News

OCTOBER 2023

Singapore Visit

It was a joy to visit Tanglin Trust School in Singapore and speak at the FOBISIA Music Conference. In advance of the conference I spent two days in the department meeting students and learning about their approach to music. It was a pleasure to talk about curriculum design with a large group of music educators, and learn about their departments. Thanks to Rob and the team for the warm welcome.

On Friday I join a panel for the Royal Opera House Leaders for Impact to talk about cultural education; I have been part of a previous cohort when I first started in a trust-wide role leading arts and culture. The programme is brilliant; I learnt so much about how to advocate and lead cultural education and met so many wonderful colleagues that continue to inspire my work in schools. 

MARCH 2023

Oak National Subject Expert

Oak National Academy announced today the first wave of their curriculum partners and subject experts; I'm pleased to join colleagues in the music subject expert group. More information about these partners can be read here. 

I'm excited to speak at a range of education events in the months ahead. For the Music Teachers' Association I'll present another Hibbins Series event, this time on the Rite of Spring with Professor Jonathan Cross (Oxford). In June I'll speak at Queen Anne Caversham's Conference, and July I'll join the Warwick Schools Foundation Future FWD conference. 

JANUARY 2023

New publications

A new sixth edition of Becoming a Teacher is publishing in March this year. I enjoyed contributing a new chapter on spaces for learning beyond the classroom. Many colleagues at King's College London School of Education have been long-term editors and contributors to the book. You can read more here. 

Dan Worth recently interviewed me to chat about starting the President role at the Chartered College of Teaching. You can read the interview here. 

I recently reviewed Culture is Bad for You for the Journal of Cultural Analysis and Social Change; I've known the book a while after interviewing Professor Dave O'Brien for the Worshipful Company of Educators Arts Education SIG. You can read the review (open-access) here. 

Other forthcoming publications include an article for the Music Teachers Association Journal on EDI and the AQA GCSE Music course, and an edited version of my arts chapter for Handscomb and Brown's Professional Learning Networks for a Professional Development journal. 

During the autumn of 2022 I was part of the RMA Tippett Medal judging panel; a genuine joy to hear such excellent submisions for this composition prize. The winner will soon be announced on the RMA website. I look forward to the submissions in 2023. For the RMA, as a Council member, I will step up to Chair the Music Education Working Group. There is much to do to tackle the issue of decline in schools (of GCSE and A-level Music) and I'm keen to work with HE music colleagues to consider our role in changing the situation for the better. 

OCTOBER 2022

New appointments

Colleagues in the King's College London School of Education, Communication and Society shared their 'must reads' back in August, and I contributed my own - Art Worlds by Becker. You can read the selection here. This academic year I'm leading a module in the department, Creative Learning in Arts Organisations; I've been a Visiting Research Fellow in the School since 2017 and have enjoyed a range of contributions including panel discussions in partnership with the Worshipful Company of Educators. You can see some of these on the Listen page of my website. 

From October I step up to be Chair of Examiners for GCSE Music at AQA, having previously held the Chief Examiner role. It's a privilege to lead the subject in the role and as Chair I look forward to being able to engage colleagues more. If you're not familiar with the GCSE Music specification from AQA details are here.

JANUARY 2022

Council Memberships

I am thrilled to join the Council of the Chartered College of Teaching this year; I am grateful to the membership for the opportunity to contribute to our profession by supporting the development of our professional body. I am currently on the pilot of the Chartered Teacher (Leadership) programme, and since completing the CTeach programme in 2019 I have continued to contribute to the College's work. I have assessed for the CTeach programme and contributed to events, such as a webinar on teaching arts remotely.

I begin my term at the Vice-President (F&GP) of the National Society for Educators of Art and Design this month. Whilst my studies and education career are in Music, I have embraced arts and cultural education more holistically in recent years and most recently in my current role. We had an excellent event for the CST recently discussing leading arts at scale in trusts and I was able to join a panel including General Secretary of the NSEAD, Michele Gregson. We both see the potential of the NSEAD to support the development of art and design across families of schools, and can see the NSEAD playing a vital role in continued discussions about how subject associations connect with trusts.

For the Royal Musical Association I join the Council as a co-opted member this month too. I have been a member, nearly consistently, of the RMA since my postgraduate days at Royal Holloway (2003) and I'm pleased to be able offer my secondary music expertise as well as contribute to other aspects of the Council's work including external affairs and the composition medal.

