Catch up on the highlights from our first conference of the year
The ISM’s new President takes the helm
How classical musicians and songwriters can support prisoners and their families
Welcome to the Summer edition of Music Journal. For many musicians summer means performing at festivals around the country and sharing the glories of live music. But summer can also mean the stress and strain of exams for pupils studying music either at school or in higher education. So we wish everyone all the best in their endeavours over the course of the next few months.
Summer also marks the start of the new ISM Board, following the refresh of its membership at our ISM AGM, which took place on 24 April. We welcome new Board members as they take on the responsibility of shepherding this wonderful organisation through increasingly turbulent waters – whether it’s Artificial Intelligence, the Arts Council England (ACE) review, the continuing difficulties around touring in the European Union, discrimination, funding, and the challenges around work and getting paid. Thank you for your continued membership as we navigate these challenging times.
We were pleased to see many members attend the AGM, where we conducted official business of the ISM covering the period 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024, before taking questions from members in our open forum. Nicky Spence OBE, our outgoing President, compèred proceedings and introduced our next President, renowned cellist Gabriella Swallow. We thank Nicky for all his hard work over the past year and look forward to working with Gabi over the upcoming year. Do turn to page 12 where you can learn more about her life in music and her plans as ISM President; and you can read key moments from her passionate speech given as the incoming President at the AGM. Minutes from the AGM can also be read on page 9.
We are delighted to report on the success of our first conference of the year, Make Music Work. Open to both members and nonmembers, the conference offered attendees the chance to network with fellow musicians and watch informative panel discussions on topics relevant to them. Interspersed with our thought-provocative discussions were musical performances from a diverse range of performers: the folk-band Threaded, Senegalese musician Kadialy Kouyate, and neo-soul and jazz artist Rivkala and her band.
One of the most popular sessions was that focused on the basics of the law which you need as a musician – everything from contracts to getting paid. The legal in-house team, led by Helen Hurley and supported by our brilliant colleagues Nerys, Jeremy and Alice, are here for you, so if you have a legal issue related to your work, pick up the phone or send an email to get some advice.
Enjoy the summer.
On 1 April, ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts gave oral evidence to the prestigious House of Lords’ European Affairs Committee on the subject of touring in Europe.
The ISM has been a leading campaigning force on the issues facing musicians when working in Europe following the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU).
Annetts told the committee that the barriers to musicians’ mobility since Brexit include visas and work permits, ATA carnets, cabotage and CITES regulations. She shared the findings of the ISM’s 2023 Paying the price report, which showed that nearly half of musicians had less work in the EU since Brexit.
Annetts outlined possible solutions to these issues, including a Visa Waiver Agreement allowing short-term visits of up to 90 days in a period of 180, a creative touring visa to allow longer periods of work, and a cabotage exemption for touring creatives. She emphasised that the ISM has been lobbying for the UK to negotiate with the EU to improve restrictions on mobility for many years, but that little has been done to improve the situation, saying, ‘I wouldn’t say we were getting very far with the previous administration’.
Annetts told the committee the Labour Government has been more willing than its predecessor to listen to the music sector. ‘This government does understand that we need to find a way forward for the creative industries. We have many warm words at the moment … but we also want to see action.’
The ISM is putting every effort into ensuring that touring issues are on the agenda at the UK/EU summit on 19 May.
Leading arts figures including dancers Shirley Ballas and Arlene Phillips, visual artist Bob and Roberta Smith, and cellist Julian Lloyd Webber have joined over 700 people signing an open letter organised by the ISM calling for reform of school accountability measures.
The letter, published in The Times, comes as the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) panel prepares to publish its interim report. It points out the ‘untold harm’ done to music and arts subjects by the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) and Progress 8 since 2010 and calls for the report to ‘signal clear and imminent action’ on these accountability measures.
Keir Starmer’s government has spoken many warm words about the importance of arts education, but the letter points out that ‘we have yet to see action’
See the full letter and list of signatories at ism.org.
In early February, the ISM wrote to Minister of State for Education Catherine McKinnell to raise concerns about the Department for Education’s decision not to renew funding for the 15 National Youth Music Organisations (NYMOs).
An email from Arts Council England (ACE) to the NYMOs confirmed that the Department for Education (DfE) would end its £525,000 grant funding from 31 March 2025. Fortunately, ACE has stepped in to cover the shortfall for 2025/26.
The ISM is concerned that, despite warm words on music education and some progress on issues such as the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) for Music Hubs, the decision to remove funding from the NYMOs seems at odds with public announcements from ministers in both the DfE and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on music education.
In the letter, ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts explained that ‘the work of the NYMOs is integral not
An interim report published on 18 March by the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) has indicated that the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) introduced in 2010 should be reassessed, citing evidence that it has damaged access to music and other arts subjects.
The report, which provides initial analysis of over 7,000 submissions to the CAR call for evidence, references the decline in music and other arts subjects. It states: ‘… advocates for the arts and some other subjects maintain that some subjects have been squeezed, either in relation to curriculum time, take-up by students, or both.’
Summarising evidence of the EBacc’s impact on arts subjects, the report concludes: ‘… the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) performance measures may unnecessarily constrain the choice of students, impacting their engagement and achievement, and limiting their access to, and the time available for, vocational and arts subjects. We will therefore continue to analyse the evidence and assess the place of the EBacc performance measures within the wider accountability framework, paying close attention to evidence of the impact of all performance measures on young people’s choices and outcomes, and their impact on institutional behaviours.’
The ISM said, ‘This report is an important first step on the road to reforming the EBacc, but for every child to have access to high-quality music education in school, the final report needs to go further and recommend a full reform of the accountability system.’
only to the talent pipeline, which promotes growth, but also to
Back in April, a community of musicians came together at 229 London to enjoy Make Music Work
Here we provide a few snapshots from the event
On Thursday 24 April the ISM welcomed over 160 musicians, both ISM members and non-members, to the renowned music venue 229 in London. Famous for supporting emerging talent, grassroots discovery and established artists alike, it was the perfect showcase for our Make Music Work day which celebrated the diversity and creativity of human talent across all music genres.
Rapid technological change and the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) from the US tech sector are urgent challenges facing the music industry and threaten all music professionals. In response, and inspired by past ISM Make Music Work events, we felt it more important than ever that the audience experience an array of live musical performances across many genres and engage with rigorous and challenging panels led by industry experts.
The day began with our Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the official business of the ISM. Our outgoing President, Nicky Spence OBE, compèred the event with his unique blend of humour and gravitas, and was excited to introduce the celebrated cellist Gabriella Swallow as ISM President for 2025. Spence was also able to announce publicly for the first time that our new President-Elect, and President for 2026, is Jess Gillam: celebrated saxophonist and BBC Radio 3 presenter.
Rosie and Jamie from acclaimed folk band Threaded initiated the musical part of the day, performing a moving set inspired by world folk culture and personal experiences with a mix of acoustic guitar, clarinet and bass, fusing influences from traditional and contemporary
An excellent event full of useful and helpful content that I felt very proud to attend.
Make Music Work attendee
Two panels followed, beginning with Breaking into the Industry, chaired by our very own Gabriella Swallow and accompanied by Director/Musician Duayne Sanford, Composer/Orchestrator Dani Howard, Promoter and Founder of Turtle Tempo Dan Sheed and Singersongwriter DJ Danniella Dee. A must watch for anyone trying to negotiate their way into this world. Discussions ranged from personal brand and social media, to forging the right connections and growing visibility in a competitive crowd.
‘The ISM is here for me and is fighting for my rights and future generations of musicians.’
Make Music Work attendee
‘Useful information from the panellists on how to progress my career and good to hear their backgrounds/stories of how they got into music.’
Useful advice, very relevant to my daily activities and creative pursuits by an esteemed and knowledgeable panel.
‘Musicians of all genres working in a community can be far more successful than when isolated.’
