The founder and director of AMD Arts Consultancy Ltd, Aileen has worked in a variety of senior leadership roles in education across the UK. Recognising the positive impact that music education can have on people’s lives, she is passionate about breaking down barriers to inclusion and supporting music and arts organisations to achieve this. Aileen has experience in developing strategy and policy within organisations, and is a trustee with Nonclassical.

Cerys Jones is a writer and director originally from North Wales, now based in London.

Her work includes: The Power of Camelot (writer / lyricist, Exeter Northcott), The Work We Do (writer/ director, White Bear Theatre); the ‘Standing Ovation Award’ nominated Cynefin (writer/director) Bread and Roses Theatre); Who’s Next? (writer/director, White Bear Theatre) and Scenesaver’s Just Write! winner’s showcase (director).

Cerys is also casting director and Young Company manager for British Youth Music Theatre, alongside her work as advisor to independent theatre groups.

Dale Rooks is the director of Learning, Education & Participation at Chichester Festival Theatre. Dale has worked extensively with children and young people and has directed numerous Youth Theatre and professional productions, both locally and nationally including for: National Theatre (NT Connections), Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Royalty Theatre London, Brighton Dome, London Thames Festival, International Youth Arts Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and European Schools Drama Festival in Normandy.

Dale was awarded an MBE in May 2024 for services to Theatre and to young people.

Edwin is a performer (baritone), musical director and leading teacher of young voices and gifted teenagers. He teaches at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and at the RCM Junior Department, and he is an examiner for Trinity College London. He was chair of the Association of Teachers of Singing (2022–24). As an educator, Edwin leads workshops, teacher training days and presents at conferences throughout the UK. He is musical director of the Buckinghamshire County Youth Choir and Aylesbury Consort of Voices.

Emily has taught music in inner London schools since 2010, after graduating from Cambridge University with a music degree, PGCE and master’s degree in education. She has worked at School21, a state school in Newham, for the past ten years, designing and developing its curriculum and community music offer. The team she leads, as director of performing arts, was awarded Outstanding Music Department at the 2024 Music & Drama Education awards.        Emily is also a member of the Music Teachers’ Association, contributing to discussions on curriculum.

Ferah is currently an Assistant Educator and Outreach Practitioner at Chickenshed Theatre Company. Their journey in the performing arts began at 17 with a BTEC course, and they continued their studies to the degree level. Over the past seven years with Chickenshed, she has gained a wealth of experience that has profoundly expanded her understanding of diverse voices. Through a strong commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality, she strives to foster an environment that is open and welcoming to all.

For the last 21 years Honor has placed learning, education and empowering young people and community groups at the centre of all she has done. In 2003 Honor graduated from the University of Manchester with a BA in Drama, specialising in Applied Theatre. After years of freelancing, she joined Vamos Theatre in 2009. Since 2015 she has led their creative learning programme in the community, schools, colleges, and universities in the UK and internationally.

She developed and produced Vamos Theatre’s Award-Winning digital learning resource ‘mask.ED’, delivers the company’s CPD nationally and abroad, and leads the company’s pioneering Emerging Artist Programme for 18- to 24-year-olds.

Jon has worked in further and higher education for 30 years. A strong advocate for vocational courses, he prepares students for careers in the creative industries, teaching a range of skills, promoting events and developing external links to the business. He has enjoyed a parallel career as a music performer, playing and recording with Microdisney, The High Llamas, The Fatima Mansions, Arthur Lee, Nick Lowe and Lee Hazlewood, among others. His experiences in this field have informed his view of the needs of students studying creative subjects.

Kate is a passionate advocate for inclusive music-making and using music as a conduit to wider, positive educational outcomes. A music graduate and qualified teacher, her education career spans almost 20 years, spent working predominantly with vulnerable young people. She is chair of the board at the charity Good Vibrations, and a champion of the ukulele as an instrument in its own right.

Kay is a teacher, consultant, instrumentalist and composer with over 30 years’ experience supporting children, young people and teachers to improve their music-making. She is the author of How to Teach Whole-Class Instrumental Teaching (Collins), a regular contributor to Music Teacher magazine, and she has presented at prestigious music conferences. A professional trumpet player, Kay plays with the Bollywood Brass Band.

Lynette Shanbury was appointed as Polka Theatre’s executive director and joint chief executive in August 2018. She guided the world-renowned children’s theatre through the major redevelopment of the venue from February 2019, reopening in August 2021.

Prior to joining Polka, Lynette spent four years as executive director of inclusive theatre company Spare Tyre, and eight years with London puppetry venue Little Angel Theatre – initially as general manager and later as executive director.

