapwood, looks at the award-winning work of the music department at Ullswater Community College in Cumbria and highlights some of the unique services such as counselling which the ISM provides to its members.

Lastly our campaigning work continues to strengthen. If you have not yet responded to the Brexit survey on touring in Europe, please do so here: . We were delighted that over 700 musicians and organisations signed the ISM’s letter to Kemi Badenoch asking for changes in the law to better protect freelancers in music; we will now be keeping up the pressure on the government to make the changes that would make the workplace safer for all those working in music.

In early February the ISM launched with Edge Foundation a new campaign to support music and arts subjects in schools. The #SaveOurSubjects campaign calls on the government to review and reform school accountability measures including Progress 8 and to deliver the Arts Pupil Premium in full. For more information see saveoursubjects.org for details on how you can get involved.

Just a reminder to put Friday 21 April in your diary for what should be a tremendous day. To book your place visit: See you very soon!

Photo: Emile Holba

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The ISM works hard to provide advice and assistance to you, our members, coming up with new and improved services to help you save money, manage your nances, and improve your wellbeing. Whether you’re a student, retired or work in the music sector, there are always ways in which we can help you, so be sure to visit our website at ism.org for more information.

so that you can see what we have to offer.

A summary of some of the many ways in which the ISM supports you through the various stages of your life as a student, as a professional musician or in retirement

SPRIN G 2023 ISM MEMBER BENEFITS

Counselling and advice services

To enhance our support for ISM members, we changed our counselling and advice services provider from Health Assured to CiC Wellbeing (CiC) in January 2023. CiC provides you with a wide range of wellbeing support, meaning that whatever issue you are facing, you can get immediate help from an expert. Their services can be accessed via email or online live chat, as well as by phone, so you can contact them in whatever way works best for you.

When faced with dif cult times in your work or personal life, sometimes you just need to talk to someone.

CiC s con dential 2 hour Advice ine allows you to access in the moment support and information on any personal or work related issue from a uali ed therapist, whether you are in the UK or abroad. Call at any time of day or night about anything from bereavement to relationship or addiction issues, from managing change to coping with anxiety.

Alternatively, if you are unable to call privately, or if you prefer to access support online, you can reach out via email or live chat

CiC’s online resource Well Online offers you additional con dential wellbeing support and advice on a range of topics, from nutrition and sleep to BT issues and money management. This self help and information site can be used to help you better understand issues you are experiencing.

Music can be a precarious profession, particularly when income is irregular and costs are rising. If you need help to manage your nances, CiC’s experienced and dedicated nancial advisors can offer clear and impartial advice focused on nding a realistic solution that improves your nancial wellbeing. Issues they can help you with include managing debt, budgeting, borrowing, savings, pensions and banking

Contact CiC’s Advice ine, or reach out via email or live chat to access support

Acce s s Access counselling and advice:

Phone: 0800 042 0136 or +44 2079380983 if you are outside the UK

Next eneration Text (N T): 18001 0800 085 1376 (for those with a hearing or speech impairment)

If you re uire structured support, you can have up to six sessions of free counselling per issue per year, delivered online, face to face or over the phone, depending on your preference. Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT ) is also available – a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you feel, think and act.

Access counselling or CBT by contacting CiC via phone, email or live chat. A therapist will carry out a clinical assessment to determine the most appropriate treatment for you, and then match you to a counsellor.

Email:

Save money when you shop

As an ISM member, you have access to a wide range of career related discounts , from instrument and e uipment insurance to rehearsal rooms and sheet music. On top of that, our refreshed ISM Discount Plus scheme provides savings on everyday expenses in some of the areas we know are most useful for you, to help you tackle the cost of living crisis and save money on popular retailers.

Our new provider offers increased savings on your weekly shop at Tesco, M&S, Sainsbur y ’s or Morrisons, to new Apple and Samsung tech. You can also take advantage of useful travel discounts from National Express, Airbnb and Eurostar, and savings on car insurance, MOTs and taxis

AGM and The TheEmpowEmpowered Musician 2023

, ISM Senior Events Of cer, explains more about our upcoming A M and The Empowered Musician 2023

We are pleased to invite you to join us for the next Annual eneral Meeting (A M) on Friday 21 April 2023.