The Small Print: Cracking the Legal Code was next, featuring members of our expert in-house legal team Mike Burgess, Victoria Barrett, Nerys Owen, and chaired by ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts. From contracts to scammers, they covered the essential legal knowledge every artist needs, with invaluable reminders of what happens when things go wrong and how to prevent that happening in the first place. Spoiler alert: the ISM legal team are here to help!
Make Music Work attendee
A highly anticipated feature of the day was our final panel: AI: Friend or Foe. In a discussion that covered geopolitics, global warming, campaigns and cloud formation, the audience was engaged and motivated by an all-star panel comprising Dr Ann Kristin Glenster (Legal Scholar), Dr Rachael Drury (ISM Senior Research Associate and Lecturer), Sebastian Cuttill (Parliamentary and Campaigns Manager for CRAIC), Arhynn Descy (Film Composer) and Vick Bain (Industry Consultant).
‘Going to events like this opens up opportunities for networking and speaking to like-minded people so I’m glad I attended.’
Make Music Work attendee
Held at 229, Great Portland Street, London W1W 5PN at 10.00am
Spence (outgoing President) opened the AGM and welcomed members to the event. Before the start of the formal business, the President reminded members that the AGM covered the period from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024. The President then introduced the AGM panel:
• Gabriella Swallow (President Elect)
• Ivor Flint (outgoing Treasurer)
• Deborah Annetts (Chief Executive)
• Sabrina Taylor (Deputy CEO and Director of Finance & Facilities)
• Pauline Black (Past President)
Following a delicious lunch where attendees mingled and chatted, sought-after musician Kadialy Kouyate delighted the audience with a mesmerising performance of Kora music. Born into the great line of Kouyate Griot in Southern Senegal and inspired by the West African Griot repertoire, his performance took us back to the very origin of music and its role in storytelling.
Reminding the audience of the diversity and breadth of the music profession, our next panel, Concept to Console: Composing for Games, explored the unique challenges of composing interactive music, to mastering different genres and techniques. Expert panellists were BAFTA-nominated game composer Andrew Barnabas, Annina Melissa, Marcus Hedges, and Jade Leamcharaskul, chaired by Dr Alexander Horowitz, Game Audio Director and Composer.
From there we returned to the heart of our industry: live performance, and were captivated by Newcastle-based neosoul and jazz artist Rivkala and her band, playing unreleased music from her fast-approaching debut EP release.
And in a moving finale, our new President Gabriella Swallow took to the stage to remind everyone of her passion for industry, as she promised to do everything in her power to ensure music is a profession which is given the respect it deserves.
With thanks to all who attended – we look forward to seeing you again in the future. Sessions will be available to watch on our website soon, visit
Apologies for absence for the meeting were noted, and all members present had a hard copy of the apologies for information.
1. Minutes of the AGM held on 16 April 2024
The President asked if there were any amendments to the minutes of the AGM held on 16 April 2024. There were none. The resolution to approve the minutes was proposed by Margaret Lyon and Maxine Gardener. The resolution was approved.
2. To receive the Annual Report of the Council of the Society for 2023-24
The Chief Executive gave a summary of the annual report for the financial year from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024, which had already been circulated to all members.
The ISM remains financially and politically independent – focused on serving ISM members, musicians and the music sector. Our independence is more important than ever as the ISM works to improve the lives of music professionals.
Over the course of this financial year, the ISM continued to campaign across a range of issues that are fundamental to life as a musician/music teacher. We continued to provide the secretariat for the AllParty Parliamentary Group for Music Education and in
increasingly challenging economic times, and those many volunteers who have supported the ISM activities during the year. The resolution to receive the annual report was proposed by Dr Jeremy Huw Williams and seconded by Nicolas Chisholm. The resolution was approved.
May 2024 the ISM organised a joint meeting of the APPGs for Music Education, Art, Craft and Design in Education, and Dance, which took place in Parliament and was joined by parliamentarians and representatives from the music education sector. The ISM’s work also focused on the Music Hub Investment Programme and the implications for staff and music education. The EA team also spent time briefing the Labour Party on policy areas like the EBacc in the run up to the election and secured a promise that access to the creative subjects would be improved in our state schools.
The ISM continued to be a leading voice in the campaign to improve touring for musicians post Brexit and communicated the findings of our 6th report on Brexit, called Paying the Price, to all stakeholders and political parties. The ISM was able to secure a commitment from the Labour Party that they would work to improve touring for musicians post-Brexit should they become the new government.
Issues surrounding Artificial Intelligence grew as a key issue for the ISM, and the ISM joined the Human Artistry Campaign, which aims to ensure artificial intelligence technologies are developed and used in ways that support human culture and artistry. The ISM remains concerned about the impact of cuts on musicians and the cultural industries, but in February 2024 there was good news when the BBC announced that the BBC Singers will continue to be employed by the BBC, an issue the ISM had campaigned on.
The Legal team dealt with over 1,100 new cases and recovered over £200,000 in compensation for members in this financial year. Members were encouraged to contact the very knowledgeable legal team if they needed advice.
As part of ISM services, members benefited from an expanded range of resources and guidance and new materials included advice on setting up a music business or charity, a suite of updated tax advice pages, and the launch of Discount+, which supports members with everyday spending. The Distinguished Musician Award for the last year went deservedly to Professor Martin Fautley.
Thanks were expressed to Board members, the outgoing Treasurer Ivor Flint for all his hard work during these
3. To receive and approve the Accounts of the ISM for the year ending 31 August 2024 and to receive the Auditor’s Report
The Treasurer spoke to the financial performance of the ISM for the financial year ending 31 August 2024 and reported that the ISM’s financial resilience remained intact. The Treasurer thanked members, Council and staff for their unwavering dedication and support throughout the year. Thanks were also extended to Lindeyer Francis Ferguson and Investec during a year of market turbulence.
Income for the financial year overall grew by 14% finishing at £2.11m. Membership income had grown by 5% and other income streams had grown by 6.9%.
Total expenditure before taxation grew by 1.7% and was £1.87m. Expenditure on goods and services, staff, marketing, external affairs, governance and charitable donations had increased but prudent savings measures were implemented to offset these increases.
The closing position was a surplus of £169,639 after taxation. It was reported that reserves stood robustly at a substantial £4.67m. The Treasurer finished his report by thanking the Director of Finance & Membership for her work successfully managing the ISM finances.
The resolution to receive and approve the accounts was proposed by Joseph Morris and seconded by John Perrin. The resolution was approved.
4. To receive the Report on the ISM Members Fund and the ISM Trust for 2023-24
The Chief Executive gave the report on the Fund and noted that while the Fund continues to deliver services to its members which are vital for their wellbeing, it has extended its activities into new areas to support members.
The Fund’s counselling and advice services, including a 24-hour confidential adviceline, structured counselling and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) saw a 47% increase in usage with 618 contacts in 2023-24. The Fund expanded its mental health offering in August 2024, by providing members access to a new wellbeing platform called Ele
The Fund’s physiotherapy scheme offers ISM members quick, expert intervention for muscle and joint problems and in this financial year a total of 61 referrals were made to the service, a 15% increase on the previous year.
The Fund is a partner in the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme from Help Musicians and discounted access to a hearing health service was made available. By World Hearing Day this service was opened to students.
The Fund is now responsible for the 24-hour legal helpline and during 2023-24, 820 calls were received. And, since February 2024, the visa service provided by Viva la Visa, is also managed by the Fund.
The Fund’s income was just under £200k and donations and legacies totalling £10k were received from Iris Mary Williams and Mary Kinetty Clark.
Turning to the ISM Trust, in the 2023-24 financial year the Trust delivered a new groundbreaking digital resource, Breaking the Singing Barrier (delivered in partnership with Voices Foundation), and 14 webinars on subjects such as tax, Ofsted, and engaging deaf musicians in music. The webinars attracted 4,560 views overall.
ISM Trust membership increased by almost 20% from the previous year. Thanks were expressed to Ruth McPherson who will shortly be returning from maternity leave for her continued management of the Members Fund.
