Since completing her education at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Institute of Education, Anne has pursued a career as an educator, conductor, writer and percussionist. Her work has included coaching numerous ensembles, percussion and improvisation workshops, and teaching in a variety of forms. She founded and conducts the St Neots Concert Band, and directs the Stapleford Wind Sinfonia. She is also course director for Cambridge Holiday Orchestra.

Asha Bishop has worked in state schools for the last 20 years. She has been a director of music at a Church of England school in Essex, and at a Catholic school with 22 affiliated schools in a trust in Leicester. In September 2023 she joined Charnwood College, Loughborough, building a department from scratch.

Ashley Fulton MBE is the most successful vocal coach in Northern Ireland. He has had 100 students go on to study music theatre at drama school, over 530 achieve diplomas from London College of Music in music theatre or classical singing, and around 3000 pass graded music exams (with Distinction at 98%). He is a music examiner for London College of Music, a specialist performance tutor at Queens University Belfast, and director for the vocal ensemble Adoro.

Chris Lawrence has been involved in Drama Education for sixty years. He is currently co-ordinator of London Drama, Treasurer of National Drama and editor of National Drama's magazine, Drama. He is also Chair of Southwark Theatres Education Partnership (STEP) which organises youth theatre showcases in the London borough of Southwark. He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by Drama & Theatre in 2025 and attended the award event with his daughter, Jenny.

Claudine Nightingale is Editor of Drama & Theatre magazine and co-chair of the Music and Drama Education Awards judging panel. She also works as a freelance editor, reviewer and arts journalist. Previously senior publisher at a digital academic publisher, she led the AV, arts & culture list, creating award-winning digital resources for the higher education market, digitising archive collections from institutions such as the RSC, Shakespeare’s Globe, the V&A and the British Library. She devised and created the award-winning First Folios Compared (firstfolios.com), a ground-breaking website that digitally reunited over 50 copies of Shakespeare’s First Folio for the first time in history.

David has been involved with the National Youth Music Theatre for over 15 years, originally as a participant in 2009, and now in his current role as Development Manager. Working with thousands of young people from across the country and watching them develop their skills and confidence year on year is an immense privilege.

Through NYMT, a values-led charity, David remains dedicated to inspiring the next generation across all aspects of music theatre – from wardrobe and technical teams to writers and performers. He is passionate about giving young people a supportive space where they can be creatively challenges and truly flourish.

Edwin is a performer (baritone), musical director and 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). 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.

Georgia is Creative Hub Director at the Unicorn theatre, leading work on collaboration between children and artists in professional production processes. She has worked in cultural education for over 20 years and was previously Head of Learning at the Young Vic.

James Manwaring MBE is the director of music for Windsor Learning Partnership and the president of the Music Teachers' Association. In addition to his classroom teaching, he leads a community choir and actively engages in bringing music to his local community. A blogger, speaker and regular contributor to MT magazine, he extends his support to teachers across the sector.

Kate Rounding is Executive Director of TiME (Technology in Music Education UK), a national organisation championing music technology in a range of settings. She leads projects connecting industry and education, supports accessible and inclusive music-making, and contributes regularly to Music Teacher magazine. With a background in further, higher, mainstream and SEND education, Kate works closely with music services, schools and corporate partners to promote innovation, inclusion and progression routes for young people.

Katy Downton is a Senior Lecturer in Theatre Production at the Guildford School of Acting, University of Surrey and specialises in sustainable production practices. She is a Fellow of the Institute for Sustainability at Surrey and co-leads the Sustainability, Creativity and Communication research programme.

As an advocate for the Theatre Green Book, Katy chairs the Education Committee and continues to highlight the key role education plays in a sustainable future for the theatre industry.

Kay Tucker studied the cello at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Her portfolio career has combined adjudicating, performing, and teaching, her passion for which led her to develop the renowned Stringbabies approach. She has also worked as a consultant, selecting repertoire for graded exams and diplomas over several years. In 2019 she received an award for initiating the European String Teachers Association's PG Cert course.

Lucy is Director of Education (Learning) at Shakespeare’s Globe. With 20 years in drama teaching, she oversees all work with schools, teachers & young people. As a theatre director, twice Olivier nominated for Globe family shows Midsummer Mechanicals and Rough Magic with Splendid Productions, & for school audiences, Romeo and Juliet (2024) and Macbeth (2025) for Playing Shakespeare in the Globe Theatre.

Luke Scott is Head of School for Music and Performing Arts at Morley College, London, and was previously a lecturer in Higher Education. He is also a professional musician and producer, working mainly with his band Babybird, which has had eight top-40 hits (including ‘You’re Gorgeous’).

Mimi Munro is Head of Music at Channing Junior School and National Subject Advisor for Music with the Independent Association of Prep Schools. She has held senior music roles at Dulwich College Singapore, Cheshire West and Chester Music Service, and with Service Children’s Education in Germany. Mimi holds degrees in jazz studies, music production and sound design, an MA in primary education, and a PGCE with Specialist Strings Teaching. She champions excellence in primary music through active participation and inclusive, skills-based learning.

Before joining Barking and Dagenham Music Service, Liv was Senior Leader at Kent Music. She was head of performing arts at Trinity School in Bexley and head of music at The Sydney Russell School, 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 is an internationally acclaimed 'Drama for Learning' trainer, speaker and author, having worked with teachers and theatre educators worldwide. She is Former Chair of National Drama, Former President of the International Drama Theatre and Education Association (IDEA), Past Chair of the Council for Subject Associations (CFSA), was Sir Jim Rose’s Primary Drama Editorial Expert for his proposed national curriculum, and Oak National Academy’s Primary Drama Leader during the pandemic.

Patrice was a Primary Headteacher, then Norfolk’s Arts Education and School Improvement Adviser, and an inspector. She is a BBC series consultant, scriptwriter, and a Higher-Level Action Learning Facilitator.

After completing postgraduate studies abroad, Phil was head of music at an independent prep school in London. He then pursued a career in publishing, joining the New Grove Dictionary of Music as editor and then ABRSM Publishing Ltd as music editor. He joined Oxford University Press as commissioning editor and left as head of editorial, before becoming editor of Music Teacher in 2022. He has composed educational music, and in his spare time advises on concert programmes, having held long-standing interests in contemporary music, folk, and jazz.

Steve is a theatre director and educator with a dedication to making work that sparks conversation between young people and their adults.

Originally training as a performer, Steve has created work for some of the world’s most celebrated stages including the West End (The Lyric, The Vaudeville), Sydney Opera House, Royal Opera House, National Theatre of Holland, Bregenzer Festspiele and Spoleto Festival.

Steve is the Associate Director of Punchdrunk Enrichment – an immersive theatre company making work for family, school and community settings.

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.

Zelia Attzs, director of Drama at Aldwickbury Preparatory School (Independent Boys School of the Year 2024), is renowned for her energy, passion, and transformative impact.As a LAMDA examiner and BBC Bitesize teaching personality, she inspires a love for drama through curriculum, productions, and extra-curricular activities.

Awarded the 2025 Drama Inspiration Award, Zelia leads with positivity, nurturing skills, knowledge, and self-esteem. Her commitment places learners at the centre, championing participation, identity, and character-building in drama.

Zelia’s legacy is one of tireless dedication, aiming to ensure every child finds their ‘role’ and flourishes through the magic of drama.