SEPTEMBER 2021

National Plan for Music Education

I'm pleased to join the expert panel for the DCMS/DFE National Plan for Music Education. Further details can be read here in the press release from gov.uk. This term I join Reading University as an Associate Lecturer to contribute some lectures to their MA Education focusing on my composition in education work. 

This month I joined the Court of the Worshipful Company of Educators; I am thrilled to declare as a Court Assistant during Roy Blackwell's year as Master, where he has set Music Education as the theme. We have a range of events including a Desert Island Discs, and some join SIG events with the SEND and Prison Education groups. The Trustees will be awarding prizes to music educators in April 2022 and I have had the pleasure of working with the board in sharing the opportunity widely with music education organisations in the UK. 

MAY 2021

Writing, Podcasts, Conference

I'm pleased to be writing a chapter for a forthcoming book on professional networks in education, focusing on how arts and cultural educators establish and maintain their professional networks. I'm grateful to the editors for accepting the proposal, and look forward to sharing more in due course. For the Music Teachers Association I've just edited an issue of Ensemble focusing on the curriculum and enjoyed reading a range of submissions from teachers in a range of settings. It will be an excellent read! 

Other recent articles include a piece for Arts Professional on the BJME Blogging project I devised for the Music Teachers Association. This project resulted in a spike in the readership of the featured articles, and I'm excited to see where we take the project next. Additionally I contributed a blog for the Arts Council England Creativity Exchange website on 'creative constraints' - how to promote creativity through meaningful challenge. I'm grateful to Bill Lucas for his thorough editing and accepting the pitch in the first place. It's a great site, and I can see it will become a valuable space for reflection on what it is to teach for creativity across all subjects.

I have now joined Buckingham University School of Education as a Visiting Lecturer, supervising EdD candidates. I've been the Subject Lead for Secondary Music for two years now and have enjoyed immensely working with trainees.

April was particularly fun with some podcast interviews - these are all on the 'Listen' page of the website, and the most recent was for the TES Podcast on the value of the arts for young people as they reconnect at school. The next podcast to appear will be a conversation I had with Chris Woods for his Music Education Podcast series on the Model Music Curriculum. Earlier in April I featured on the Qualified Tutor Podcast talking about the music curriculum in schools, and just before that chatted about my MAT role for the Hip Hop Orchestra Podcast. 

It was a pleasure to chair the #CanDoMusic session on the MMC, hosted by Music Mark. Also in May I will chair a panel of early years academics and practitioners for the MTA Conference (virtual, but hosted by St. Paul's) and started the month chairing a webinar on inclusive arts education for the Worshipful Company of Educators. MusicFirst UK sponsored the Music Ed Tech Conference and I enjoyed presenting on digitial creativity, and joinined a panel to chat about next steps for the music curriculum. You can register to watch the conference sessions for here. 

JANUARY 2021

Spitalfields and Chartered College

I'm thrilled to join the board of Spitalfields Music as a trustee. A remarkable organisation that champions high-quality, ambitious work with a strong connection to place and community. This month I've started the Chartered College of Teaching Chartered Teacher (Leadership) programme. Like the CTeach I completed in 2019, I am part of the pilot of a new programme, and welcome the research-informed insight I will develop through the course. 

SEPTEMBER 2020

CLA Advisory Panel

I'm looking forward to starting my new role as Director of Arts and Culture for the Odyssey Trust for Education. Additionally, I begin the Royal Opera House Bridge Leaders for Impact course. 

In July and August I chaired a task and finish group for the Cultural Learning Alliance, leading a group of arts educators, academics and cultural leaders to make recommendations on future CDPL strategy. From September I join the Advisory Panel of the Cultural Learning Alliance. 

From September I join the governing board of City of London Primary Academy Islington. I know the school well from my time working in the City of London, and I look forward to keeping connected with the family of schools. As Governor for COLPAI I will focus on cultural and creative learning. 

MAY 2020

New role

I'm excited to be joining the Odyssey Trust for Education in September as the Director of Arts and Culture. This new role for the trust will allow me to lead on an arts and cultural learning strategy for the two schools, and I'm looking forward to working closely with the CEO and senior teams to ensure all pupils have access to an ambitious and excellent arts provision. Details here in the recent newsletter sent to parents. 