5. Resolution 4 to reappoint Lindeyer Francis Ferguson Limited as Auditors for the ISM and to authorise the Council to fix their income
The resolution to reappoint Lindeyer Francis Ferguson Limited as auditors and to authorise the Council to fix their income was proposed by Vincent Streiner and seconded by Vick Bain. The resolution was approved.
6. and 7. To note the retirement and election of members of the Council
ISM members were asked to note that the following members were stepping down: Stuart Beattie (Scotland) and Dani Howard (South). The Chief Executive thanked all the Council members for their contributions during their terms on the ISM Council.
ISM members were asked to note the following appointment and elections to the Board: Simon Neill-O’Brien (Scotland and Northern Ireland) and Bruno Newman (South). VJ Prakash was re-elected for the East. Dr Jeremy Huw Williams is taking over from Ivor Flint as Treasurer as of 24 April 2025. Donald
The President opened the discussion and invited members present to ask any questions or raise any matters for discussion.
Thanks were offered to the President, Council and ISM staff for a well-organised and informative AGM which was viewed as one of the best in the sector.
A member asked why there was a Members’ Day charge. The Chief Executive said that Make Music Work is a conference designed to share the knowledge and skills of the ISM across the entire music sector and that the ISM charged only a nominal fee to members. The Chief Executive also noted that last year we had quite a high number of people not attending even though they had booked tickets, so this year we put in place a nominal fee for members to encourage attendance since a good turnout really makes the event more enjoyable.
A student member asked about our 6th Brexit Report and if there would be a 7th; the Chief Executive said the ISM will continue to lobby on Brexit and a 7th report was likely. A member asked about the new government’s proposed National Centre for Arts and Music Education and the Chief Executive said at present there was very little detail about the proposal, but she was concerned about it being funded at the expense of the Music Hubs.
A member asked if there’s anything the membership can do to improve the national curriculum to include more music. The Chief Executive suggested members write to their MPs about the current state of music education. A member asked about SEND resources. Ruth McPherson said there were resources on the ISM website, including for teachers teaching children with special educational needs.
Margaret Lyon gave a special vote of thanks to the Chief Executive for the work that she does.
The Presidential Medal handover was made to incoming President Gabriella Swallow who said a few words and thanked everyone before the meeting was concluded at 11.11am.
We take this opportunity to remember and honour the members who have passed away during the last year.
The ISM’s President for 2025/26 talks to Clare Stevens about her career in music and her plans for her presidential year
If you’ve been following the ISM’s social media channels for the past few weeks you will have noticed that our incoming President, cellist Gabriella Swallow, has already been quick to get involved in all our campaigns on behalf of working musicians, and is particularly passionate about music education: ‘Music in schools should be a right and not a luxury. When we learned that a multi-instrumentalist and arts advocate was to become our next Prime Minister we were relieved that finally the arts were no longer going to be marginalised in schools. Finally, we had a leader who could appreciate the benefits of having the arts taught alongside STEM subjects. We implore our Prime Minister and government to keep their promise and commitment to the arts and education so that the next generation can enjoy the same benefits in their lives for years to come.’
The daughter of two dentists who could afford to pay for her childhood music lessons and to buy her a good cello, she knows she was privileged. Ever grateful for the opportunities that were open to her, she cares deeply that music should be available to every child, from their earliest years.
As she told our Social Media Marketing Officer Mary McDougall in an online chat ahead of our Make Music Work day in April, Swallow is a true freelance musician, who has spent her entire career switching from one genre and one type of job to another – as a session musician, on tour with artists as varied as saxophonist Jess Gillam, singer Hugh Jackman and comedian Rob Brydon; in the pit for long-running musical theatre shows;
as a collaborator on contemporary chamber music; and as a soloist with ensembles such as the London Sinfonietta, Manchester Camerata and Southbank Sinfonia in premieres of works by the likes of Colin Riley, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Paul Edlin. ‘I’ve never really been a permanent member of an orchestra,’ she says.
When we spoke in early April she was learning a new score, the musical Dear Evan Hansen in preparation for taking over the second half of a UK tour from a colleague who was about to set off round the world with Moulin Rouge. She spoke warmly about how players in the world of pit bands support one another, jumping in for colleagues at short notice or mentoring on the London Musical Theatre Orchestra’s Dev Scheme, where novice players sit alongside the more experienced instrumentalists in order to learn not just the dots on the page but how the show works. ‘Once a production is under way’, she explains, ‘ it’s a good feeling to have a guaranteed income for a while and also frees up time during the day for more varied creative projects’.
Much of her recent work has been with close musician friends under the banner of ‘Gabriella Swallow and her Urban Family’, launched as a classical club night in Camden, North London, in 2014. But she is currently preparing to launch a new show, in which, she says, ‘it’s just going to be me! It will be a commercial show that will work in lots of different venues – including cruise ships, a hugely important part of our industry at the moment, as it’s where older people with money seem to be!
I’m enjoying the creative part of devising my own show, having worked for so many different people throughout my career … but that gives you the experience of how you want projects run and what makes a good show. This one will be very personal, telling my story through the various genres of music I’ve been involved in. It will be unique and authentic, and people enjoy authenticity. I learned that from working with Hugh Jackman and Rob Brydon.
The importance of music education is a recurring theme – not just so that more people will find routes into the profession, but to nurture the audiences, politicians and financial sponsors of the future.
They both told very personal stories. You might imagine that if you’re playing to 16,000 people at the O2 arena you should think big and make your material inclusive, but I almost think you have to go in the opposite way. The things that were most successful about Hugh’s show were the very personal parts of his journey.’
Swallow’s own musical journey began with the recorder, which she played to such a high standard as a child that it was her first study when she auditioned for a place at Chetham’s School in Manchester. Her imagination had been fired by her parents’ interest in baroque music – as a small child in Belfast, where her parents were working when she was born, she had sat in on her mother’s harpsichord lessons in Dublin. When the family later moved to Spalding, Lincolnshire they frequently hosted professional musicians who were performing locally. Many of them encouraged her to take up the cello in addition to the recorder in order to have a wider choice of repertoire, and the then Director of Music at Chetham’s was responsible for her eventual change of focus when he asked at her audition if she played another instrument.
Of course as a child I wanted to be Jacqueline du Pré playing the Elgar concerto, and as a student I imagined playing nothing but contemporary music, but I’ve made peace with the fact that I’m not doing just one thing exclusively.
Many years later, auditioning at the Royal College of Music, she had a similar experience, having by this time discovered composition. ‘My cello audition had been difficult but I really wanted a place, so I produced this roll of manuscripts, slightly uncompleted and not very formalised, but they offered me a double scholarship for joint principal study, cello and composition. Eventually I became a junior fellow, working with composers, and I really enjoyed bringing together composers and string players, getting the composers to meet people rather than just sitting by themselves and the string players talking in a language of inclusivity to the composers.
But I also very much had a musical life outside college, for example playing with an indie band in Finsbury Park and doing recording sessions with Sade. I loved jazz, both playing and listening, and I was a huge music theatre fan too; and my teacher recommended me for some work with the composer Helmut Lachenmann that he didn’t want to take on, so that was how I got into really serious contemporary music very young. I’ve always tried to take what I’ve learned from one genre of music into another.
Of course, as a child I wanted to be Jacqueline du Pré playing the Elgar concerto, and as a student I imagined playing nothing but contemporary music, but I’ve made peace with the fact that I’m not doing just one thing exclusively. In the current world you have to constantly reinvent your dreams. You also have to do a lot of internal evaluation and develop your selfbelief, and you have to find your tribe very early.’
Swallow’s reminiscences and anecdotes about her career would fill several MJ articles, as indeed would her thoughts about her ambitions for her presidential year. The importance of music education is a recurring theme – not just so that more people will find routes into the profession, but to nurture the audiences, politicians and financial sponsors of the future. She is passionate about early years education and music in state schools – ‘that’s the only way to achieve the diversity that we’re all rightly striving for’ – but also flags up a trend for parents of children at independent schools to discontinue their lessons, either through fears about the cost or because they no longer see the value of a broad education that includes the arts.
