Make Your Mark: Notes on Music Education
A Music Mark Podcast
‘Make Your Mark: Notes on Music Education’ is a podcast showcasing diverse experiences and perspectives from across the music education sector.
We’ll explore the major challenges faced by those working with young people in music, the challenges young people face themselves, and celebrate inspiring projects and stories from across the nation and beyond. Tune in to hear from expert guests as we tackle music education’s biggest questions, highlight its most exciting initiatives, and discuss the musical journeys of those involved.
Listen here:
Episodes & Show Notes
Neurodiversity
Episode 4, 24th April 2025
In this episode, we’re joined by Catrina Lowri, founder of Neuroteachers, Clair Mccoll, Music Hub Manager for Octagon Music Hub and Music Mark Trustee, and Danya Rushton, a current student at the Royal College of Music, to explore the impact of neurodiversity on learners and how music educators can do more to create an inclusive and supportive sector.
Catrina Lowri
Catrina founded Neuroteachers to help educational settings work with their autistic and neurodivergent learners to find simple solutions for neuro -inclusive practice.
Catrina is neurodivergent herself, having the dual diagnosis of dyslexia and bipolar disorder and has traits of ADHD, dyspraxia and Auditory Processing Disorder. She is a qualified special needs teacher and an experienced SENCO and advisory teacher. She uses her unique status as an expert by lived experience and a teacher with 23 years of pupil-facing experience to help schools improve behaviour, attendance, and attainment amongst pupils of all neurotypes. The Neuroteachers team do this through training, mentoring, coaching and culture change in nurseries, schools, and colleges
Follow Catrina on social media:
@neuroteachers on TikTok; @neuroteachersuk on Threads and Instagram
Clair McColl
Clair began working in music education as an administrator with Devon Music Service in 2003, moving on to become Strategic Lead for Dorset Music Service in 2019. She is currently the Music Hub Manager for Octagon Music Hub and a Trustee of Music Mark. Clair was diagnosed with ADHD in 2020.
Danya Rushton
Danya is currently a Year 1 Royal College of Music full scholar (Viola, 2nd study Voice). She is on the ABRSM Youth Advisory Board (2023–) and Music Mark This Is Not A Rehearsal Steering Group (2024–). She is an NYO Alumni and Benedetti Foundation Ambassador (2025–). She formerly attended the Purcell School of Music & Junior Royal Academy of Music. Danya was Principal Viola for NYO 2024 and an LPO Junior Artist (2020/21). She has diagnosed ASD & ADHD.
Follow Danya on social media:
@danyaviola on Instagram
Download the episode transcript
Links and Resources:
- Neuroteachers website
- Untypical by Pete Wharmby
- Raising the SEN-Betweeners by Lisa Lloyd
- National Autistic Society
- ADHD Foundation
- British Dyslexia Association
- Aucademy
- Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things? by Pierre Novellie
- Sounds of Intent qualification framework
- Arts Award
- We’re All Neurodiverse by Sonny Jane Wise
- Unmasking Autism by Devon Price
- Girl Unmasked by Emily Katy
Tools for Teachers
Episode 3, 27th March 2025
Join us as we dive into classroom music teaching and talk about tools for teachers. With Jenetta Hurst, the Creative Educator, James Manwaring from Music Teachers Association, and Abi Marrison, Music Mark’s Schools Manager, we explore the realities of teaching music, some of the changes in the profession, and provide practical advice for teachers or those considering becoming a teacher.
Jenetta Hurst
Jenetta is a flautist, consultant and school leader with 19 years’ experience leading secondary music. Jenetta graduated from UCL Institute of Education with the MA Leadership in 2019. A passion for staff development has seen Jenetta lead training for secondary music teachers on behalf of Music Mark, and Music Masters’ PGCEi.
Follow Jenetta on social media:
Jenetta Hurst on LinkedIn; @thecreative_educator on Instagram
Contact Jenetta via The Creative Educator
James Manwaring
James is Director of Music for Windsor Learning Partnership and President Elect of Music Teachers Association. He has worked in music education for over 20 years. He runs a community choir in Windsor and enjoys running, reading, opera and a nice glass of red wine. Father of two, husband and dog owner!
Abi Marrison
Abi is our Schools Manager at Music Mark and has been with us just over a year, she comes from a Primary Teaching background and most of these 10 years were specialising in Early Years.
Abi has supported many education settings to develop their arts and culture offer during her 8 years with Festival Bridge (one of 10 Arts Council funded Bridge organisations), including delivering support and training across East Anglia for the Arts Council England’s quality mark ‘Artsmark’. Abi also works part time as Digital Primaries Programme Manager, an online dance programme for Primary Schools streamed live from DanceEast in Ipswich.