From September I am a Visiting Research Fellow at Guildhall School. I will be conducting a two year study investigating approaches to the teaching of creativity across four departments. Now more than ever it seems important to continue to reflect on our practice and my ethnography will enable me to share the practice at Guildhall. I aim to create a new short course in response to the research that would benefit secondary school teachers. I continue to be a Visiting Research Fellow at King's College London, and to be the subject-lead for Music at Buckingham University School of Education. 

As Curriculum Lead of the Music Teachers Association I have been leading on some ventures to continue the purposeful dialogue between musci teachers. A recent project has been a collaborative blog and I have written a blog for the ISC here that explains the process and provides a link to the posts so far. 

JULY 2019

CTeach and CPD

It was wonderful to be awarded Chartered Teacher Status on Saturday 20 July. This new status from the Chartered College of Teaching raises the profile of classroom teaching, and provides a new form of professional learning, offering a route for those not looking to immediately move into but to strengthen (and enrich with research) their practice. I highly recommend the programme. 

From September I am seconded to the City of London Education Unit one day per week, maintaining my role as Director of Music. I’m looking forward to taking leadership of the Cultural and Creative Learning Forum and supporting arts colleagues in the family of schools. Additionally I will be a participant on the Getting Ahead London leadership programme next academic year. 

My contribution has been accepted to a new volume edited by John Finney and others celebrating fifty years since Sound and Silence. This will be published by Routledge in 2020, and my contribution will be a project in the style of the original 1970 book.  From September I will Chair the Curriculum Group for the Music Teachers’ Association, additionally being co-opted the committee. I am looking forward to taking leadership of the curriculum work the MTA will undertake, all in response to the publication of the model music curriculum in the autumn. I will continue as a governor and trustee of the wonderful Arts and Media School Islington, and additionally have been invited to join the Berkeley Ensemble as a trustee.

MARCH 2019

Future Events

It has been a busy few months. I recently completed the pilot Chartered Teacher Programme - a 14 month professional development for expert teachers (and to promote expert, research-informed teaching). I have recently contributed another article to Chartered College Impact, the next issue exploring curriculum design. 

I have recently been appointed an Associate Governor and Trustee for Arts and Media School Islington, in Finsbury Park. I'm thrilled to join a school that places the arts, culture and creativity in such high regard. 

As Chair of the Arts and Cultural Education Special Interest Group of the Worshipful Company of Educators I have organised two events this summer. We'll visit the London Metropolitan Archives to learn more about the educational projects they offer, and will chair an event hosted at KCL (where I am a Visiting Research Fellow) on inclusive arts practice. This panel debate will include Lou Stein (Chickenshed Theatre), Jasmine Wilson (Studio Wayne Macgregor) and Tim Yayes (Drake Music). The events are open to members of the Educators Company but do get in touch if the panel debate might appeal by emailing sigarts@co-educators.com

 

JANUARY 2019

Films for LPO

I have written and presented two short films on composing for GCSE Music, the first of which is now available on the LPO website and YouTube here. 

I’ve contributed two guest blogs this month. One for MusicEd UK on being a research-informed music teacher and more recently one for IRIS Connect on my experiences of using the platform on the pilot Chartered Teacher Programme. Last term I had contributed an article to an issue of Impact, from the Chartered College of Teaching. 

Later in January I will visit Berkhamsted School during their music week. Before Christmas I delivered two courses for Keynote Educational on GCSE Music. 

AUGUST 2018

RSA Evidence Champions

The RSA has launched a new network of practitioners championing evidence and evaluation in arts and cultural learning, and I’m pleased to have been selected to join the first cohort starting this autumn. The RSA is working with Arts Council Bridge Organisations to champion the role of evidence and evaluation in improving the quality and impact of arts and cultural education.In its first year the Evidence Champions Network will connect 100 artists, educators, evaluators, cultural organisations and funders who want to support better use of evidence and evaluation in arts and cultural learning. Through the Network, Champions will develop knowledge and skills of evidence rich practice and help spread the word about its value, convening online and in regional hubs, to support practitioners across England.

JUNE 2018

TES article

Article by me on the TES website: ‘School music is more than an enjoyable pastime: To save school music, we need to show that there’s more to it than learning instruments for fun, says this head of music’. You can read the article here.

MAY 2018

Chartered Teacher

We are a third of the way through the pilot of the Chartered Teacher Programme - time has flown! This innovative programme of training seeks to support expert teaching and I have thus far learnt a great deal, particularly about cognitive science. It is enjoyable to be part of this pilot programme, providing feedback to ensure subsequent cohorts can benefit from a successful programme that meets the needs of teachers.