‘I’m concerned about the impact of Artificial Intelligence and Brexit and all the other issues that the ISM has been campaigning on, and particularly about the challenges faced by women in the music profession, especially when they have children. I suppose I can sum it all up by saying that what I care about and will be working towards is having a profession we can all be proud of.’
gabriellaswallow.com
Key moments from Gabriella Swallow’s speech at the ISM AGM
I promise that during this year I will do everything in my power to ensure music is a profession which is given the respect it deserves, starting from the very top of government. Music deserves to be valued so much more than it is, especially considering the monetary value that our industry brings to this country’s economy year after year.
To protect the future of professional musicians and audience members alike, we need to talk about music education. I implore the government to deliver on their campaign promise that every child should have access to music in school.
Access to music education should not be down to the right postcode or what family you’re born into. Every child should have the opportunity to study music alongside the subjects already considered essential in shaping us as human beings. As ISM President I will never give up campaigning for this fundamental right. My message to all our brilliant music teachers is that you are seen and valued by our industry. The ISM will always support the essential work you do across all schools.
For our present and future members, we also need to act fast on the immediate issues and challenges that AI brings to our workplace. We will work tirelessly to influence policies that protect musicians and educators from the impact of generative AI. We as the music community must lead this conversation.
To read the speech in full visit ism.org/news/ introducing-your-ism-president-gabriella-swallow
Trombonist and cancer awareness campaigner Nathaniel Dye MBE has become the third winner of the ISM Lifetime Achievement Award. Clare Stevens explains why
Like most musicians these days, trombonist Nathaniel Dye MBE has a portfolio career. ‘I’m a teacher, a conductor, a performer with all sorts of bands and sometimes in orchestras, I direct a jazz group … I could go on.’ He speaks firmly in the present tense … but then admits that he may have taught his last class as music lead at a primary school in Newham, East London. Since autumn 2022, though only in his late 30s, he has been enduring rigorous treatment for bowel cancer. ‘You never know, I’ve made one comeback to classroom teaching – perhaps I’ll get the chance to make another!’ he says brightly, but then adds that his oncologists have prepared him for the fact that his chances of ringing the traditional bell at the end of successful treatment are very slim indeed.
asked a question about assisted dying on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions? He won the Music Teacher magazine Editor’s Award at the 2024 Music & Drama Education Awards, and was made MBE in the 2025 New Year Honours List. And on 15 April this year he met our CEO Deborah Annetts and incoming Vice-President Rhiannon Mathias for tea at the Royal Albert Hall, where he was presented with the ISM’s Lifetime Achievement Award, only the third person ever to receive this extraordinary honour – the others being composer Jonathan Harvey and educator Professor Keith Swanwick.
The message I hope to communicate is one of hope in the face of tragedy; that it’s still worth fighting a losing battle. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine.
Since his diagnosis
Since his diagnosis Dye has become a committed campaigner and fundraiser for several causes, notably Macmillan Cancer Support, bowel cancer awareness and music education. A keen trail runner, in 2023 he took part in the punishing Ultra Marathon du Mont Blanc in the French Alps; disappointed at being timed out after 24 hours and 98 kilometres of the 171-kilometre route, on his return home he ran 100 miles from Harwich, Essex to London’s Tower Bridge. He ran the 2024 London Marathon, playing a green trombone all the way. A few weeks later he walked from John O’Groats to Land’s End, carrying his colostomy bag. As this feature was in preparation he was a few days away from another London Marathon appearance.
Dye has become a committed campaigner and fundraiser for several causes, notably Macmillan Cancer Support, bowel cancer awareness and music education.
For Dye himself, perhaps his most poignant yet most satisfying achievement has been completion of what he describes as his ‘cancer concept album’, Matters of Life and Death a bitter-sweet collection of 10 original songs which, he says, ‘have come to me as I have come to terms with what it’s like to be a dying man. Songs of life, songs of death, songs of hope, songs of love and loss and one that’s full of fart jokes. The message I hope to communicate is one of hope in the face of tragedy; that it’s still worth fighting a losing battle. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine.’
He adds that he’s also very proud of the articles he has had the opportunity to write about his situation, and the platform it has given to write directly about music education too. ‘In the past, when I was covering lessons for colleagues, nobody would have asked me to teach writing – well you wouldn’t ask your music lead, would you? But I’m really enjoying this unexpected new aspect of my career.’
as well as tuition of primary school children is just too great. But he is full of gratitude to his local Saturday music centre which has made it possible for him to work when he feels strong enough to come in, with the assurance that there will always be another teacher present and cover on days when he can’t make it.
The experience has reminded him of the importance of music in so many ways, he says. ‘When you’re running the London Marathon, for example, there are always groups of performers who turn up at different points along the route to play encouraging music. It really does help. And of course I’ve found huge comfort in being able to write a song or find a piece of music on a streaming service that reflects my mood.
Commenting on the Lifetime Achievement Award, Nicky Spence, ISM Past President, said: Nathaniel is a true inspiration, we are so delighted to present the ISM Lifetime Achievement Award to him in recognition of his incredible dedication to music education and advocacy. Nathaniel’s dedication to supporting the arts and music education serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of music within our society. I can speak on behalf of the entire ISM family when I say there is no worthier a recipient of our Lifetime Achievement Award.’
He spoke about delays in NHS care at the 2024 Labour Party election manifesto launch, has been featured in the national press and on the cover of Running World, and recently
While he would love to think a return to classroom teaching might be possible, he has had to accept longterm sick leave, because the responsibility for the care
My experience of getting up on stage to perform as a professional has helped me to find a new voice in this situation. I’m determined to use it for as long as I can.’
Nathaniel Dye’s website and fundraising page: bowelcancertbucketlist.com
The ISM is very concerned about the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence on musicians’ livelihoods and intellectual property. In this feature, Rachael Drury takes a look at issues around copyright, campaigning and the future of creative rights
Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become mainstream – no longer a distant concept, but a powerful tool reshaping how we work, live and create. For the music industry the threat became real in April 2023, when an anonymous songwriter known as Ghostwriter released Heart on My Sleeve, a viral AI-generated track mimicking Drake and The Weeknd. Soon after, platforms like Suno and Udio began allowing anyone to generate music from text prompts in seconds, raising urgent questions about consent, compensation and creative control.
Generative AI doesn’t just analyse music; it creates it; trained on massive datasets that often include copyrighted works scraped without permission. The outputs now compete with the very songs they were trained on, displacing human creators in streaming, sync and background music markets.
In January 2025, the Labour Government launched its AI Opportunities Action Plan, an ambitious strategy to position the UK as a global leader in AI. Framed around innovation and investment, the plan promised billions for infrastructure, research, and skills, while also signalling a desire to reform copyright to favour data access. Recommendation 24 proposed making the UK’s text and data mining (TDM) regime ‘at least as competitive as the European Union’s’, where TDM is permitted, with a machine-readable opt-out for rightsholders.
The question is no longer whether AI affects musicians, but whether musicians will have rights in the AI age.
Meanwhile, tech companies resist transparency, refuse to credit creators, and offer no compensation for the use of their work. Copyright law is being pushed to its limits. Designed to protect creators, the government intends to exploit it to benefit platforms that use human-made music as raw material. Without strong regulation, AI risks turning music into data, stripping it of meaning, and monetisation. The question is no longer whether AI affects musicians, but whether musicians will have rights in the AI age.
Without strong regulation, AI risks turning music into data, stripping it of meaning and monetisation.