She is also a charity Trustee and former Chair of VocalEyes, who support people who are blind and visually impaired to access culture and the arts and is a Board member of Love Wimbledon BID.

Before joining Kent Music, Liv was head of performing arts at Trinity School in Bexley and head of music at The Sydney Russell School in Dagenham. She’s a clarinettist, saxophonist and jazz enthusiast, and enjoys a vast range of music from Lauryn Hill and Foo Fighters to Stravinsky and Shostakovich.

Patrice Baldwin FRSA is a freelance ‘drama for learning’ specialist and chair of the UK’s Council for Subject Associations.

She is an author, speaker and teacher trainer; she was president of the International Drama Theatre and Education Association (2010-2013) and concurrently chair of National Drama (2004-2015), having been a headteacher, arts adviser and Ofsted inspector.

Patrice was Sir Jim Rose’s editorial expert for Drama in his proposed national curriculum, and was primary drama subject leader for Oak National Academy during the pandemic.

Phil has been the editor of Music Teacher magazine since 2022. After studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and at the Academy of Music in Kraków, he worked as a music teacher and accompanist before switching to publishing, becoming editor at the New Grove Dictionary of Music, music editor at ABRSM, and then Commissioning Editor and Head of Editorial (Music) at Oxford University Press. He has written on music education and composed educational music, and is an adviser for concert programmers, sharing a particular interest in contemporary music and jazz.

Rachel is the Director of Education for Rocksteady Music School, who teach over 70,000 primary school children to play music in a band every week. With a focus on removing all barriers to learning music and inspiring more children to engage with and develop a love for music in school, Rachel has seen first-hand the positive impact music can have on a child’s confidence and wellbeing. She is passionate about amplifying children’s self-belief through child-centred music education. An experienced teacher, trainer, and speaker at high-profile educational events, Rachel also works closely with children’s charities and organizations across the UK to help make music more accessible to every child.

Ryan joined MTI in 2006 after graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in Music Theatre. He worked in various departments of the hire library before joining the amateur licensing team in 2010. In January 2021 Ryan was appointed Director of Operations, Education & Development. Ryan is particularly passionate about musical theatre in education and is proud to produce the Junior Theatre Festival Europe, Europe's biggest celebration of musical theatre for young people which takes place annually at The ICC in Birmingham. Outside of MTI, Ryan is a keen musical director and pianist, and has been involved with a number of amateur societies and youth groups across London. He seems to be steadily working his way through the MTI catalogue of shows, having been involved in productions of: Assassins, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Hairspray, Into the Woods, Jekyll and Hyde, Legally Blonde, Little Shop of Horrors, Ragtime, Rent, tick tick… BOOM!, Little Women and many more.

Sarah has a wide perspective in music education, having been a music hub Senior Leader, classroom teacher, and trainer, working with hubs to facilitate change. She delivers workshops and has presented at national conferences including Music Mark and Expo. Around 9 years ago she developed and implemented a hub inclusion strategy, which continues to evolve, addressing up-to-date approaches and research. She works in partnership with Special Schools, Alternative Provisions, PRUs and SENCos, and has extensive knowledge and experience of working with organisations to support inclusive music practice.

Dr Steve Ball is the co-chair of the Drama and Theatre Education Alliance, chair of the Birmingham Music Hub and chair of the For/With/By European Youth Theatre Network.

He was the founding artistic director of the Play House in Birmingham, head of Arts for Birmingham City Council, associate director at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and director of Birmingham Arts School.

Tolu’s love for music started in primary school and was cultivated in her family church. She’s been a youth worker and volunteer, and taught in primary and secondary schools for over 10 years, becoming a primary specialist. She has developed a passion for music education and champions diversity, accessibility and inclusion in the subject at every turn. Tolu was host on Teacher Talk Radio, and served as trustee for the Music Education Council in 2023/24.

Wendy is the Head of Content (Drama) for the Music and Drama Expo and for the last eight years has been a Senior Lecturer and PGCE Drama Subject Leader in HE. She has recently been engaged as a Project Director on the Foundation in Stage and Screen (CertHE) course at LAMDA for New Work and Devising. Previously, Wendy has been a Shakespeare Schools Festival Director, Youth Theatre Director at The Crescent Theatre in Birmingham, and for the National Youth Arts Trust. One of her specialist fields is using physical theatre practices to make work and she has explored this as Artistic Director with two of her own theatre companies. Wendy has been a Programme Manager, Lecturer and Teacher, for over 20 years in a variety of settings and institutions, working with young people and actors.