Our Team

Dr Elizabeth Stafford is one of the UK’s foremost experts in music education, widely recognised for her leadership, research, and influence across the sector. As Director of Music Education Solutions, she has worked with schools, music hubs, trusts, arts organisations, and education providers nationally and internationally to improve the quality and impact of music teaching. With almost 30 years’ experience spanning classroom teaching, higher education, consultancy, and national programme leadership, she is known for combining academic expertise with practical, accessible approaches that support teachers and transform provision. She is author of The Primary Music Leader’s Handbook (HarperCollins) and Secondary Music Leader’s Handbook (HarperCollins), editor of Primary Music Magazine, and Music Hubs and Services Magazine, and presenter of the Primary Music in Conversation podcast. Formerly part of the leadership team for the government’s KS2 Music CPD Programme (2008-2011), Liz is a sought-after speaker, trainer, and advisor whose work continues to shape music education policy and practice across the UK and beyond.

Nick studied at Dartington and the National Centre for Orchestral Studies. After gaining a PGCE he worked as a peripatetic violin teacher with Berkshire Young Musicians Trust, later moving on to area lead roles and Head of Education for BYMT with responsibility for staff development. In 2002 Nick moved to Trinity College London in a role working closely with UK music services, including providing training and development for teachers. He was appointed as Academic Director with Trinity in 2010 with strategic leadership of Trinity’s qualifications and examiners across the performing arts and English language. In 2018 Nick stepped down from Trinity in order to pursue a range of other interests, including redeveloping a watermill in Cornwall to provide holiday accommodation and a base for music activity.
Nick has a deep-seated interest in instrumental music teaching and his second book on this area (“Instrumental Teaching: Perspectives and Challenges”, eds: Beach and Spruce) is currently in production. At Trinity he led on the development of Arts Award, Trinity Rock & Pop, the Certificate for Music Educators and a range of other qualifications and projects. He also led the team that won a multi-million pound contract with the UK government to deliver English language exams. Nick has worked with music educators around the world and has particular experience of music education in SE Asia and Australia. He currently works as a music education consultant and freelance violinist alongside running a small holiday business and music venue.

Professor Karen Burland is Head of theSchool of Music at Leeds University. Karen is a University Student Education Fellow and is investigating the ways in which undergraduate and postgraduate students engage with, and perceive, employability activities during university and beyond. She has research interests in musical development focusing on the environmental conditions leading to childhood musical success and the professional development of musicians during career transitions. Karen has published widely in well-respected journals and has participated in numerous interdisciplinary research collaborations.

Kay Charlton is a composer and educator alongside playing the trumpet with Bollywood Brass Band, who’s CD Carnatic Connection was placed #12 in Songlines Magazine’s top 50 world Music CDs of the last five years (2018). She teaches brass and WCET for Royal Greenwich Music Hub as well as teaching KS2 music at a Primary school in S E London.

Kay has composed examination pieces for Trinity College London and has brass/wind tutor books published by Spartan Press and Warwick Music. Her book of WCET repertoire & backing tracks, Are You Ready?, has also been converted into a series of online tutorials by MusicGurus, and she has delivered workshops based on this repertoire and her aural approach at the First Access Forum, Music Education Expo and as CPD sessions for Music Hubs. She composed the songs for Warwick Music’s pBuzz KS1 resource pack, which was awarded five stars in Teach Primary Magazine, and has also written resources for LSO Discovery and LPO Creative Classrooms.

Kay completed an MA in Music Education at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2018, and was awarded the Director’s Prize for Music Education.

As a composer, creative music facilitator and researcher based in Birmingham, Kirsty advocates for creativity and music education for all young people. In 2012 she founded the Young Composers Project at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, which has inspired young people in the West Midlands to consider a route into composing as viable, and it has trained emerging composers to work in local schools and educational settings. Whilst working freelance she has worked with music organisations such as the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, London Symphony Orchestra, Town Hall Symphony Hall Birmingham, and many local schools, to deliver creative music making workshops.

Since completing her PhD investigating the assessment of composing in secondary schools, Kirsty has worked as a research assistant at Birmingham City University, as well as a composition and pedagogy tutor at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. She now works for the University of Wolverhampton as a lecturer in music and music education.

Anna worked for over 18 years as a classroom music teacher, Advanced Skills Teacher, Head of Department and Head of Community Music. Anna was a founder core team member of Musical Futures UK and now works as a freelance music education consultant.