A month earlier the government had launched its Copyright and AI consultation, asking whether AI developers should be allowed to use copyrighted works without permission, whether transparency and labelling should be mandatory, and whether artists should be protected from unauthorised digital replicas. Among its proposals, the government’s preferred Option 3 would allow developers to use creators’ works by default unless explicitly opted out, shifting the burden onto musicians and undermining the core principle that permission must be sought. Though it was presented as a balanced compromise between protecting rightsholders and championing innovation, the timing and content made it clear that AI growth was being prioritised over creative rights.
When the government launched its Copyright and AI Consultation, the ISM responded not only as a professional body, but as a powerful collective voice for our members. The strength of this campaign would depend on mobilising individual creators to speak up too.
In addition to submitting our comprehensive response to the consultation, we launched a full-scale member engagement campaign to ensure musicians across the UK could respond effectively:
• targeted emails to members explained the stakes and urged them to submit individual responses
• a social media campaign across platforms increased visibility and drive action
• consultation guidance for members provided information and suggested responses to key consultation questions
• our emergency webinar walked members through our guidance.
The response from our members was remarkable. Over 350 ISM members submitted individual responses to the consultation, a testament to the strength of our community and its refusal to be sidelined in conversations about the future of music. In total, the government received more than 11,500 responses, making it one the most heavily engaged policy consultations in recent memory.
Have your say: Take the ISM’s AI & copyright survey
We must keep the pressure on government to stop AI stealing our creative content. Help us gather evidence of the impact of generative AI on the careers and livelihoods of musicians in the UK by completing our survey: ism.org/news/ai-andcopyright-survey-ism Your voice is vital for the future of our creative industries – please use it.
Alongside this mobilisation, the ISM has continued to work behind the scenes:
• we worked in coalition with other organisations, including the Creative Rights in AI Coalition (CRAIC) and the Creators’ Rights Alliance (CRA)
• we engaged directly with government officials and MPs
• we took part in roundtables and industry events across the sector, ensuring musicians’ rights remained on the agenda at every level
• we supported the #MakeItFair campaign
• several of our members are represented on Ed Newton-Rex’s silent album Is This What We Want?
• ISM’s conference Make Music Work: Surviving the Music Industry featured a panel titled The Rise of AI: Friend of Foe, bringing attention to what the future might hold for music in the age of AI.
In April, ISM CEO Deborah Annetts delivered a keynote speech at a Westminster eForum policy conference, where she championed the rights of musicians in the age of AI and made the case for a rights-first approach to innovation. She spoke alongside policymakers and tech representatives to reinforce the message that creators cannot be an afterthought in AI regulation.
The ISM’s role is not just to raise the alarm – it is to give musicians the tools, support and representation they need to protect their work and shape the future. The message is clear: musicians will not accept a future in which their work is exploited by AI systems and tech companies without their consent or compensation.
As the debate around AI and copyright continues, the ISM has a clear vision for how AI can be developed in a way that supports, rather than undermines, musicians and the wider creative sector.
We are calling on the UK Government to adopt the following seven principles in any future legislation or policy on AI and intellectual property:
• Consent: Musicians must have the right to decide whether their work is used to train AI models. There can be no assumption that published or publicly available music is ‘free to mine’.
• Credit: If a musician’s work contributes to the development or output of an AI system, that contribution should be acknowledged. Attribution remains a fundamental part of artistic respect and ethical practice.
• Compensation: Creators should be fairly paid, both for the use of their work in training datasets and when AI-generated outputs generate commercial value.
• Choice: The ISM supports an opt-in model for text and data mining (TDM), not an optout loophole. The burden should not fall on individual musicians to retroactively or proactively protect their rights.
• Transparency: AI companies must be legally required to disclose the datasets they use. Without this, creators cannot know if their work has been exploited, and enforcement becomes impossible.
• Labelling: Audiences have a right to know when they are listening to AI-generated music. Clear and consistent labelling is essential for artistic integrity, audience trust, and market clarity.
• Digital replicas: Artists must be protected from the unauthorised use of their name, image, likeness, voice and performance.
These principles are the foundation of a fair and sustainable future. They ensure that human creativity continues to be valued, protected and respected in a rapidly changing world.
Protecting musicians’ rights in the age of AI isn’t just a matter for government or industry bodies – it is a collective effort. ISM members have already played a crucial role in shaping the public debate and your continued involvement will be vital in the months ahead.
Here is how you can take action:
• Write to your MP: If you haven’t already, contact your local representative to explain why AI and copyright matter. Personal stories and lived experience often carry more weight than formal lobbying.
• Attend ISM briefings and events: Stay informed by joining our webinars, Q&As and member workshops. These are designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools to advocate for your rights.
• Support the #MakeItFair campaign: This joint initiative calls on government to put creators first in all AI policy. Share it, talk about it, hashtag it on your social media, and encourage your networks to get involved.
• Engage with our social media: Follow us and share our posts to spread awareness and ramp up the conversation.
• Contact us: If you or your work has been affected by AI, we want to hear from you. Your experiences help shape our advocacy and give strength to our collective voice.
This is a defining moment for the music industry. AI isn’t going away, but it does not have to leave musicians behind. With the right laws, loud voices and a united front, we can shape a future where technology supports, not replaces, human creativity. We thank our members for their active support in the campaign for fairness and regulation of generative AI. The ISM will continue to feed member insight into Parliament, respond to policy developments and ensure musicians’ voices are heard in every conversation about the future of AI.
Rachael Drury is a Researcher in AI Music Generation and Copyright Law and recently appeared on the AI discussion panel at Make Music Work
This is a defining moment for the music industry. AI isn’t going away, but it does not have to leave musicians behind.
Vinota Karunasaagarar chats with your new Head of Legal Services to learn more about her career, her plans for the legal team and the benefits of contacting them
Asked to name her favourite musician, Helen Hurley’s reply comes quickly: ‘Mozart! I’ve visited the Mozarthaus in Vienna, as for me he’s the greatest musician of all time. I actually studied piano, composition and Irish harp at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin, before deciding to pursue a career in law.’
Hurley, who some of you would have met at the recent ISM AGM and Make Music Work, began her legal career by studying Law at Trinity College Dublin. After qualifying as a solicitor, she was drawn to the arts: film, television and music, which led her to working as an in-house solicitor for various entertainment organisations, including Universal Music, ITV, Sky, NBC Universal, Virgin Radio and most recently at Sony Music, before coming on board at the ISM.
‘I like being able to add value and help people do what they want to do.’
‘I’ve always been interested in the media and in the arts in general, but music has always been a particular interest, and the reason I joined the ISM – to be part of something that makes a difference to musicians. I’ve never worked in the non-profit sector before and it’s very different from working in a corporate area. It’s nice to be working in an organisation with people who feel as passionately about music and musicians as I do, and I hope that I can make a positive contribution.’
was working at Universal, I was given 24 hours to negotiate a deal for Pavarotti to record a duet with Céline Dion. That was pretty interesting, and I was happy that I had the legal knowledge to do it. I enjoyed that, I like being able to add value and help people do what they want to do.’
She plans to bring this expertise to her new role: ‘We have a brilliant legal team’ – she heads an experienced legal team, including those who recently appeared on the panel The Small Print: Cracking the Legal Code at Make Music Work –‘and I hope to head up the team in a way that we continue to help members as best we can. I’d also like to help raise the profile of the organisation wherever possible and assist the External Affairs Team in their campaigning and lobbying work
‘The other challenge is that faced by music teachers due to cuts in government spending in arts education – we need to make sure that music teachers are not sidelined in schools and universities. Teaching music to children and young people is so important, not just for their mental health, but so they are able to express themselves artistically. I cannot imagine my life without music every day, it’s like my oxygen and a joy we should pass on to everyone.’
The ISM legal team is there to help members with any legal query relating to their career in music, and when asked why you should contact them, ‘the personal touch’ is Hurley’s reply: ‘Our team is so important. When a member faces a challenging situation in their music career they know they can phone us and have a conversation with a real person who can relate to them, instead of a chatbot. This personal touch is one of our many, many strengths.’
It’s nice to be working in an organisation with people who feel as passionately about music and musicians as I do, and I hope that I can make a positive contribution.