For the Worshipful Company of Educators I Chair he Arts and Cultural Education Special Interest Group and will soon launch with an event at King’s College, London, where I am a Visiting Research Fellow. The launch event will feature a debate from visiting speakers who explore what arts and cultural education embedded within schools can look like. I feature in the May issue of Music Teacher magazine talking about how we support the development of the whole musician. At CLSG we support Music scholars with Alexander Technique and mentoring, and we are offering these opportunities to non-Scholars too. Wellbeing of young musicians is a growing concern, particularly as recent research by RCM has shown there is an increasing amount of injury during Conservatoire training and a normalisation of pain. I hope the work we do at CLSG will promote pain-free playing and long term enjoyment.

NOVEMBER 2017

Working with Music Teachers

January 2018 I will visit Dubai to work with Music Teachers drawn from across the Middle East, hosted by Dubai College. I will explore the new A-level specifications, specifically approaching composition. Also in January I start the pilot of the Chartered Teacher programme with Chartered College of Teaching. I'm thrilled to have been selected to part of the pilot cohort of 150. Chartered Teacher Status will recognise the knowledge, skills and behaviours of excellent teachers, highlighting the importance of their expertise in supporting the learning of children and young people and representing the first step in the development of a career pathway focused on effective classroom practice, not leadership. It will also bring teaching in line with other professions, where recognition of expertise and expectation of career-long professional learning are well-established'. 

The Chartered College Music Education Network launch event was a success - bringing a good group of teachers to City of London School for Girls. We look forward to the next event in February 2018 and developing ways for sharing and debating issues that effect what we do in the classroom. 

Recent composition includes incidental music/songs for a school production of Caucasian Chalk Circle. Two performances talk place 15/16 November. 

United Learning Music have commissioned a new resource for teaching across their family of schools to assist the work they will be doing with the new BBC Ten Pieces repertoire. I look forward to working with them, and to hear the results from the schools as they engage with the music.

SEPTEMBER 2017

Network Lead

For the new Chartered College of Teaching (of which I am a founding member) I will lead a London Music Education network, and look forward to connecting with colleagues across the capital through a series of events over the year. The Network will aim to bring together primary and secondary classroom teachers, researchers and trainee teachers to explore how classroom practitioners can connect with and be inspired by research. We hope too that the network will encourage teachers to conduct their own research they would share with the network. To register to keep informed please complete the form here.

JULY 2017

A New Direction CLC

I'm thrilled to be joining the Cultural Leadership Community with A New Direction for 2017-2018. The Cultural Leadership Community (CLC) was created to help enable London teachers to take a leading role in ensuring that all young Londoners have access to the arts and culture in their educational lives. The CLC programme will build participants' understanding of the impact and importance of cultural education on a London-wide, national and international level. Via a bespoke research project supported by CPD and mentoring, participants will also actively develop the cultural education offer in their own school. Successful applicants to the Cultural Leadership Community will participate in a year-long programme of bespoke CPD (five sessions), with the first session running as a full day, and subsequent sessions delivered as half-days. A closed social media network will support the development of the cohort between sessions along with one to one consultation with Nimble Fish around key issues and opportunities for participants in the context of their interests as cultural leaders.

JUNE 2017

Educators' Company

I'm thrilled to have been elected a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Educators, and will make me declaration later this month at Painters Hall. 'The Worshipful Company of Educators is the 109th livery company of the City of London, having been granted livery status on 10 September 2013 by the Court of Aldermen. The Company was founded on 24 May 2001 as a Guild to represent the education and training profession and for charitable purposes. On 15 September 2009 the City's Court of Aldermen granted the petition of the Guild of Educators and agreed that the Guild be constituted one of the Companies of the City, without a grant of livery, with the title of The Company of Educators and that its Ordinances be approved and duly enrolled amongst the records of the City. Upon being advanced to the status of City livery company in 2013, the Company was accorded the official title of Worshipful Company of Educators, although less formally it can continue to be known as the Educators' Company'.

I'm pleased to be forging links with different parts of the City, and will look forward to contributing to the life of the Musicians and Educators Company as a Freeman.   