Participating in the A M is a great opportunity to get more involved with the ISM community. The of cial business of the ISM will be conducted, and you can take part in an open forum, ask us your uestions, and discuss matters that are important to you. It will also be a chance to meet the board, network with old friends and make new connections.

Debbie Wiseman OBE

We are delighted that award winning composer and conductor Debbie Wiseman will join us at this year’s Empowered Musician to share her experience and insights into her long established and successful career.

Debbie is one of the UK’s most successful music ambassadors , with over 200 credits in lm , television and concert works. As well as being Classic FM’s Composer in Residence, she was voted the most popular living composer in Classic FM’s Hall of Fame 2022 and was the of cial composer and musical director of the Platinum Jubilee Celebration at Windsor in May 2022.

Panel discussion: ‘Resilience’

Discover how your member bene ts can support your mental and physical health and help you build nancial resilience. An expert panel will explore life’s ups and downs and discuss positive ways in which you can empower yourself and your music career.

Panel discussion:

Journey with us to new horizons and learn about the latest emerging technologies and digital trends. A panel of industr y experts will examine Arti cial Intelligence (AI), NFTs and and the opportunities they can create for music professionals.

ollowing the A M, we welcome you to stay for the third instalment of , an event dedicated to inspiring and informing musicians through a mix of exciting music performances and panel discussions.

If you would like to attend , please book your free place at

Free webinars: Writing a Music Development Plan

The ISM Trust is hosting two free webinars to help music teachers write and implement inclusive and engaging Music Development Plans for primary, secondary and all through schools.

The webinars will be relevant to music leads from across the four nations of the UK, and will be delivered by Margaret O’Shea, ISM member and the Director of Ark Music. You can submit uestions before or during the webinar, and share your thoughts with other music teachers.

Primary: Secondary and all through: Register for free:

Photo: Kris Brown 6

education

in partnership with the Edge Foundation, to support music and other arts subjects in state secondar y schools.

The #SaveOurSubjects campaign, launched in February, highlights the worrying decline of music and other arts subjects at GCSE level. It focuses on the impact of the accountability measure Progress 8, which has encouraged schools to focus resources and curriculum time on the group of ‘core’ academic subjects included in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc)

The campaign calls for the government to review school accountability measures, reform Progress 8 and deliver the £90 million Arts Premium for schools promised in the Conservatives’ 2019 election manifesto.

The campaign will send an open letter to Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan. ou can sign the letter and nd out more about how to support the campaign at saveoursubjects.org

ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts appeared in parliament on 13 December to give evidence to the House of Lords European Affairs Committee.

Speaking as a witness to the committee’s inquiry into the Future UK-EU relationship, she said , ‘Brexit has been an unmitigated disaster for music’. She also raised the issue of carnets, cabotage, merchandise and CITES rules: ‘For musicians, it is not just about getting from A to B; it is about getting trucks, equipment, merchandise and musical instruments across the channel as well.’ She highlighted ’ the lack of action from government, saying, ‘ We have been having meetings of the touring working party now for close on two years and we just go around in circles. We do not see any progress.’

The committee is due to publish the ndings of the inquiry by spring 2023.

Deborah

The session heard from a range of expert voices across the sector, including the producer and actor David Furnish , on the impact of Brexit and how to ensure that the sector thrives in the future. Furnish highlighted the problems created by Brexit for the music industry, saying, ‘Musicians are facing a lot of red tape, a lot of complications; they face a landscape of complicated carnets, issues with cabotage and trucking which makes things increasingly dif cult.’

The session also highlighted the importance of investing in arts education, including music, to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.

shortfall in music teachers

(DfE) show that not enough music teachers are entering training to meet the needs of the future.

Analysis by the ational Foundation for Educational Research shows that music failed to meet its recruitment target again in 2022, with just of the target met. The shortfall is worse than in 2021, when 72 of the recruitment target in music was met

Responding to the news, Deborah Annetts said , ‘These gures are very disappointing and as we have previously warned , our fantastic music education workforce will need to grow in order to deliver the ambitions of the refreshed National Plan for Music Education.’