Though she comes from a corporate background, her vast experience of working in entertainment law means that Hurley is familiar with the legal needs of musicians. She has worked with a variety of artists – from performers like Wolf Alice, Sheryl Crow, and Duran Duran to the late Luciano Pavarotti and Sir Georg Solti – and in areas of law that are important to musicians such as contract negotiations, events and producer agreements.
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I’ve been lucky in my career to have met some amazing musicians, in both the pop and classical worlds. When I
‘The ISM has been around since 1882, helping people with their careers in music. It’s quite satisfying to be part of that, as the music industry nowadays can be quite brutal. We live in an age where we look at the end product and monetisation instead of focusing on how we get our children involved in music. We need to empower children to learn an instrument, encourage them to sing. I sing in a choir every week. I’m not a particularly great singer and my children even tell me to keep the noise down when I sing in the house! I took them to see ABBA Voyage in London recently, and naturally they were mortified that I knew all the songs by heart, but I can’t imagine life without music. This is why the ISM and the support it provides to members is so important.
‘With Artificial Intelligence coming along the track, it’s more important than ever to nurture grassroots talent. It’s a pivotal moment for music, musicians and creatives in this sector because as an artform it’s so easy to steal. Protecting copyright is important, not just in the UK but around the world This is one of the two biggest challenges facing musicians. Whether you’re a performer or composer, your work should be protected.
we need to make sure that music teachers are not sidelined in schools and universities. Teaching music to children and young people is so important, not just for their mental health, but so they are able to express themselves artistically.
Access one-to-one advice from our specialist and experienced in-house legal team on any issues relating to your music career, including recovering unpaid fees, employment/ self-employment rights, discrimination, accompanying you to internal meetings such as disciplinaries, redundancy, publishing contracts, copyright and more. For more information visit: ism.org/legal-advice-for-musicians
Redundancies are once again an unwelcome feature of the music education landscape, resulting from a range of factors, including changes to national insurance, the introduction of VAT on independent school fees, and severe funding pressures in the state sector for music services, specialist music schools, and universities. The ISM legal team has seen a sharp rise in the number of members reaching out for legal support.
This feature sets out some basic ‘need-to-knows’ about redundancy, but everyone’s situation will be different. If you are an ISM member in need of support, contact the legal team on legal@ism.org
Redundancy is what happens when your employer wants to reduce the number of ‘employees’ where you work – either in general, or to do specific jobs. Notice the reference to ‘employees’. If, for example, a school decides to end the employment contracts of its Visiting Music Teachers (VMTs) and switch to a ‘self-employment’ model, with the VMTs contracting directly with parents, there will be redundancies even if the same VMTs are still doing the work.
For a redundancy dismissal to be fair, there must first be meaningful consultation. Consultation can only be meaningful if, before deciding to make the redundancies, your employer clearly explains its business case for the proposed job cuts, and then listens to ideas that could avoid the redundancies. Your employer has to listen to all reasonable ideas, although they do not have to agree to implement any of them. Some employers invite voluntary redundancies, to avoid the need to make compulsory job cuts.
If an employer proposes multiple job losses – 20 or more redundancies over 90 days – there must be a more formal, structured ‘collective’ consultation with employee representatives. This kind of collective consultation must last a minimum of 30 days and is in addition to –not instead of – one-to-one meetings with employees whose jobs are at risk. Many employers engage in a combination of group and one-to-one consultation. Some larger employers have a redundancy policy they will follow.
It is always worth making the effort to engage with the consultation process, because it is your opportunity to influence the outcome. All too often, bursars and HR departments have limited understanding of the music department, the jobs people do, the scope for savings, or ideas for income generation.
It is always worth making the effort to engage with the consultation process, because it is your opportunity to influence the outcome.
If there are any other suitable jobs that could avoid your redundancy, you should be given the chance to apply. There are special rules for employees who face redundancy when pregnant or on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave. They must be offered a suitable vacancy if there is one – not just the chance to compete for it with a co-worker who is not pregnant or on this kind of leave.
Everyone who is dismissed for redundancy is entitled to work their notice. If the employer does not want you to do this, you must be paid notice pay. Check your contract to see how much notice you are entitled to. Many ISM members working in education have a contractual right to a full term’s notice. There are also statutory minimum rules on notice which depend on how long you have worked for your employer.
Employees with more than two complete years of service are entitled to a redundancy payment. You can forfeit your right to redundancy pay if you refuse an offer of suitable alternative employment. Statutory redundancy pay is based on a formula awarding a fixed number of ‘weeks’ pay’ based on age and complete years of service. Part years do not count. There is a government online statutory redundancy calculator at gov.uk/calculate-your-redundancy-pay.
Special rules apply where your wages vary from week to week (as is the case for most VMTs). To work out a week’s pay, you need to count backwards 12 weeks, starting from the date you are given your redundancy notice, leaving out any weeks when you earned nothing (such as school holidays) and adding in earlier weeks to make a total of 12. The total amount of gross pay is added up and divided by 12 to produce a ‘week’s pay’. There is a cap on the week’s pay figure. It is currently £719. Some employers offer redundancy pay that is better than the statutory minimum.
If there are any other suitable jobs that could avoid your redundancy, you should be given the chance to apply.
This feature is not legal advice. ISM members are encouraged to contact the ISM legal team on legal@ism.org without delay. Remember that employment tribunal deadlines are very short.
Artistic Director Sara Lee tells Clare Stevens how some of the Irene Taylor Trust’s recent initiatives in the UK and in the US have been using songwriting and the skills of classical musicians to make an impact on the lives of prisoners, young offenders and their families
Did your mum or dad sing to you when you were a baby or toddler? The chances are, if you’re reading this as an ISM member, that they did, and that formative experience helped to make you the musician you are today. Now try to imagine growing up in a world without that sort of imaginative stimulation. Where you never found your singing voice. Would it occur to you to sing a lullaby to your own child?
And what if you found yourself in prison, completely separated from your family for months or years. How would you ever establish a bond with your children?
It is this sort of distressing situation that the Irene Taylor Trust (ITT) aims to address with The Lullaby Project, originally developed by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, New York, but run by the ITT in the UK since 2017, in partnership with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) through its Resound community programme. Collaborations between the RPO’s professional musicians, ITT musicians and families enable parents who are facing challenging circumstances, including those with experience of the criminal justice system, asylum seekers, and refugees, to create their own personalised lullabies that express their love, hopes, and dreams for the children and young people in their lives. Professionally performed and recorded, with the songwriters contributing as singers or speakers if they wish, the songs help to strengthen family bonds and provide a source of comfort that can be treasured forever.
‘When people are in prison, keeping in touch with their families and keeping the relationships strong is difficult,’ says Sara Lee, Artistic Director of the ITT, ‘but research has shown that it is also the thing which gives the person coming out of prison at the end the strongest chance of staying out. We’ve also run The Lullaby Project in Chicago, where it was focused on very young teenage mothers, whom the state was trying to support so that they could stay in school. Writing songs for their babies was a way of helping them bond with them.’
Originally trained as a classical clarinettist, Lee speaks inspiringly of how she found her vocation leading work in prisons as a postgraduate student on the inaugural Guildhall course for community musicians. ‘Eight of us went into HMP Wormwood Scrubs and had the most extraordinary experience, mainly down to one of the prisoners passing a little folk tune for oboe and cello to us and saying, “Hey, look, I wrote this, can you play it?” He had learned to write music from an
Associated Board Theory book but had never heard any of it played. We didn’t have an oboe but my fellow clarinettist Nick Hayes and I played the piece with our cellist. It was beautiful, tears were pouring down my face as we played, but the biggest thing was the response of the man’s peers. It was like, “Oh my God, one of our own can write something like this, which these guys can play!”