MARCH 2017

Education Projects

It was great to return to Royal Opera House and be part of the final selection of the Fanfares for 2017. This is a special project for me as I was part of the development of the new approach where pupils make use of a selection of motifs from ROH repertoire. Additionally my contribution to a new singing resource is available on the ROH website - an arrangement of Wagner's Sailors' Chorus. You can find this here.

This month I have worked with London Philharmonic Orchestra to write and a present a seminar on On Wenlock Edge. This was a joy to do and it was wonderful to see so many students attend the seminar, held at the impressive Pimlico Academy. There is plenty of potential in this format of delivering the set works and I hope more will occur in the near future. 

For Westminster School I gave the pre-concert talk for their Faure/Puccini Concert at Barbican Centre on 20 March. An interesting task for me to talk about two well-known works - but I hope the audience gained a broader insight into the stylistic trends of both composers and the links to a longer term trajectory of music of that time. Concert was a triump for the school - very much enjoyed hearing the choir and orchestra perform so well under baton of Mr Tim Garrard.

DECEMBER 2016

New Courses & Workshops

I will write and lead two new courses for Keynote Educational next year; one exploring creative approaches to the teaching of the new GCSE specifications and another focusing on the composition briefs. 

For LPO Education I will present a concert in March 2017 on some of the Edexcel A-level set works, working with musicians from the orchestra to explore the music and wider listening.

In January I will lead a composition workshop for primary schools hosted by Scarborough College, and a composition CPD session for teachers who will be working on the ROH Fanfare project for 2017.

SEPTEMBER 2016

ISM Webinar

The webinar broadcast on 20 September will be available here on the ISM website for future listening.

My community choir piece 'Come Let Us Sing' and Fanfare will be performed between LSO St. Luke's and St. Giles' Cripplegate on Monday 26 September. David Lawrence will rehearse girls from City of London School for Girls and the LSO Community Choir on the day and include working on my harmonisation of the hymn 'O Come Let Us Sing'.

MAY 2016

MEL, New Book, Verdi Requiem

Teach Through Music and Peer to Peer network have been amalgamated into Music Excellence London. I enjoyed being a Mentor for TTM and will be one of 15 Teacher Advocates for the new MEL programme. I look forward to the year ahead of Inspire events and other activities bringing KS3 Music teachers together. 

I have written the first chapter in a new book from Routledge/Ashgate - 'Creative Teaching for Creative Learning in Higher Education Music'. This is available from 19 May and further details are here. 

I will be singing the tenor solo in Verdi's Requiem, performed by the Southend Choral Society on 7 May. Tickets are through the website http://www.southendchoral.org/concerts.htm

 

JANUARY 2016

Publications and Courses

Rhinegold's revised Study Guides will be published this spring and the Edexcel and OCR guides will include composition chapters by me. Additionally my chapter on composition in schools will feature in a forthcoming Ashgate title to published in April.

I will return to the Royal Opera House in February to work with the Learning Department on a new project, following the recent work I did on the teaching resources for the Fanfare 2016.

For MMA I will speak at their Composition Day in March and at their annual conference taking place in Lancaster in May. Both sessions will look at GCSE Composition particularly with the new specifications starting in September 2016.

AUGUST 2015

Collaborations

I have written the Guest Editorial for Teach Talk Music - this will appear on Monday 3 August here, called "Are Art and Music so different?". 

Thanks to Teach Through Music for supporting my artist-collaboration with Mary King to explore Into the Woods as I prepare to MD it at my new school, City of London School for Girls.  The two sessions in August will give me chance to discuss vocal issues as well as interpretation, and explore planning how to rehearse this musical. 

For the MMA INSET in November I will deliver a session on composing at KS4, linking it to KS3 and considering the transition in addition to how students can thrive at KS4 with their composing.

With International Bassoon Day approaching on 11th October 2015 I will be writing a new work for the Berkshire Maestro's County Bassoon Ensemble this autumn. 

Two new dates are available for my Keynote Educational courses both in December. Further details are here for my Composition course, and the Outstanding Teaching and Learning is here.

APRIL 2015

New publications

Steven will contribute to a forthcoming study guide for the new Edexcel GCSE Music, focusing on the composition aspect. Further details to be announced. His chapter (on secondary school composition teaching) for a new book 'Creative Teaching for Creative Learning in Higher Academic Music Education' will be published by Ashgate in 2016.

JANUARY 2015

Magic Flute with OCMC

Steven will sing the role of Tamino with Oxford and Cambridge Musical Club's concert performance of The Magic Flute. Details of the concert, which forms part of their current concert season, can be read here.