The ISM has also written to Baroness Barran, the Minister for the Schools Sector, to highlight the issue, calling for the teacher training bursary to be reinstated for music

In a huge show of support for the ISM’s #D campaign, more than 700 people have sig to Kemi Badenoch MP, the Minister for Wo

The letter calls for the minister to adopt th of our recent report, Dignity at work 2: Disc music sector, which found that discriminat are endemic in the music industry. The cha called for in the letter would go a long wa workplaces safer for all, if implemented

ignity 2Work gned our open letter omen and Equalities. he recommendations crimination in the ion and harassment anges to legislation y to making music

Annetts chaired an evidence session of the UK Trade & Business Commission on Arts and Culture on 26 January.

L apwood

She’s broken new ground as a young woman in helping to bring the organ world into the 21st century, and now as an associate artist of the Royal Albert Hall Anna Lapwood is introducing the instrument to audiences across multiple musical genres. reports

Clare Stevens

Photo: Bruce Childs

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Image: Anna Lapwood conducting at Pembroke College

Photo: Mark Box

SPRING 2023 ANNA LAPWOOD

It’s a cliché these days to say that someone is living their best life, but you only have to see the beaming smile in photo after photo on Anna Lapwood ’s Instagram feed to realise that, in her case, it is not an exaggeration. Organist, choral director, broadcaster … Lapwood ’s current career embraces all three disciplines, seemingly with equal success in each

Still only 27, she has been breaking new ground since her teens, when she was appointed as the rst female organ scholar of Magdalen College, Oxford; then at 21 she moved to Pembroke College, Cambridge where within a short time she had established a girls’ choir to augment the mixed undergraduate choir. Recordings soon followed, including an invitation to the Pembroke Choirs to sing on To Shiver the Sky by y Grammy award-winning American composer Christopher Tin, recorded for Decca at Abbey Road Studios.

Alongside this day job Lapwood cut her teeth in broadcasting with a weekly live show on Cambridgeshire local radio. She has since been both a presenter and chair of the jury on the BBC oung Musician of the ear Competition, worked on the BBC Proms presenting team, and contributed to BBC Radio programmes such as Woman’s Hour and Start the Week, and has been featured on Scala Radio and Classic FM.

Then there’s guest conducting, with choirs including the BBC Singers; and work with music education charities, including in particular the Muze Trust in Zambia

But it’s as an organist that Lapwood has become best known over the past couple of years, thanks largely to her lively TikTok account, which at the time of writing had 3. k followers and an astonishing 12. M likes

She came late to the instrument with which she’s now almost

synonymous. As a child she acquired a basic facilit y on numerous different instruments; when parents and teachers insisted that she must focus on one, she chose the harp, becoming principal harp of the ational outh Orchestra of Great Britain. The organ was just another of the instruments she irted with , until the time came to apply for university and her mother suggested an organ scholarship

motivational tool; urged by a juror to play more like a man, she bounced back with the social media hashtag #PlayLikeAGirl, asserting the right of female performers to be taken seriously. She uses the slogan to promote initiatives such as her own Cambridge Organ Experience for Girls, and is delighted that it has been taken up by countless young female organists around the world

Fast forward to March 2022 and the Royal Albert Hall (RAH)’s announcement of its four inaugural associate artists , tasked with creating ambitious performances for this historic space: Choreographer and lmmaker Corey Baker, saxophone player and presenter Jess Gillam, spoken-word performer LionHeart, and Anna Lapwood

The 9,999-pipe Henr y Willis Grand Organ has dominated the stage of the iconic auditorium ever since it opened in 1871, so it’s hardly surprising that an organist was included in this new line-up Lapwood ’s youth , versatilit y and engaging personality make her an ideal ambassador; her brief includes a focus on commissioning music from young female composers.

Lapwood has been frank in media interviews about the dif culties she faced in mastering the technicalities of such a complex instrument and familiarising herself with the repertoire and rituals of the Anglican liturgical tradition in a short time. ever one to shirk a challenge, however, she was determined to prove she could do it.