‘Over a cup of tea at the end of the concert one of the staff said they’d never seen anything have such a big impact, and asked if anybody wanted to come here and teach music, and I just said, “Yes, I do,” and that was it, for 11 very happy years. We did so much in that jail –and it taught me all that I know about people and music, and how it’s for everyone and anyone. We had an absolute ball.’
One person who was impressed by Lee and the work she was doing at Wormwood Scrubs was Irene Taylor, the wife of the late Lord Chief Justice Peter Taylor, who had a personal interest in both penal reform and music. Following Irene Taylor’s death in 1995, her family decided to set up a charity in her memory to continue the work that had been so close to her heart, and invited Sara Lee to run it. She and Nick Hayes set up and delivered three projects in their first year, at HMP Kingston, HMP Bristol and HMP Ashwell.
the songs help to strengthen family bonds and provide a source of comfort that can be treasured forever.
Since then, they have worked with thousands of people and won many awards, including the 2024 Royal Philharmonic Society Gamechanger Awards. The core of their work is still their original model of supporting participants to create original music as a band, perform it to an audience and have it recorded for a CD, within five days. But two of their current programmes involve classical musicians, The Lullaby Project and Notes for Peace, a collaboration with the Negaunee Music Institute at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), supports those who have lost loved ones to gun violence in Chicago to create songs in their memory.
‘Those people must feel they are shouting into a void and no one is listening,’ says Lee. ‘One of the skills you need as a songwriter is to dig down sufficiently into the material to find those things that make each song unique, so we’re not talking about generic phrases about love and loss, we’re trying to find out who do you love, who do you miss and what made them special, so that when the participants in Notes for Peace hear their song they know it could only be about their family member.
We now work quite closely with the Civic Orchestra, the CSO’s training orchestra, developing the skills of their young fellowship musicians. They are learning how to respond to their communities rather than just sitting on the concert platform, and almost all of them have risen to the occasion and really grown as musicians and as human beings.’
The ITT became involved with the CSO when Riccardo Muti, its Music Director 2010-2023, stated at a press conference that the orchestra was going to be taking its music everywhere, including to prisons – catching its players and outreach team, who had no experience in this field, slightly off guard. But their British composer-in-residence at the time, Mark-Anthony Turnage, was also in the room; he had been working in prisons in the UK for years, and put them in touch with the ITT.
The result was an invitation to go over to America in 2013 and demonstrate the Music in Prisons approach, working with two CSO players and a group of young men at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Centre to create a set of original new songs. A small ensemble from the CSO joined the band for the last two days, providing an accompaniment composed by Hayes to complement the four songs written by the group. Similar collaborations have been happening every year since then.
‘It’s quite unusual to have a small, niche organisation like ours doing work like this abroad,’ Lee admits, adding that there has been a lot of cross-fertilisation. The Lullaby Project we now do over here with the RPO is one that we first ran out in Chicago. In March this year we were fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to orchestrate one of the lullabies for the whole of the RPO for a mainstage performance in Reading, and it was fantastic.
One of the reasons I enjoy these projects is that I was classically trained myself before going off in a different direction that has given me so much and made me a better musician, I feel, because it has expanded my knowledge of people and music. There’s still this kind of strange barrier between orchestras and the outside world … it’s breaking down much more now, I grant you, but there is this thing about classical music that people don’t think it’s for them. But this has broken down so many barriers between our marginalised groups and the musicians; the thing is, it doesn’t matter what kind of music it is, it’s all music.
‘I do like bringing together groups from the community who ordinarily would never meet. We are talking here about classical musicians and prisoners or refugees, but once they start getting to know each other, they are just people talking about their kids.’
I do like bringing together groups from the community who ordinarily would never meet. We are talking here about classical musicians and prisoners or refugees, but once they start getting to know each other, they are just people talking about their kids. It’s just the most wonderful thing to get them all in a room and see how effortlessly they communicate.’
irenetaylortrust.com
Sarah
Bronnert, Founder and Digital
Marketing Consultant at Da Capo Digital, brings us How to… Plan your social media strategy as a musician
The guide takes you through choosing the right platforms, optimising profiles, maintaining a strong brand, creating engaging content and using analytics to devise a strategy.
Social media has become an essential tool for musicians, not only for promoting work, but also to build meaningful, long-term engagement with audiences. Unlike traditional marketing, which is often limited by location and cost, social media offers a free (or lowcost) way to connect with fans, students and industry professionals across the globe.
Social media platforms are ever-changing and evolving, with new platforms occasionally appearing. You don’t need to be on every platform. Instead, focus on one or two where your target audience is most active. This will vary depending on whether you are performing, teaching or both. If you’re unsure where to start, many musicians successfully reach audiences on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. If you’re looking to connect with fellow industry professionals or promote educational content to peers, Bluesky or LinkedIn may be more suitable.
Branding is how people recognise and connect with you, and it’s much more than just a font, colour or logo. Consistent branding across all
your social media platforms, as well as your website and any other marketing, helps build a professional and memorable presence, whether you are a performer, composer, educator, or a combination of these roles.
A strong content strategy includes a mix of visibility (to attract new followers), relationshipbuilding (to deepen trust), and occasional conversion-focused posts (to sell tickets or albums). Authenticity, consistency and audience-first thinking are far more effective than a constant sales pitch. To make it manageable, plan ahead, batch-create content, and schedule posts. Tools like Canva, InShot, and Metricool can help you stay organised. Remember, your social media should support your career, not consume it.
For a detailed breakdown of platformspecific tips, branding advice and answers to common questions (including managing negativity online), read the full guide: How to... Plan your social media strategy as a musician, on the ISM website: ism.org/advice/ social-media
Every year, hundreds of instrumental and vocal teachers share their experiences and insights in the ISM’s annual fees survey –the largest of its kind in the UK – here, we summarise the results
Open to all instrumental and vocal teachers, not just ISM members, the survey takes a detailed look at what teachers are charging for private lessons and school-based work, whether freelance or employed.
Based on responses from over 1000 music teachers, the results use figures for the current academic year, with a reference point of September 2024, and offer a revealing snapshot of the current landscape for music educators.
Piano remains the most commonly taught instrument among respondents. While there’s been a steady rise in the number of early-career instrumental and vocal teachers taking part in the survey since 2019, the highest qualification held by most remains a music degree or equivalent.
Nearly half of private teachers reported raising their fees since September 2023, with an average increase for faceto-face tuition of almost £3 per hour. The range of fees was vast – spanning from £14 to £150 per hour, with a median rate of £40 per hour. Of the 91% of respondents offering private teaching, just under 10% of these teachers charge slightly less for online lessons with 40% now offering a mix of face-to-face and remote teaching.
Regional variation was notable. North East England saw the sharpest rise in median hourly rates – nearly a 10% increase – while areas like the Midlands, the South East, and the South West saw rates stay the same. Teachers in London continue to command higher fees, particularly in Inner London. Nearly half of respondents teaching privately expected to increase their fees by September 2025.
The ISM’s annual survey of teaching rates
OUR annual survey not only helps individual teachers benchmark their rates, it also provides essential data for tracking national trends and understanding how external pressures are shaping the sector.
see above-inflation pay rises, but those in independent schools reported a slight decline. As with private tuition, median rates for Inner London increased above inflation, in contrast to Outer London where there was a slight fall and the South East which remained the same as last year. Yorkshire saw a sharp decline in the median rate. Looking ahead, fewer employed teachers expect a pay increase by September 2025 compared to those in private practice –just under a third of respondents.
Self-employed visiting music teachers saw a modest uplift, with over half reporting fee increases averaging £2 per hour. The median rate across all settings was £38 – up slightly from last year – with independent schools again offering the highest pay. In fact, visiting teachers in independent schools saw a median rate increase of more than 7% Regionally, teachers in London and the South East have much higher rates than other parts of the UK. Inner London teachers earned up to £16 more per hour than their counterparts in Northern Ireland.
To learn more about the results of the survey, visit: ism.org Open to all instrumental and vocal teachers… the survey takes a detailed look at what teachers are charging for private lessons and school-based work, whether freelance or employed.
