Chairpersons

Harriet Richards

Editor of Music Teacher magazine


Harriet Richards is the editor of Music Teacher magazine, head of music content for the Music & Drama Education Expo, and co-chair of the judging panel for the Music & Drama Education Awards. Harriet is also a freelance journalist and has written for publications such as the Guardian, VICE UK, Huffington Post and Stylist.

Freya Parr

Editor of Drama & Theatre Magazine


Freya Parr is the Editor of Drama & Theatre Magazine. She joined the team in 2022 from BBC Music Magazine, where she was Digital Editor and Staff Writer. She continues to work as a freelance journalist, editor and digital consultant for titles including BBC Countryfile, Homes & Antiques, BBC History, the Guardian, Circus Journal, BBC Wildlife and Music Teacher Magazines. As part of her freelance portfolio, she is the Digital Content Manager for The King’s Singers and Communications and Engagement Manager for Bristol Ideas. She also runs The Noiseletter, a fortnightly arts and culture Substack newsletter.

Rose Delcour-Min

Education and equalities officer


Musicians' Union

Rose Delcour-Min is the education and equalities officer at the Musicians’ Union. She has helped to develop networks for underrepresented musicians, supporting the MU’s campaign work for diversity in music syllabi, working on projects to improve representation and access in the music industry. After working in art galleries and museums and graduating with distinction in visual sociology from Goldsmiths University of London, Rose brings her experience of trade union organising and research to the Musicians’ Union.

Steven Bryant

Head of Music


Ullswater Community College

Steven Bryant is the head of music at Ullswater Community College in the Lake District. He has been teaching for 14 years and loves making musicians out of young people. He was over the moon to have the department recognised as the best music department in the country at the Music & Drama Education Awards 2022.

Hannah Fouracre

Director of Music Education


Arts Council England

Hannah Fouracre is passionate about improving young people’s lives through music. As director of music education at Arts Council England, she leads music education strategy for the Arts Council and supports the government with music education policies, including working closely with the Department for Education and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the National Plan for Music Education. Hannah oversees the national music hub programme, as well as other investments in music education. Hannah holds a Bachelor of Music and Masters in Arts and Heritage Management from the University of Sheffield and her career started with Britten Sinfonia. She is also a school governor, advocating for equity of access and progression opportunities for all pupils in cultural education.

Mahaliah Edwards


Mahaliah Edwards is a violinist, educator and advocate for music and social justice. A versatile musician, she trained at the Purcell School before graduating from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in 2019. Now, Mahaliah enjoys a multifaceted portfolio career of teaching and education work, music consultancy and freelance violinist whilst sitting on the Board Council for the Incorporated Society of Musicians and as Alumni Trustee for Awards for Young Musicians and other advisory boards and panels. She works at Cranleigh School and teaches violin with Music Masters. Mahaliah has recently begun working for Black Lives in Music as a Relationship Manager and Diversity Practitioner. She is keen to continue exploring academically and professionally, pursuing an MA at Trinity Laban as well as being a BBC Open Music Artist/trainee broadcaster.

Rachel Hawker

Director of education


Rocksteady Music School

Rachel Hawker is director of education for Rocksteady Music School, who teach over 40,000 primary school children to play music in a band every week. An experienced speaker at high-profile educational events, she also works closely with children’s charities and organisations across the UK to help make music more accessible to every child.

James Clarke

Head of Drama


Twyford CofE School

James Clarke is Head of Drama at Twyford CofE School, Ealing. Having trained in Drama, Applied Theatre and Education at The Royal Central School of Speech (RCSSD), James then went on to study Secondary Drama PGCE at UEL and has since achieved several national recognitions for his work within education. He most notably won the Inspirational Teacher Award at the 2022 Music and Drama Education Awards for his work with the NHS Imperial Trust and RCSSD, as well as his work in championing diversity and inclusion. He also featured in the #100Teacher campaign by the Guardian, having been nominated for his work in the classroom for both the TES Awards and upcoming Pearsons National Award. In 2021 he received the ‘highly commended’ award in the New Teacher Of The Year category. Outside the classroom James can be heard on platforms such as Teachers Talk Radio, and this year published a chapter on Intersectionality in the classroom for Diverse Educators: The Manifesto.

Patrice Baldwin


Patrice Baldwin is an international speaker, writer, ‘Drama for Learning’ consultant and teacher trainer. She is Chair of the Council for Subject Associations (CfSA) and was Chair of National Drama for 11 years, President of the International Drama Theatre and Education Association (2010-13), Primary Subject Leader for the Oak National Academy and Drama Editorial Expert for Sir Jim Rose’s proposed primary national curriculum. Patrice was a Primary Headteacher, a local authority School Improvement and Development Adviser, Ofsted Inspector, Arts Education and Cultural Learning Adviser, and a BBC Education scriptwriter and Drama series consultant.

Steve Ball

Chair of the Drama and Theatre Education Alliance


Dr Steve Ball is the Chair of the Drama and Theatre Education Alliance. He was the founding Artistic Director of the Play House in Birmingham (1986 – 2000), Head of Arts for Birmingham City Council (2000 – 2003) and Associate Director at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre (2003 – 2021). His current freelance roles include producing the SHOUT and Bedlam Arts and Mental Health festivals and acting as strategic advisor to Birmingham Arts School.

Alex Lipman

Senior Director of Drama and Music


Claremont High School Academy

Alex Lipman is a Senior Director of Drama and Music at Claremont High School Academy. Alex gained his teaching qualification from Central School of Speech and Drama and has worked in Drama Education for 11years. Since the start of his teaching career, Alex has always placed an emphasis on creativity across all areas of his practice. Alex has worked closely with trainee teachers both as a lecturer at Middlesex University and as a provider of CPD for colleagues. Alex has worked as an examiner and advisor for AQA GCSE Drama. Alex’s Drama Department was the recipient of the 2022 Music and Drama Education Award for Outstanding School Drama Department. The judges commended the department for the opportunities it provides for students and the progress made by key demographic groups; especially boys. 

Vishni Velada Billson

Drama teacher and Director of Open Court


The Royal Court Theatre

Vishni is a trained Drama teacher and is currently Director of Open Court for The Royal Court Theatre. She has previously taught at Pimlico Academy, has been Associate Director of the Half Moon's Young Peoples Theatre, Teacher Education Manager for Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and Deputy Head of Education for Clean Break Theatre. She has worked in a freelance capacity as a theatre practitioner and director for the past 25 years.