Typically, she even turned a competition disappointment into a

o one could have predicted , however, quite how quickly Lapwood ’s regular access to the RAH for rehearsal sessions and a wide variet y of performances would bear fruit in terms of raising the pro le of the organ. Practising alone in the small hours of the morning, she records her sessions and posts snippets on TikTok , annotating them with explanations of what she’s doing with her feet or where particular challenges lie. She chats to securit y staff, cleaners and the technicians and musicians who are sometimes setting up equipment for other performances, taking requests for their favourite pop songs or lm themes. These encounters too are shared on social media, as are particularly thrilling moments in performance, when the viewer gets to see Lapwood counting intently

‘Incorporating the organ really demonstrated how an electronic show could fully integrate into the space of the Hall.’

Simon Green

Photo: Tom Arber

before her big entry in, say, the Saint-Saëns organ symphony

One night last May, she began practising as Simon Green, who performs as the electronic artist Bonobo, and his band were clearing the stage after the penultimate performance of their ve-night Fragments residency. They were captivated by the sound of the organ and invited Lapwood to join them the following evening to close the show.

lowing to close the show.

‘ t was experie the org show co

an incredible moment, a truly life af rming ence,’ said Green after wards. ‘ Incorporating gan really demonstrated how an electronic uld fully integrate into the space of the Hall.’

A simil Cumbe corresp He turn was de of Bach and rec Lapwoo from H for Inte the end Live – t moving be see

ar invitation arose from a meeting with Benedict erbatch, who was reading extracts from historic pondence on stage in a Letters Live performance. s out to be a competent keyboard player who elighted with the chance to play a piece on the organ himself, iprocated by asking od to perform a piece ans Zimmer’s score rstellar at r of Letters he deeply results can n on ouTube.

Other u organ l Einaud hall’s C given a by Lap Lapwoo might h ‘ blastin water, a audienc @an @an @an

nexpected visitors to the RAH oft have included Ludovico i and one of the stars of the Christmas drag show, who was n entertaining impromptu lesson ood as part of the performance od says this is exactly what she was hoping happen through her role as Associate Artist, ng preconceptions of the organ out of the nd introducing the instrument to a new, eager e so they can feel its power for themselves’.

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Anna Lapwood’s upcoming EP ‘Midnight Sessions at the Royal Albert Hall’ will be released on Friday 21st April 2023 on Sony Classical.

Image: Pembroke Chapel Choirs Recording

Photo: Hugh Warwick

Image: Anna Lapwood & Benedict Cumberbatch

Photo: Andy Paradise

SPRING 2023 ANNA LAPWOOD

Tr a nsforming a school music department

What makes an outstanding school music department? The judges for the relevant category in the 2022 Music and Drama Education (MDE) Awards were clear about that in their citation for the winning school, Ullswater Community College (UCC) in Penrith, Cumbria. They commented on the impressive range of multi-genre opportunities at UCC, the commitment of the staff, and ‘ the extraordinary level of discretionary effort that goes into running a music department like this … the staff go above and beyond , and clearly represent the best of the teaching profession’.

At the time of winning the Outstanding School Music Department Award , UCC did not even have a full-time Head of Music. Steven Bryant, who has been teaching music at the school since 2009 and has been in overall charge of the department since 201 , explains that his contract has varied between 0 8 and full-time over the years, while his assistant Simon Gordon is on a 0. contract. They have around ten visiting instrumental and vocal tutors , but no administrative assistance. et they deliver a full classroom music curriculum up to Key Stage – when pupils follow the BTEC Level 3 Extended Certi cate in Music Performance, with exemplary results that allow a number of them to go on to study music at various universities throughout the country – and offer a rich programme of free extra-curricular activities, open to all students

Steven Bryant, head of music at Ullswater Community College, tells what it took to earn a Music and Drama Education Award for outstanding achievement

Penrith is a substantial market town on the eastern edge of the English Lake District. Ullswater Community College is the main comprehensive school, with the largest catchment area in the UK, stretching deep into the fells and river valleys on either side of the M6 motorway. Many of the students live on remote farms and in winter their journeys to and from school can be badly disrupted by snow or oods. Some of them can be hard to motivate as they know their future lies in agriculture or working in family businesses. The town also has a co-educational selective grammar school, which is much better resourced than UCC and is perceived as ‘creaming off’ the most talented students

It is in this context that Bryant and his colleagues undertook the ‘journey of transformation’ for which they received their MDE accolade.