For employed teachers, the picture is more mixed. While 41% saw their hourly rates increase (by an average of £2.62) that’s a fall from 61% the year before. Overall, median rates held steady compared to 2023/24. Teachers employed in state schools, music hubs, and specialist music schools did
Just under a quarter of all respondents had offered group or ensemble teaching lessons, with the average number per group of nine students. The median rate for this type of teaching was £40 per hour, with 30% of respondents reporting that their rate had increased since September 2023. The typical median increase was £2.50 per hour.
Instrumental and vocal teachers are an essential part of the music education eco-system in the UK and the ISM is extremely grateful to all those who contributed. This annual survey not only helps individual teachers benchmark their rates, it also provides essential data for tracking national trends and understanding how external pressures are shaping the sector. We appreciate the input of every teacher who takes part in the survey and allows us to produce this popular resource.
For nearly 30 years pianist and ISM member Richard Markham and his duo partner David Nettle stored and practised on their two Steinway pianos and their 9’7” Pleyel Double Piano in a railway arch in Battersea, but when The Arch Company’s rent increases became unsustainable they decided to move their instruments elsewhere. The Double Piano is now ensconced in the Concert Hall of the Musical Museum, Brentford, West London.
The Musical Museum was founded in 1963 by Frank W. Holland MBE. He was especially interested in reproducing instruments, in fact anything which could produce music automatically and which pre-dated the gramophone and later technology. The museum contains one of the world’s foremost collections of such instruments, from tiny musical boxes to a mighty Wurlitzer
cinema organ, all dating from the 19th century onwards. It also has a huge collection of piano rolls, including some that feature composers such as Debussy, Elgar, Granados, Mahler, Ravel and Saint-Saëns performing their own music. The beauty of Musical Museum tours is that the instruments are heard as well as seen.
As a newly elected Corporate Member of the ISM, the museum welcomes members to request a 15% discount on production of their membership card. It is open on Fridays. Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm with tours at 10.30, 12.30 and 2.30, although group tours can be booked by prior arrangement on other days.
The Musical Museum, 399 High Street, Brentford, TW8 0DU
musicalmuseum.co.uk
visit@musicalmuseum.co.uk 020 8560 8108
For all community news, visit ism.org/professional-community
An immersive & motivational experience for aspiring young songwriters aged 11–18
Song Academy’s residential songwriting camps are designed for aspiring young songwriters to develop their skills, connect and collaborate on exciting songwriting briefs over four days and immerse themselves in all parts of the songwriting process, from finding inspiration, lyric writing, melody improvisation and composition to producing and performing. Our expert team of top songwriters and producers all share a passion for inspiring the next generation.
Dates: 6 –9 August at St Catherine’s School, Surrey and 13 – 16 August at Harrogate Ladies’ College, West Yorkshire, UK. There are only 50 places in small groups of 11–13-year-olds, 14–15 and 16–18 year-olds.
Check out songacademy.co.uk/residentialsummer-songwriting-camp-2025/ for all information and how to register your interest.
Music Education Solutions® (MES) is delighted to announce the launch of a new podcast, Primary Music in Conversation It will champion the work of primary music subject leaders, giving them a platform to share the work they do and inspire other schools with their journeys. It will shine a light on what is happening with music in primary schools across the country, sharing both challenges and successes, and allowing our teachers to speak for themselves.
The De Mowbray Music Festival is a weekend of high-class professional performances and events in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, with a wide range of genres, from classical to musical theatre, as well as community events for all to get involved in.
2025 Dates: Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 August 2025 With the biggest programme so far, the fifth De Mowbray Music Festival takes advantage of some of the most impressive venues in Thirsk. Venues include a stunning marquee set up in the beautiful gardens of Thirsk Hall, the imposing St. Mary’s Church and The Ritz Cinema, one of the oldest continuous running cinemas in the country, opening in 1912. This summer festival promises to showcase the very best of Thirsk.
Book here: demowbraymusic.com/de-mowbraymusic-festival
The idea for the podcast came to MES director Dr Liz Stafford due to growing frustration with the way that music in schools is being represented by music industry figures and arts professionals in the press. MES hopes that this new podcast will amplify the voices of real teachers in an arena where we are too often hearing the opinions of individuals who do not have secure knowledge of what is truly happening in music education.
Each episode will feature a different music subject leader from somewhere in the UK sharing their experience, with the first episode airing on YouTube in May 2025.
If you would like to be considered as a guest, please contact us for more information: musiceducationsolutions.co.uk/contact
Michael Harris, church musician
Can you describe your primary role in the music industry?
I’ve spent most of my life working as Master of Music at St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, but in other capacities as an organist, conductor, and teacher. Over time, my role evolved from performance into choral direction. At St. Giles, I led a dedicated team of musicians in creating weekly music for services and major events.
What instrument(s) do you play and which one do you specialise in the most?
The organ has always been my main instrument, ever since I started learning at age 12. I also play the piano, and I used to play the oboe, which I studied through to Grade 8. Vocally, I was a chorister when I was young, and while I wouldn’t call myself a singer now, I can step in as an emergency tenor when needed.
What genres of music do you primarily work in, and are there any others you enjoy exploring?
My work is rooted in classical music, particularly sacred choral repertoire. I do enjoy listening to jazz, but I wouldn’t claim to be able to play it!
How did you originally get into music?
It started when I was a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral. I was inspired by the older boys who were learning the organ and by people like Ralph Downes, who was involved in rebuilding the Gloucester Cathedral organ. I was drawn to the power and grandeur of the instrument. From there, I studied under several fantastic teachers and eventually earned an organ scholarship at Oxford, which really set everything in motion.
What or who inspires you?
There have been many inspirations –John Sanders, Nicholas Danby, Allan
Wicks, and Barry Rose all played key roles in shaping my musical direction. And honestly, the instrument itself can be a huge inspiration – and has taken me all over the world!
What piece of advice has helped you the most in your career?
Probably something my mother said: ‘Just keep going’. That sense of determination has stuck with me. I also believe in being true to yourself – especially in music, where people can see right through you. If you’re conducting and something’s off, it’s usually you, not the choir. Learning that kind of self-awareness has been crucial.
What has been the most rewarding project so far in your career and why?
There are two events [at St Giles Cathedral] that stand out: the Thanksgiving Service for Queen Elizabeth II and the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication presented to King Charles III. Both were national occasions, meticulously planned and incredibly moving. It was a real privilege to be involved in organising and delivering those events with such a brilliant team of musicians and partners.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to succeed in the music industry?
Be persistent. You might not get the first job you apply for, but often, that’s for the best. The right opportunities come with time and preparation. Stay focused, be yourself, and understand that building trust with others is key –especially if you’re working in a team or directing musicians.
If you could work in another industry, what would it be?
If I hadn’t gone into cathedral music, I likely would have become a school teacher full-time. I did a lot of teaching in the early part of my career – at
Leeds Grammar School, The King’s School in Canterbury, and later in university settings. I’ve always enjoyed passing on knowledge and working with young musicians.
If you could change one thing about the music sector, what would it be and why?
I’d like to see more political and financial support for the arts, especially from the UK Government. In countries like Germany, cultural life is taken seriously – politicians attend concerts, and the arts are valued. Here, it often feels like we’re fighting just to be seen. Brexit has also made it more difficult to perform and collaborate across Europe, which has been very frustrating, contributing to a loss of knowledge.
What are your future plans?
Having retired from St. Giles, I’m currently preparing to move back to the Canterbury area. I’ll continue examining for ABRSM and pick up freelance opportunities as they come. I don’t intend to leave music behind – it’s part of who I am, and I’m sure I’ll stay involved in various ways.
What does your ISM membership mean to you?
It’s been a valuable resource – the PLI cover is essential, and I’ve found their information and support really helpful. I once nearly needed their legal services, and just knowing they were there gave me peace of mind. It’s also good to stay connected with other areas of the industry through the ISM.