NOVEMBER 2014

TTM Inspire Event at City Hall

Steven was one of a group of speakers as part of a Teach Through Music Inspire Event at London's 'Living Room', City Hall. 'Preparing all Pupils for KS4' was part of 'Teach Through Music', and is one of several events offered over the year-long programme of professional development. You can read a Storify of tweets and photos of the evening here. Steven's blog post about the evening is here.

SEPTEMBER 2014

A Dinner Engagement

Steven will sing the role of HRH Prince Phillipe in Berkeley's 'A Dinner Engagement' (1954) with Oxford and Cambridge Musical Club. Further details of the work and a synopsis can be found here. The performance with orchestra will take place after the OCMC AGM on Saturday 18th October 2014.

JULY 2014

Vivace Chorus Concert Talk

Steven will give the pre-concert talk before Vivace Chorus' performance of Bach's B Minor in Guildford Cathedral on 15 November 2014. You can read a previous talk on Bach by Steven here. This will be the third talk Steven has given for the Chorus and past concert talks have included Karl Jenkin's Mass for Peace, Haydn's Mass in the Time of War and Angel Song II by Will Todd. 

You can read Steven's review of the last concert here.

MAY 2014

Pro Corda

Steven will lead a composition project on the Pro Corda Senior Course this August, culminating in a final performance of new works by the students. Last year the project 'Pro Corda: Recomposed' resulted in new group-compositions that re-composed the chamber music studied by the students on the course. Recordings of some of the pieces from 2013 can be heard here. Steven will write a new work for all the course participants, to be performed at the end of the course in Leiston Abbey. See Pro Corda's website for further details of the Senior Course.

MARCH 2014

New Composition Course

Keynote will offer Steven's new course, Creativity and Imagination in GCSE Composition. This course starts with the end in mind: how do you get a class to compose high scoring compositions when faced with a mixed ability range of students, including non-readers, non-classical and classical composers? The course will show how you can get away from formulaic teaching and help students be creative and imaginative in their compositions. It will explore in detail particular forms, styles and genres most used at GCSE level and show how to create pieces that are coherent, develop ideas and show ambition in the exploitation of the various musical elements.

JANUARY 2014

New projects

Steven is currently working with the writer Campaspe Lloyd-Jacobs on a new opera, for performance in 2015. An article on 'Re-composing' (including Steven's interview with the pianist Christopher O'Riley) has been commissioned by Music Teacher magazine, and will include references to the Pro Corda project Steven led last summer.  In addition to this, Steven will continue to lead courses for Keynote Educational and speak at the conference for A-level Music students this February. On a lighter note, Steven will be singing the role of Ferrando with Harrow Opera's concert performance of selections from Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte in May.

AUGUST 2013

Autumn Events

See the Events page for several events taking place over the autumn, highlights including presenting at MusicLearningLive in Singapore, a pre-concert talk for the Guildford-based Vivace Chorus and two dates for his GCSE Music course in Manchester and London. The Chandos Singers at North London Collegiate School will premiere a new work by Steven for SSA this November. Prior to the autumn Steven will teach composition on the Senior Course for Pro Corda, taking place in the beautiful Leiston Abbey. 

In the Spring 2014 Steven will speak at Keynote's AS/A2 Music Conference, and lead more courses for teachers in addition to adjudicating at the Watford Music Festival.

APRIL 2013

More course dates announced

Keynote Educational have announced more dates for Steven's course for teachers, Outstanding Teaching and Learning at GCSE Music. Further details at http://keynoteeducational.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=21_37&products_id=1994&osCsid=8b05edf56305df0f600dbdce34810e82

NOVEMBER 2012

GCSE Music Teacher Courses

Steven will lead courses on GCSE Music for Keynote Educational in Spring/Summer 2013. The course will be suitable for teachers of any GCSE Music specification and will focus on strategies to ensure the teaching throughout GCSE Music is engaging and more than enough to satisfy what OFSTED deems to be 'outstanding'. Further details will appear on the Keynote Educational Website shortly at http://www.keynoteeducational.co.uk/index.htm

SEPTEMBER 2012

Solo piano works recording

The French pianist Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont will record two of Steven's solo piano pieces in addition to recording his second album, due to commence recording Spring 2013. In addition, the pieces will feature on his recital tour throughout 2013, and Steven and Pierre plan to collaborate on further new works in 2014. Further information about Pierre can be found on his website http://www.pierre-arnaud-dablemont.com. His current album has been received with a great deal of praise, and can be heard here http://introducing.pierre-arnaud-dablemont.com.