A saxophonist by training, Bryant explains that he arrived at UCC having studied music at Lancaster University, followed by a PGCE at the Universit y of Cumbria and a further year working in hospital administration, before returning to his musical vocation. He found himself working in a school where ‘ there was a choir and an orchestra, but attendance at rehearsals was poor. In terms of resources we had something like two or three functioning keyboards in the entire department. There wasn’t a culture of performance and the kids hadn’t been on a music tour for many years.’

The rst step towards turning things around was to source some funding: ‘ Music for All gave us quite a large injection of money for band instruments, such as a bass clarinet, a baritone sax, a tenor sax and a couple of altos. EMI Sound Foundation gave us some violins. In the early days we did a lot of fundraising, such as a “Performathon” at a local agricultural show, where we got a fee for providing music and the kids got sponsored to play for 12 hours. We put on lunchtime concerts in school, charging 50p entr y. We also worked with the local Lions Club, which organises Mayday in Penrith; I suggested some soloists and singer-song writers who got a little money for performing.’

Westmoreland outh Orchestra’s grant for small groups was also helpful ‘ We’ve used it for sponsoring a couple of kids to learn a brass instrument, who are on free school meals or pupil premium or just can’t afford music lessons,’ says Bryant, concurring with my ’ assumption that there are now many more students in the latter category than there would have been in the past, because of the cost-of-living crisis.

In practical terms, moving as many rehearsals as possible from after-school to lunchtime helped to tackle the problem of the students’ long journeys home. Gradually, the number of performing groups began to grow, based on Bryant’s love of wind and concert bands, but aiming to offer something for everyone, from the UCC Singers, a supportive group for any student who enjoys singing, Guitar Group which enables anyone to learn and improve, and a small string chamber group, to the UCC Brass Band which is slowly turning into a full-size group for more experienced players and the agship UCC Concert Band

Br yant sees music tours as an essential part of the students’ experience, and separate funding drives involving raf es at every concert, supermarket bagpacking, and an annual Christmas Fair where local businesses are invited to take stalls are organised , to ensure that ever yone who wants to can afford to participate.

‘ ur rst tour was to London in 2015,’ he recalls . ’ ‘ That was the rst time the kids got the opportunity to work towards something and perform in another city. It pretty much spearheaded the department for developing. In 2017 we went to Paris , then in 2019 we took more than 80 students to Germany: choir, big band , concert band and street band I remember a performance in a beer garden where our street band really drew people in and got their attention; a bloke from Brazil appeared and said it was the best samba he’d heard .’ COVID-19 obviously halted the touring programme, and increased travel costs mean that they will be returning to London in 2023.

Staged musicals are also important, despite the challenges for such a small staff team; recent performances have included Grease and We will rock you.

Returning to the subject of classroom music, Bryant explains that for him, access to music does not mean watering down the content of the curriculum. On the contrar y, his aim is that ‘ irrespective of whether they carry on into GCSE or S-level or not, children will be able to read music, which is quite a tall order. They will learn to appreciate music of all genres and will be better equipped to enjoy it’.

The biggest challenge, he says, is that ‘ kids nowadays want to be able to do things instantly, so it’s hard to instil the discipline and resilience needed to learn to play an instrument well. They’re ver y tech-savv y, but tech is ver y expensive, especially music tech . I’d love to have a suite of computers with Garageband or Cubase on it which would help with the composition side … but the time it takes to apply for grants we might qualify for is in very short supply.’

Bryant says that winning the MDE award meant a lot to him because he can so often feel he’s on his own, working in such a remote place with no full-time colleagues – although an additional full-time music teacher will join him in September, and non-music staff are generally supportive and proud of what his department has achieved. Otherwise, his own motivation comes from occasions ‘ where I’ve seen the pupils shine and they ’ve done stuff you wouldn’t expect, or when parents come up to us and say “Thank you for involving my child ”.’

