Sound Connections has an advisory group which is made up of individuals with expertise in specific areas of music and music education. The group meets three times a year and are able to keep us in touch with the latest developments across the sector, whether that is in Early Years settings, Higher Education, Schools or the informal music making sector.
The members of the advisory group are:
Alex Evans is currently Chief Executive of the multimedia youth training organisation RollingSound, and has been working with vulnerable young people and multimedia since the late nineties. Prior to his current role, Alex was Director of Learning for a major Westminster regeneration charity, where he scaled up a music technology youth programme across the Capital with private equity support.
Fiona Harvey has worked in the music sector, and in particular with professional orchestras, for over 25 years. Since 2004 she has run her own arts management consultancy, focussing on music and music education, and specialising in project/event and financial management, strategic planning and advocacy, and more recently change management. She has worked with a variety of organisations including Association of British Orchestras, Arts Council England, London Sinfonietta and London Symphony Orchestra, BBC, National Music Council, Music Education Council, Sound and Music, Sound Connections and Think Again Media.
Nigel Hiscock has been Head of Music Service for the London Borough of Sutton since 1997. Nigel is currently on the National Executive of the Federation of Music Services and is the elected representative for London. He is also on the Greater London Authority Music Education steering group and an advisor for Mayors Fund for Young Musicians. Nigel studied at the Royal College of Music and until 1997 pursued a freelance career as a professional horn player and also founded his own independent teaching agency.
Emily Keeler is a primary music Advanced Skills Teacher based at Allfarthing Primary School and supporting the music curriculum in primary schools across Wandsworth. She is also the London Representative for the National Association of Music Educators, a national charity supporting high quality music education across all sectors.
Trevor Mason is Youth Music’s part-time Regional Executive Officer for London. His role involves advising organisations about their music projects and suitability for Youth Music funding. He maintains a good level of contact with those working in music education in London. When he is not at Youth Music he works for Kent Band and is a freelance development worker
Phil Mullen is a Community Musician and trainer, London based and working across the UK and internationally. Phil specialises in working with excluded children and young people at risk. He also works in the formal education sector at primary, secondary and university level and in a range of other contexts.
Andrea Spain is Head of Learning & Participation (Music) at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. With a background as a producer, her work includes outreach and schools programmes to widen participation in music education, inclusive arts practice and festival programming. She teaches Professional Skills subjects to HE music students and has undertaken research into workforce development for the arts in community settings for Arts Council England.
