In this conversation, Andy and Jonathan chat with Gwilym Simcock, one of the world's most gifted pianists and imaginative composers. Gwilym moves effortlessly between jazz and classical music, with a ‘harmonic sophistication and subtle dovetailing of musical traditions’. His influences are wide ranging, from jazz legends including Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius and Pat Metheny, to classical composers including Maurice Ravel, Henri Dutilleux, Béla Bartók and Mark-Anthony Turnage. Although principally a jazz artist, Gwilym has composed numerous works for larger classical ensembles that combine through-composed elements with improvisation, creating a sound that is distinctive and very much his own.

Gwilym shares many insights from his childhood and formative years in this conversation. This centred around his time at Chethams and the Royal Academy of Music. Key teachers and their influences on him are celebrated. We also chat about compositional processes and how they are informed by and incorporated into improvisatory practice.

Music Learning Conversation is hosted by Jonathan Savage and Andy Scott, and is a UCAN Play podcast.

Produced by Josh Savage

Title Music - JellyBaby
Written and Performed by Dave Hassell & Andy Scott
Remix by Stan Scott
Voice over Sam Marsden
Mixed & Produced by Paul Dormer

Welcome to the Music Learning Conversation podcast! Our second series of opens with a conversation with David Barnard.

David has had a wide-ranging career in music education. He started life as a bass trombonist in the Royal Corp of Signals, before moving into education, eventually becoming Director of the Swindon Music Service. From this, David became the Head of Education at Roland UK. More recently, David has been working at the Musicians’ Union as a case officer within the Education, Health & Well-Being Department.

In our chat, David reflects on his extensive experience in music education, the teachers he has valued, the importance of the work of music education hubs, and his work in helping shaping the policy and practice of music education in England.

Music Learning Conversation is hosted by Jonathan Savage and Andy Scott, and is a UCAN Play podcast.

Produced by Josh Savage

Title Music - JellyBaby
Written and Performed by Dave Hassell & Andy Scott
Remix by Stan Scott
Voice over Sam Marsden
Mixed & Produced by Paul Dormer

Welcome to the Music Learning Conversation podcast! Today's special guest is John Helliwell - saxophonist, clarinettist, keyboard player & backing vocalist with the wonderful band Supertramp. No doubt you'll remember hits such as ‘The Logical Song’, ‘Dreamer’ & ‘It’s Raining Again’. John's sound and style are so distinctive and are part of the soundtrack to many of our lives.

In his early fifties, after many years of touring the world, John decided to study for a degree in music at the Royal Northern College of Music. We will be finding out about his journey and the reasons for pursuing a more formal musical education at the time that he did. We'll also be finding out what advice John has for younger musicians today who are starting out on their careers in the music industry.

Music Learning Conversation is hosted by Jonathan Savage and Andy Scott, and is a UCAN Play podcast.

Produced by Josh Savage

Title Music - JellyBaby
Written and Performed by Dave Hassell & Andy Scott
Remix by Stan Scott
Voice over Sam Marsden
Mixed & Produced by Paul Dormer

Welcome to the Music, Learning, Conversation podcast. Our special guest in this episode is Rick Jupp.

After spending over 30 years as co-founder, co-songwriter and drummer in the band Elbow, Richard left the band to explore his passion for teaching and mentoring musicians of all ages and abilities, researching the physical and mental benefits of drumming for both neuro-diverse and neuro-typical people of all ages, spend time with my family and re-connect with the drums.

His journey has taken him from being in one of the UK's biggest and critically acclaimed bands, touring the world, winning BRIT's, Ivor Novello's and a Mercury Prize to running Workshops and Masterclasses at Universities, Colleges and schools nationwide, to 1-2-1 teaching and mentoring Sessions at his Drum Studio in Stockport, as well as teaching at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA)

In our conversation, we explore Rick's like and career so far, with a particular focus on the physical and mental benefits of drumming for students of all ages and abilities. Another major focus is the relationship between the music industry and music education, and the opportunities for partnership working between the two. As regular listeners will know, we get distracted by all sorts of other interesting features of music and learning along the way too!

Music Learning Conversation is hosted by Jonathan Savage and Andy Scott, and is a UCAN Play podcast.

Produced by Josh Savage

Title Music - JellyBaby
Written and Performed by Dave Hassell & Andy Scott
Remix by Stan Scott
Voice over Sam Marsden
Mixed & Produced by Paul Dormer

In this episode, Andy and Jonathan chat to John Barber, the Director of the Love Music Trust, principal trombonist with the world famous Fodens' Band, teacher and author. John is enjoying a fantastic career in music education and our conversation is wide-ranging, embracing reflections on the experiences and people that have shaped his life, as well as looking forward to the challenges and opportunities facing the newly appointed music hubs once they are established next year.