Images: Ullswater Community College

Photos: Steven Bryant

‘The staff go above and beyond, and clearly represent the best of the teaching profession’

NF T s, Web 3 a nd the me tav erse: What do they mean for you?

In August 2022 the rock band Muse became the rst artists to release an album as a on-fungible Token ( FT ) in the UK; Will of the People went on to become the UK’s rst number one album using FTs. Sold via the platform Serenade, it was limited to 1,000 copies globally and retailed for £20. Buyers received a downloadable version of the album, digitally signed by the members of the band, and had their names listed on the linked roster of purchasers.

Muse are not the only artists to experiment with FTs; other users include Steve Aoki, Shontelle and Madonna , and at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards , Eminem and Snoop Dogg performed From the D 2 to the LBC as their FT avatars, taking the audience from the stage into the metaverse and then back again. In the classical music world, Living Opera, a Web3 startup, have released a number of FT projects, including their Magic Mozart FT collection – a tribute to the composer and his work; and last year the Dallas Symphony Orchestra sold video recordings of a televised concert as FTs. But what do FTs, Web 3 and metaverse actually mean for new performers, composers and music promoters?

Katherine Rodgers, Community Lead for Water & Music, a research and intelligence network for the new music business, is keen to point out that ‘you should be speci c about what you’re talking about. NFTs, Web3 and the metaverse are all technologies that are on the ascendant right now, but they are their own distinct technolog y and cultural movements as well

The one that is the most accessible for ever yday musicians is Web3. Compared to the metaverse, Web3 is slightly further along and is easier to de ne it’s an umbrella of technologies that all use blockchain in some shape or form. Your average musician is probably going to have more success experimenting with Web3 than with the metaverse ’

Rodgers notes that Web 3 pioneered creator economy products – so a creator can make money directly from their audience, for example by using online platforms that support artists, selling music as FTs and creating tokenised communities around artists’ work –‘ there’s been a lot of focus and resources available for artists who want to be on these platforms and release work through them’.

Despite the advantages that these technologies can offer, Rodgers would advise new musicians to be cautious about experimenting with them: ‘ I don’t think that, for new artists, setting out with the aim of getting into Web3 or the metaverse is particularly productive. Start with a body of work and ask whether technolog y resonates with that work does it help you ful l your artistic ambition If you don’t have a fan base yet, then focus on building up a traditional fan base before staking all your hopes on Web3.

Musicians now have access to new technologies such as FTs, Web3 and the metaverse. Vinota

Karunasaagarar chats with Katherine Rodgers of research and intelligence network Water & Music to learn more about them

Katherine Rodgers

Web3 is a way to incentivise and monetise an existing fan base.’

She is quick to point out the success of traditional methods of marketing yourself, for example making use of more familiar social media platforms ‘Then once you have a fan base, explore what Web3 can offer you. I wouldn’t neglect traditional methods of fan base building and marketing. I think ultimately, it’s so incredibly hard to be an artist these days that you do need to be across all different platforms and channels. It’s important to consider Web3 and these emerging technologies as one of many platforms you can’t put all your eggs in one Web3 basket.’

If you are unfamiliar with how to use new technologies, you can learn more from information available online. ‘At Music & Water we’re committed to making this space as transparent as possible,’ says Rodgers. ‘ We’ve published reports that give clear breakdowns of the features of each music NFT platform. The Music Ally website and newsletters, for example, while not speci cally Web3 publications as they cover music, tech and the music business, have done an excellent job of covering Web3, and a lot of their content is free. And from a business perspective, the newsletter Penny Fractions r takes a detailed critical look at various trends the author is good at bursting hype bubbles and being brutally realistic about music business trends and what they actually offer to artists.’

What of the disadvantages of these new technologies?

