Workshop Leader Profiles

Dr Joel Almeida

Dr Joel specialises in participatory music, musical story-telling and musical play for young children. His approaches include syllabic singing, including tonic sol fa and the Indian vocal syllables known as "konnakol". He believes that young children can learn the language of Music especially well, alongside English and many other languages which they learn or invent. He is an experienced trainer.

Mark Burke

Mark Burke graduated from the RCM and enjoyed a successful teaching and playing career including over 500 performances for Live Music Now! In 1996, Mark co-founded Charanga and developed a series of music learning software products culminating in 2001 with a Design Council industry award for excellence in innovation and export. Today, Charanga works in partnership with 60 Music Services producing innovative digital resources supporting all aspects of music learning.

Tony Cresswell

BSc, PGCE, LRAM (conducting), LGSM (adjudicating). Tony was a classroom teacher of mathematics and music for ten years before establishing Mostyn Music twenty five years ago with his wife Maureen who was a peripatetic woodwind teacher. Mostyn Music specializes in the publication, distribution and retail of music for young bands. They operate an extensive mail order business from the web site www.mostynmusic.com. Tony works with bands of all levels helping them choose suitable repertoire.

Kate Courage

Kate trained at the University of Warwick and at Bath Spa University and has taught all ages from nursery to head teachers. Her passion is for singing and she conducts several choirs around the area, including Bristol Voices, the Cathedral School Boys' Choir and the Mendip Male Voice Choir. She is also a freelance composer and has written for the Sing Up website, plus other songs for choirs and children. She is a member of Howard Goodall's Sing Tank.

Paul Denegri

Paul studied at the Royal College of Music and Trinity College of Music London where he was awarded FTCL and LTCL. In 1986 aged 24 he was appointed Head of Brass Jazz and Commercial Music at Wells Cathedral Specialist Music School, where he remains to this day. He was awarded an Honorary Associate of The Royal Academy of Music for his 20 years of innovative contributions to music education. Away from Wells he is a busy and successful conductor, trumpet player, teacher, composer, arranger and adjudicator. He works regularly with the National Children’s Orchestra, National Youth Wind Ensemble, National Youth Wind Orchestra, Schools Philharmonic Orchestra, South West Youth Wind Sinfonia. Paul is a mentor and musical coach for The South West Music School.

Ben England

Ben England is an Advanced Skills Teacher and Head of Music at the Grange School. His pre-teaching background is in professional ICT (sound design and web consultancy), and he is also a prominent Bristol conductor and singer. He works with schools and universities across Bristol and South Gloucestershire in an advisory capacity in many musical areas, often focusing on innovative ICT use.

Nic Garrick

Nicholas is Director of Lighting Up Learning and is passionate that learning should be a process; an experience to be explored and engaged with. He believes that creativity; curiosity and making links are the basic principles of learning. Over the past 9 years, Nicholas has taught Reception to Year Six; been an Advanced Skills Teacher and a Deputy Head. As a practicing Inclusion Leader and teacher in Christ Church Primary School, Bristol he is dedicated to enhancing learners' experiences.

Geraldine Gaunt

Geraldine is Adviser for Music Services in Wakefield LA. Previously a deputy Head, advisory teacher and Ofsted Inspector, her love of music and choral music in particular, has shaped her teaching career. Geraldine is co-author of a series of national recognized publications called ‘Music in Action’ that help teachers deliver the music curriculum. Both Geraldine and Phil Needham have recently been involved in writing the music for their latest publication ‘SEAL Songs in Action’ a collection of songs to support the primary Strategy’s Social and Emotional Aspects to Learning’. They have just completed ‘Funky Feet; which is an exciting collection of songs and musical activities for Foundation and Key Stage One.

Phil Needham

Phil is an Advisory Teacher for Music for Wakefield LA. Previous to this he worked for 15 years as a secondary music teacher and Head of Department, being one of the few departments nationally to receive a grade 1 from Ofsted. Phil has created many high quality resources for pastoral use informed by his other roles as a Head of Year and Lower school. He has just produced ‘JunkJackers’ a collection of high energy tracks that are perfect for junk and rhythm work for all ages!

Phil Heeley

Phil Heeley is currently Teaching and Learning Manager for Music Technology and Youth Culture for the Somerset Music Service. Classroom teaching has included residential and day EBD, MLD, PMLD and Secondary as well as workshops in Primary, Universities, FE colleges, Teacher Training and Inset work. Phil is also a workshop leader and mentor for the Trinity Guildhall CPD programme. Consultancy has included work with many music services, Ofsted, the BBC, QCA, eJay, Connexions, ABRSM, BECTA – “Ask an expert”, Musical Futures, theatre groups, children’s homes, youth clubs, drug dependant adults, the homeless, and therapeutic communities.

Neil Johnson

Neil delivers a portion of Bristol's Early Years music programme in children’s centres, nurseries and schools. He launched the Music Start programme for Youth Music in Bristol, aimed at EY children and their families and he teaches music to student early years practitioners at Filton College of Further Education on behalf of Sing Up. Neil also runs Bristol’s only Key Stage 1 choir at the Bristol Music Centre. As an educator, Neil works right across the age range with pre-schoolers, children, young people, adults, vulnerable adults and professional workers in a variety of formal and informal settings. He writes music for film, theatre, radio and computer games and currently plays in two bands, Angel Tech and North Sea Navigator, with whom he has toured Europe, America and the Far East. His most recent album, Among The Dead City, has just been released on Kill Crow records.

Julie Payne

Julie Payne is an animateur for various orchestras and organisations. She leads creative composition projects in a wide range of settings – from schools to prisons, universities and nursing homes. Trained as an oboist at the RNCM and also an accomplished pianist, Julie is much in demand as a performer as well as leading education projects. She also has her own Soundbeam equipment and uses it in many of her creative projects.

Tim Parker

Tim studied at the Sheffield University, gaining B.Mus and M.Mus degrees. He also has a Certificate in Professional Assessment from the GSMDA. Tim works as a full-time singing teacher, with specific responsibilities for the promotion and development of singing in 65 schools in Bath and North East Somerset. He directs three award-winning choirs including the Senior County Choir. He has appeared as a soloist on numerous CD recordings, broadcast on Radio 3 and 4, and BBC 1; he also appears on the soundtrack to the international film The Killing of John Lennon.

Tim Swingler

Tim has run workshops and courses on Soundbeam throughout the world. He is a founder member of the National Community Music Association and is actively involved in the International Society for Music Education (ISME) Music Therapy and Special Education Commission. Tim lives and is based in Bristol.

Tim Warren

Tim is the Head of Creative and Performing Arts Faculty at a secondary school in South Gloucestershire. He is a very experienced HOD, and has worked with all key stages and many PGCE students. Tim is an examiner of A level Music (Edexcel - Composition) and Moderator for the Creative and Media Diploma. (Edexcel). He is also the domain assessor and Leader of Line for the Creative and Media Diploma within a large consortium of schools in South Gloucestershire.

Val Whitlock

Renowned for her infectious enthusiasm, energy and flair for motivating people of all ages and abilities about singing, Val pursues a busy freelance role as workshop leader, choral director, voice consultant, author and singer. Val is in demand nationally to direct large-scale choral performances, and is a highly sought-after trainer and consultant to national music organisations and initiatives. The best-selling Singing Sherlock series, published by Boosey and Hawkes, which she co-authored, have become standard materials for singing leaders.