AUGUST 2012

Music Education UK

Issue 3 of Music Education UK will be in print this month and includes three items by Steven; a book review, a review of continuing professional development courses offered by The Guildhall School of Music & Drama and an opinion piece on subject content in music teaching 'Voice from the Front'. A review by Steven has appeared in a previous issue of the magazine, that of Pedro de Alcantara's most recent book. An excerpt of another article from the magazine, not by Steven, is available to read online at http://www.musiceducationuk.com/read-issue-3/

JULY 2012

INSET Courses 2012/2013

Steven will be co-leading courses for Keynote Educational on 'leading and managing a successful music department' and composition, the latter as part of a student comference. Further details to be announced and they will appear on the Keynote Educational website at Http://www.keynoteeducational.co.uk

JULY 2012

Twelve-12-12

It is six months into the Twelve-12-12 project: a celebration of the 12th December 2012 taking place at The Forge, Camden. Twelve artists will create new works for the event, and Steven's new work for viola and accordion will be premiered. Each of the twelve artists involved contributes a mini-blog entry each month to the Twelve-12-12 website which comprises twelve words and a photo. June can be seen here
 http://www.twelve1212.co.uk/twelve1212.co.uk/6___June.html

JUNE 2012

Cena Brasil Internacional 2012

Steven's recent collaboration with Mauricio Carneiro, Beo da Silva and Sam Fisher has completed a run of performances as part of Cena Brasil Internacional 2012 at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil in Rio de Janeiro. The festival ran from 1 to 11 June and included several performances of the work 'Copra - Lixa da Alma' (Rubbish - Body of Soul) including one in English. With the other artists that created the piece, Steven gave a talk about the process of writing the piece during the opening weekend of the festival. An installation that forms part of the piece includes a video with a soundtrack written by Steven played continuously throughout the festival in the entrance hall of the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil. A trailer for the piece can be seen here and further details of the festival can be found on the website.

APRIL 2012

Transatlantic Orchestral Productions

Three of Steven's works will feature as part of Transatlantic Orchestral Productions concerts this July - two have been confirmed at The George Tavern and The Old Queen's Head, London. Further details about TOP and the upcoming performances can be found here.

JANUARY 2012

Twelve-12-12

Steven will be writing a new work as part of a project called Twelve-12-12 created by composers Nikki Franklin and Steve Gisby. Twelve-12-12 is a project to mark the last occasion, for a century, when it will be possible to write the date as the triplet 12/12/12. We are presenting a concert on 12 December 2012, featuring new pieces from 12 British artists, encompassing music, visual arts and poetry, each one drawing on material based on the number 12. Further details and updates can be seen here.

NOVEMBER 2012

Juniper Dreams

"There were some really memorable songs, including the fugal Facebook one, but most of all I enjoyed the really sophisticated harmonies and subtle timbres of your scoring, which were far more interesting than anything you get in the West End. Stravinsky seemed a prevailing spirit to my ear, and it really made for a wonderful evening, where two hours passed very swiftly." Juniper Dreams audience member It has been a wonderful and exciting week at North London Collegiate School as girls from Years 8 & 9 have performed the world premiere of a new musical Juniper Dreams. With book and lyrics by Deborah Gibbs, Director of Drama and music by Steven Berryman, Assistant Director of Music the story follows the fortunes of three girls from 1957, 1977 and 2011 who are united by their problems and experiences and escape into similar worlds. Although growing up in different periods, all find that dreaming of the pop-stars of their time is easier than facing up to the realities of school and family life. Audiences were delighted by outstanding, professional performances from the girls who should be extremely proud of their achievements. The quality of singing, acting and dancing was exceptional and it was wonderful to see this cast of 55 girls performing with such energy, maturity and focus.

OCTOBER 2011

I care if you listen

Steven now contributes to the new music blog www.icareifyoulisten.com; edited by the New York based composer Thomas Deneuville, the blog offers articles and reviews of concerts and recordings. Some recent reviews by Steven include a Boulez concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and a concert of 'repeat music' by the ensemble Plus Minus at Kings Place.

APRIL 2011

Royal Academy of Music Staff profile