For Rodgers the main drawback is that they can feel cut off from the traditional music industr y : ‘I hear this all the time from artists who have success in this sphere, that they are struggling to translate it to the traditional music industry, ie to booking shows

Another disadvantage is that it is a level above the traditional artist-fan relationship . There’s almost a collector dynamic, and often collectors can expect a bit more, which can be very draining for the artists. Often Web3 is posed as an alternative for artists who are burned out from having to market themselves constantly to the traditional music industr y and to more traditional fan bases, but the reality is that the kind of marketing you have to do in Web3 is even more labour-intensive, more complicated and perhaps more decisive as well artists have received backlash for using NFTs. Many of the same problems that exist in music and marketing in general exist in Web3, it’s just the rewards are so much higher, or they can be.’

Another emerging new technolog y is Arti cial Intelligence (AI). Rodgers is excited by the prospect of AI and mentions that Water & Music were running demos of creative AI tools in Januar y of this year : ‘AIpowered tools are already being used in various parts of

the music creation process tools like stem splitters and AI-powered mixing/mastering tools are already pretty commonplace. There’s no reason to be scared at the moment of AI taking over traditional composing, as most of the music from just these AI tools is pretty unlistenable to ’ A common criticism is that AI should not be involved in the creative process, but Rodgers disagrees with this: ‘ That’s a very negative view about the intrinsic nature of human creativity.’ Instead she suggests we should be focusing on ‘looking at what happens when we fuse our ideas with tools that can help us do more, ie produce higher quality work , more quickly. One thing I’m excited about is the idea that music composition might be democratised somewhat, it might be opened up to a wider range of people, people who don’t have the time to pick up musical skills or learn an instrument but nevertheless have creative ideas and want to see them come to life . That’s terrifying and disruptive, but kind of lovely more people should be able to make art.’

As we look to 2023, what can we expect to see as the next emerging technolog y? For Rodgers it’s back to focusing on fans. ‘ There’s going to be the rise of the fan club again digital fan clubs, small communities of music fans gathering around a particular artist or label. There are lots of vibrant music communities on platforms like Discourse, Telegram and even on Facebook . The thing that’s special about these communities is that artists will be able to communicate with and market directly to their most engaged and passionate fans rather than competing with the Instagram algorithm. That’s going to make for more radically intimate and open conversations between artists and fans . Fans will be able to take on more of the marketing work from their artists, and they’re going to build these communities together.’

attend our panel discussion: ‘New Horizons’ at our ’ upcoming AGM. Learn more about the resources mentioned in this feature at: waterandmusic.com, musically.com, and pennyfractions.ghost.io

is the technology that underpins bitcoins and cryptocurrency.

are unique digital assets that can be traded or exchanged for money, cryptocurrency or other FTs.

The Metaverse is a term that embraces various platforms and types of new technology including Arti cial Reality, Arti cial Intelligence and Virtual Reality, but even experts in new technology say its exact meaning is dif cult to de ne.

Web3 is a new kind of de-centralised internet, built on individual platforms rather than a single vast network.

St Andrews University is proud to announce the opening of the Laidlaw Music Centre, an extraordinary place for students and the wider local community to come and explore their love of music. With no music degree course at St Andrews, most of the music making is out of the academic environment, making the centre all the more remarkable. A full programme of professional concerts is planned as well as a wide range of student generated activity.

Peter Falconer selected for

Peter Falconer has been selected to take part in Adopt a Music Creator 2023. The scheme, run by corporate members Making Music in partnership with Sound and Music, pairs emerging music creators with leisure-time music groups for a year to create new and inspiring pieces, leading up to a premiere performance, recording and radio broadcast.

ikhil Dally, Principal of Stepping otes Music School, has announced his spring programme of face-to-face, handson workshops, Teaching Musicianship Through Singing and Movement . Aimed at teachers of children aged 2 to 9, workshops will take place in Egham, Surrey:

3 April 2023: Pitch, Scale, Melody & Harmony

2 June 2023: Metre, Phrasing & structure

steppingnotes.com

Music in Media Award

Congratulations to London based composer, musician and producer who has won an award at the Holly wood Music in Media Awards, in the category for the new/emerging composer for her orchestral work Imaginarium

Highlights of some of our members’ activities across the UK

The ISM website now has a home for Community news at: ism.org/membership/professional-community-2023

MA and celebrates student success

Middlesex Universit y has announced the launch of a new MA in Music and Sound for Screen commencing in September 2023. Enquiries about this can be sent to Programme Leader, Dr Arthur Keegan-Bole ( ).