As a consultant she has supported the work of many organisations in the UK including Music Mark, Trinity College London, and The BBC as well as working regularly with Music Education Hubs. An experienced presenter, speaker and practical workshop leader, Anna has also led presentations, panels, keynotes and workshops in China, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, USA, Europe and the Middle East.

Gemma works both as a professional classical singer and as an educator. As a performer, she sings in Dublin with Chamber Choir Ireland; in Birmingham with Ex Cathedra; and in Warwick with Armonico Consort. She also performs across the UK as a soprano soloist. As an educator, Gemma currently works on a variety of projects, including Ex Cathedra’s Singing Medicine at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Singing Playgrounds in primary schools and Singing Pathways in Solihull Hospital. She teaches singing and piano privately and until 2013 she was Head of Music at Ludlow School in Shropshire. Gemma is also Assistant Director of Music at The Parish Church of St Laurence in Ludlow.

Phil Mullen is one of the world’s leading experts on musical inclusion and community music. Phil has worked for thirty-three years developing music with people who are socially excluded. He specializes in working with excluded children and young people at risk. Phil spent 8 years working in Northern Ireland using music as a tool for peace and reconciliation. He has run workshops and seminars in 27 countries across Europe, North and South America and Asia.

Phil has been national inclusion advisor to Sing Up and has been involved as an evaluator for the National Foundation for Youth Music’s nationwide Musical Inclusion programme. He works with Hubs, music organizations and schools around inclusion training and strategic development on inclusion.

Phil has a PHD from Winchester University and has written a number of book chapters on musical inclusion including for the Oxford Handbook of Community Music (2018).

Jack is a Yorkshire-based music educator with experience in teaching secondary and post-16 music. Jack is passionate about making music education an inclusive and accessible education for all – with particular interests in breaking down barriers to learning for students’ with additional needs. Before starting his teaching career, Jack studied Classical Composition under Dr Damien Harron at Leeds Conservatoire (he also studied Music Education under CME Programme Leader, Dr Liz Stafford). Jack spends most of his time supporting student composers nowadays as well as pursuing Conducting, specifically Music Directing for Musical Theatre. Recent MD credits include Made in Dagenham and Nativity: The Musical!

A former “Outstanding” (Ofsted 2004) primary school teacher, Ula is a leading conductor, teacher trainer and workshop leader, whose work has taken her around the UK and as far afield as France, Hong Kong, Uganda, Ukraine, Thailand, China and New Zealand. Ula is an expert in developing choral and classroom singing and has delivered singing strategies for Sandwell and Dudley Music Hubs. Until very recently, when she moved to Inverness, Ula conducted the CBSO SO Vocal (a 200- strong community choir run by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra), the CBSO Children’s Chorus, HSBC UK Choir and the Birmingham City Council Choir. She co-leads the Birmingham Workplace Choirs Network, and is the founder and Musical Director of Echo Doliny (The National Polish folk choir) and the National Teachers’ Choir. Ula is assistant conductor for the Young Voices arena tour and has recently been shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic Society’s prestigious Inspiration Award.

Dan is currently Curriculum Leader for the Performing Arts at an all-through Academy in London. Prior to this, he has held senior positions in schools across London and the South East, positively impacting on engagement and results for students from the widest range of backgrounds. He has also held senior advisory positions for Music Hubs and three of the UK’s major exam boards; leading on staff and product development; training and mentoring; and strategies for growth globally and in the UK. He has a particular interest in the perception, purpose and practice of assessment and its impact on progression and has led sessions on this topic at local and national conference events across the country. He has over 25 years experience of Music Education and a detailed knowledge of the qualifications available to musicians in schools. He holds a BA in Music from the University of Nottingham and a PGCE in Music from the University of Leeds. In his spare time, he is a Trumpet and Keys player, Musical Director and on the Board of Governors for a Secondary Academy.

After many years as a classroom music teacher, Martin Fautley undertook doctoral study investigating teaching, learning, and assessment of classroom music making. He is currently researching assessment, classroom composing and creativity, policy, and musical learning and progression. He is author of ten books, and over 60 journal articles and chapters.

Martin is Professor Emeritus at Birmingham City University, and co-editor of the British Journal of Music Education. He is the recipient of the ISM Distinguished Musician Award (2023) and the MDEE Lifetime Achievement Award (2025).