Download the episode transcript
Links and Resources:
- The Creative Educator Website
- Effective Extra-Curricular Provision in Music Ebook
- James Manwaring’s Blog
- Music Teachers Association
- Nate Holder’s Website
- Listen, Imagine, Compose
- I Can Compose
- Passing Notes Education
- MTA Podcast – Teaching Notes
- MusicFirst
- MTA Conference 2025
- Music Mark Conference
- #CanDoMusic
- Music and Drama Education Expo
- T-Time sessions for classroom teachers
- Music Mark Peer Groups; Instrumental & Vocal Teachers Peer Group
- A Common Approach
- Demos Report – Facing The Music: Meeting the ambitions of the National Plan for Music Education
Pathways into Industry
Episode 2, 27th February 2025
In this episode, we explore the realities and challenges of pathways into the music industry. We’re joined by Benjamin Turner from Rap Club and The Spit Game, Tom Eagle from Musician’s Union, and Grifton Forbes-Amos, a professional trumpet player. They share their own experiences with the music industry, tell us more about what they do now, and provide advice and insights for those pursuing a career in the music industry.
Benjamin Turner
Benjamin Turner is the founder of Spit Game and Rap Club, initiatives that empower young people through creativity. His youth-led team run rap education programs in schools, developing the next generation of artists and leaders. Passionate about youth voice, he bridges music/film and industry, ensuring young talent gets real opportunities.
Follow Turner on social media:
@rapclubuk on Instagram
@thespitgameuk on Instagram and TikTok
@mrbenjiwenji on X
Tom Eagle
Tom Eagle has been the Musicians’ Union Regional Officer for the East and Southeast of England since 2019. He has worked both as an employee and a freelancer in various areas of the music industry. His experience includes countless live performances in over twenty-five countries, lecturing in Music Business and Performance at both FE and HE levels, and recording as a session musician. Tom joined the MU at the start of his career and is still a member of the East and Southeast Region.
Follow Tom on social media:
@wearethemu on Instagram
@WeAreTheMU on X
Grifton Forbes-Amos
Grifton Forbes-Amos is a London based Musician who’s been playing music from the young age of 10 working to indentify his sound and what music means to him. He strives to seek his sound from all the resources he’s come across creating something new but still paying homage to Jazz.
Follow Grifton on social media:
@Griftonnb1 and @Grif_tones on Instagram and TikTok
Download the episode transcript
Links and Resources:
Gender Inclusivity in Music Technology
Episode 1, 30th January 2025
In the first episode of Make Your Mark: Notes on music education, the new Music Mark podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Eddie Dobson, Co-Director of Yorkshire Sound Women Network; Kate Rounding, Executive Director at TiME (Technology in Music Education UK); and Xanthe Sparke, Project Co-ordinator at Old Chapel Music Studios. We talked about representation in the music technology space, the challenges facing young women, transgender young people and non-binary young people and how these should be addressed. We also highlighted some fantastic resources for music education organisations to improve their practice in this area, and opportunities that young people interested in music technology can get involved with.
Dr. Eddie Dobson
Dr Eddie Dobson is a composer, sound designer and scholar with a passion for working with sound, storytelling, and connecting with others with similar interests. Since completing a PhD on the social psychology of music technology collaboration and creativity, Eddie became a National Teaching Fellow of the HEA, delivering research articles, book chapters, international keynotes, and education projects, also initiating and co-founding Yorkshire Sound Women Network C.I.C. in 2015. As an independent practitioner Eddie now enjoys a world of sound making, collaborations, project development and education with a broadening range of brilliant and fascinating people.
Follow Eddie on social media:
@lizdobsonuoh on X
@eddieatfinelineaudio on Instagram
Kate Rounding
TiME (Technology in Music Education UK) brings together music educators, practitioners, and industry organisations across the UK, with a focus on making music technology accessible and inclusive, TiME offers free membership, giving you access to resources, insights, and tools to support equitable music teaching, learning, and performance for students of all abilities. Find out more at www.timemusicuk.org or get in touch to learn more about the Table of Tech and the latest in accessible music innovation.
Follow TiME on social media:
Xanthe Sparke
Xanthe Sparke is a graduate from Leeds Beckett, currently working freelance at Old Chapel Music Studios in Leeds. Passionate about live sound and studio engineering, podcast production and making the industry accessible for all.
Follow Xanthe on social media:
@xanthesparke
Download the episode transcript
Links and Resources:
- Yorkshire Sound Women Network (YSWN), info@yorkshiresoundwomen.com
- TiME UK
- Old Chapel Leeds – @oldchapelleeds on social media
- Queer Love Stories Podcast – @queerlovestoriespodcast on social media
- Volume Up
- WIRED Toolkit for Educators
- WIRED Workshops
- YSWN Events
- YSWN Projects
- Fine Line Audio
- Music, Gender and Social Change: Contemporary Debates, Directions and Challenges – Ceclia Bjorck
- Zippia Career Expert Audio Engineer Statistics
- The USC Annenberg Report
- Youth Music Next Gen Fund
- Sound and Music Summer School
- Saffron
- Sugar Stealers
- Leicester Music Conference
- Youth Music Funding Opportunities
- Old Chapel Leeds – free recordings for new artists