Recent alumni achievements include Shan Ako joining the West End cast of Hamilton and David Mrakpor winning a Grammy for his work producing Mother Nature by Angélique Kidjo, while current student Khush Quiney has been named MMF 2022 Student Trailblazer

announces International on No Notes

Organs, organ music and organists will be celebrated around the world on International Organ Day on Saturday 22 April 2023. ow in its fourth year, International Organ Day is promoted by The Royal College of Organists (RCO) to encourage people to explore and enjoy organ music, seek out performances, and support the development of new generations of musicians and enthusiasts.

is offering ISM members a 20 discount on its No Notes piano books. Suitable for absolute beginners learning 1-to-1 or in the classroom, No Notes piano music helps beginners assimilate a variety of essential foundation keyboard skills while learning familiar songs and bluesy piano riffs and grooves.

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The English Folk Dance and Song Society has produced Tunes and Groove in Folk and Bhangra, a free resource for secondar y school teachers, in collaboration with Kent Music. Twelve lms give inspiration for brand new instrumental arrangements of two folk tunes, Mill in the Wod (an 18th-centur y Kentish jig) and Teri Meri (a modern bhangra tune), with supporting notes prepared by Kuljit Bhamra, Grace Smith and Sam Partridge.

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Online Music Theory

On demand exams at Grades 1 to 5, whenever and wherever you choose.

ABRSM supports the teaching and learning of music in partnership with four Royal Schools of Music. www.abrsm.org

Member spotlight spotlight

Ben Parry – conductor, composer, arranger, producer and singer

How did you originally get into music?

I come from a very musical family –in fact, Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn are my rst cousins seven times removed. My dad was a proli c teacher and organist in Suffolk and I and my three older siblings all sang in his church choir and played instruments. I grew up in Ipswich and my parents were heavily involved in music-making at Aldeburgh and Snape Maltings, where Benjamin Britten held his famous music festival.

What or who inspires you?

My dad certainly had the greatest in uence on my music career. He was caring, empathetic and enthusiastic, yet expected high standards from everyone he worked with, as well as himself.

What piece of advice has helped you most in your career?

I once asked a famous lm composer, who took over from John Williams writing the scores for the nal two Harry Potter lms, how they managed to secure such a prestigious project – they said ‘turn up on time and do a great job’ That is certainly a large part of maintaining a successful career in the music industry. And be a nice person as well!

What has been the most rewarding project so far in your career and why?

There is a long list of projects which have been unutterably rewarding, and it’s almost impossible to choose just one. But if I have to, it would probably be the production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, which I conducted with my group Dunedin Consort in Scotland in 2000.

What advice would you give someone wanting to succeed in the music industry?

It’s a complex mix of attributes which make up the consummate musician. Work hard, be ef cient, enthusiastic and polite, manage your time well, do a good job. Take the knocks as well as the accolades, and learn from every experience.

area of the music industry, where would it be and why?

Gosh, interesting question! I suppose if I wanted more nancial security, I should have worked in the pop industry, but it’s more about job satisfaction. I’ve enjoyed orchestral conducting more recently, but have always hated travelling, which seems to be a major condition of that sector.

If you could change one thing about the music sector, what would it be and why?

I’ve worked predominantly in the choral industry for most of my career, and we must strive for better representation – ethnically, geographical and gender – to ensure we truly re ect our society and cultural landscape. I often quote this important statement: ‘if you can’t see it, you can’t be it’, and I’ve worked tirelessly over the past few years to encourage more access and inclusion.

What are your future plans?

I am stepping down later this year as Artistic Director of the ational outh Choirs of Great Britain, with whom I’ve worked for the past ten years, to concentrate on my studio work –recording and composing for lm, TV and radio. I am the director of the professional choir London Voices as well as a composer of production music and I want to concentrate on these areas while people still want me!

Finally, what does your ISM membership mean to you?

ISM has been a great support, particularly over the past few years as our industry was ravaged by the pandemic.