At a time when qualifications such as the Music A level are under threat, we also spent some discussing the innovative Cheshire Specialist Music Course, a partnership with the Royal Northern College of Music and Sandbach School, that offers students an enhanced A level music programme.

Andy and Jonathan have chatted with many people for the Music, Learning, Conversation podcast, but John stands out for his commitment to the highest quality of musicianship within his own work, as well as the design, implementation and management of the highest quality music education opportunities for our young people.

Music Learning Conversation is hosted by Jonathan Savage and Andy Scott, and is a UCAN Play podcast.

Produced by Josh Savage

Title Music - JellyBaby
Written and Performed by Dave Hassell & Andy Scott
Remix by Stan Scott
Voice over Sam Marsden
Mixed & Produced by Paul Dormer

In this episode of Music, Learning, Conversation we chat with Will Evans. Will is a Senior Lecturer in Music Education at Manchester Metropolitan University, leader of the PGCE in Music and PGCE in Music with Specialist Instrument Teaching run by Manchester Metropolitan University with the Royal Northern College of Music, a brilliant tuba player with the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band (as well as its General Secretary), and - most importantly - a great friend!

There’s an African proverb along the lines of ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. In our conversation with Will, we think about this in relation to the importance of a rich social environment when learning to play an instrument. In particular, we focus on brass instruments given Will's experience as a professional tuba player and brass band musician. We consider how brass bands offer a unique environment for young musicians and what the rest of our can learn from this within our own musical learning and teaching.

Regular listeners will know that each episode of Music Learning Conversation features a piece of new music chosen by our guest. This week, Will has chosen The Floral Dance performed by his band, the Brighouse and Rastrick Band. This piece has a very special place in the band's history. Do listen to the end of the podcast to find out why!

Music Learning Conversation is hosted by Jonathan Savage and Andy Scott, and is a UCAN Play podcast.

Produced by Josh Savage

Title Music - JellyBaby
Written and Performed by Dave Hassell & Andy Scott
Remix by Stan Scott
Voice over Sam Marsden
Mixed & Produced by Paul Dormer

In this episode of Music, Learning, Conversation, we chat to Polly Moore, the Chief Executive of Restore the Music UK. As a leading charity in its field, Restore the Music funds music provision to state schools in areas of high deprivation, delivering grant programmes that offer all young people an alternative future to the norm.

The charity has grown rapidly from its London roots over the past 5 years and is now working with schools in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne. It is constantly looking at new opportunities to both extend the connectivity and network to ensure maximum impact & value added solutions to the issues facing today's young people.

In our conversation, Polly chats about her own background in music and business and how this has motivated her in her current work in the charitable sector. The impact of the charity's work on schools - their staff and students - is discussed. Polly's choice of music is an original composition from a winner from the Restore the Music Battle of the Bands, from Oasis Academy Shirley Park in Croydon.

Music Learning Conversation is hosted by Jonathan Savage and Andy Scott, and is a UCAN Play podcast.

Produced by Josh Savage

Title Music - JellyBaby
Written and Performed by Dave Hassell & Andy Scott
Remix by Stan Scott
Voice over Sam Marsden
Mixed & Produced by Paul Dormer

In this episode of Music, Learning, Conversation, we are joined by Alice Chesterman. Alice is the Head of Creative Learning at Digit Music. Digit Music’s mission ​​is to remove barriers to music through innovation and easy-to-use technology, supporting musicians of all abilities and disabilities. Prior to this, Alice was the Creative Learning Manager (Schools) at the South Bank Centre.

In our discussion, we explored the notion of creative learning (as opposed to uncreative learning!), and how that this can be fostered through partnership approaches to education. We look at some of the challenges involved in this, particularly those faced by teachers working in schools. Finally, we look at Digit Music's new musical instrument - Cmpsr. This joystick instrument has been beautifully designed and has a wonderful array of musical applications within the classroom and beyond.

This episode's music comes from Andy Scott and his Mancunity project.

Music Learning Conversation is hosted by Jonathan Savage and Andy Scott, and is a UCAN Play podcast.

Produced by Josh Savage

Title Music - JellyBaby
Written and Performed by Dave Hassell & Andy Scott
Remix by Stan Scott
Voice over Sam Marsden
Mixed & Produced by Paul Dormer