11/10/2007
The members of the Music Manifesto's Partnership and Advocacy Group have been announced.
A team of leaders drawn from music education, children's services and the music industry has been selected to form the brand new Music Manifesto Partnership and Advocacy Group (MMPAG).
It means that our Chair, Darren Henley, is now supported by a 12-strong team who will represent our signatories and push forward the agenda, turning pledges into action. Each member brings with them a variety of expertise, talent and insights.
"By working together, all of the Manifesto signatories can make a real difference," said Darren. "Our group will aim to support and influence the development of music education from a position of real knowledge and experience of delivering services to children."
Kathryn Deane, who will be the Deputy Chair of the group, says it was a tough selection process: "We had a very strong list of enthusiastic applications, and I'm delighted to be working with a wide range of new and old colleagues in driving forward the recommendations of the Music Manifesto in improving young people's music learning."
The newly selected members are:
Justin Baron, Sibelius (pictured, middle right): market leaders in the field of educational music technology, and strong supporters of and contributors to the Music Manifesto from its earliest stages.
Aimee Gardner, teacher: primary music Advanced Skills Teacher at Gallions primary school in Newham, London. A leading teacher in her field with a specialism in transition years, Gallions has a strong music tradition and all classes sing daily.
Nick Howdle, Sound Connections (top left): innovative leader from the non-formal sector, increasingly working across the wider music education spectrum, with strong community development experience. Sound Connections leads the Youth Music Action Zone for London, with a track record of relating young people's music to the music and creative industries.
Nii Sackey, Bigga Fish (bottom right): director and founder of Bigga Fish, which provides youth education through music, multimedia and entertainment. Nii is also a Clore Leadership Fellow.
Graeme Smith, Croydon Music Service (bottom left): a strong supporter and advocate for the Music Manifesto. As Head of Croydon's music service Graeme has overseen the implementation of a music education strategy based on the Manifesto's recommendations.
John Stephens, Children's Services Salford: as a Deputy Director, John champions the centrality of music and the arts in the meeting of the Every Child Matters 'five outcomes'; also a member of the Manchester/Salford Creative Partnerships Board.
Paul Wilson, Wren Music (top right): co-founder of Devon's folk and community music development organisation, working with more than 30,000 young people in educational, community and social settings every year.
Katherine Zeserson, Sage Gateshead (middle left): Director of Learning and Participation at the Sage Gateshead, Katherine has a track record of developing provision for young people's music-making including a Youth Music Action Zone and the Music Manifesto Pathfinder programme, 'Access to Excellence'.
The co-opted members from the former Music Manifesto Steering Group are:
Sara Conway, British Music Rights: policy adviser with wide experience of forging partnerships and engaging the music industry in the education agenda; supported and helped devise Young Enterprise's Quickstart Music scheme.
Leonora Davies, consultant on young people's music: former inspector of music for London Borough of Haringey and past chair of Music Education Council; co-chair of the workforce development strand of the second Music Manifesto report.
Kathryn Deane, Sound Sense: Sound Sense is the UK development agency for community music; Kathryn served as co-chair of the co-ordination strand of the second Music Manifesto report.
Paul McManus, Music Industries Association: Chief Executive of MIA, the UK trade association for the musical products industry, the lead body for the sector.
Also in attendance, and observing the work of the MMPAG, will be Dick Hallam, Oxfordshire Music Service & DCSF adviser, and Marc Jaffrey, former Music Manifesto Champion and now its Development Director.
We'd like to thank everyone who submitted an application to join the group.
You can look forward to regular updates on the work of the MMPAG here on the website, but if you'd like to contact the group please do so via info@musicmanifesto.co.uk.