Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 138, Patrick chats to David Gray (aka ‘Music with Mr Gray’) about The Big Strum , a new ukulele event to be held in July in Devon, in association with Octopus Ukuleles and Devon Music Hub (0:57). Geoff Pearce introduces Music Scholars , a new online resource with hundreds of lessons for KS3–KS5, plus composition tools, marksheets, and much more (9:54). And award-winning...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 137, Patrick meets Tessa Armstrong, founder and director of Voices for Life, who provide free singing workshops and concerts for primary children, with a focus on well-being. MTA President James Manwaring updates listeners about A Choir in Every School, including the latest newsletter. And Natalie Wild and Christopher Tarrant chat about their latest book, The Composer’s...

Send us Fan Mail 2026 MTA CONFERENCE SPECIAL   In Episode 136, Patrick visits the 2026 MTA Conference, held at Warwick Schools Foundation, in Leamington Spa.  He chats to Sir John Rutter about John’s own musical education, the power of singing, the compositional process, and what happens to the fragments of his music that don’t get published (30:40). Liz Dunbar and Simon Toyne chat about their CPD...

Send us Fan Mail MTA CONFERENCE PREVIEW   In Episode 135, Patrick looks ahead to the 2026 MTA Conference, and meets two of the speakers leading CPD sessions.  James McEvoy-Stevenson gives an overview of his session, ‘GCSE Music: Planning for success’ (1:15), and music teacher and DJ James Stevenson makes the case for authentic dance music education, in his session ‘Don't call it EDM’ (29:18)....

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 134, Patrick meets Dafydd Williams, the Music Lead at Rushmore Primary School in Hackney, winner of the Outstanding School Music Department award at the recent Music and Drama Education Awards, to find out about the music-making at the school (0:46). Plus, Anna van Veldhuisen and Issy McMichael tell Patrick all about their use of the Kodály Method in the classroom, acro...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 133, Tim Gray tells Patrick all about the new app ' Pitch Pals ', designed to allow young children to practise their aural skills in a fun, game-based way (0:59). And Alex Aitken discusses A Level Music , with all its challenges: the importance of research as part of the composing process, the value of pastiche, why being Grade 8 Distinction does not guarantee...

Send us Fan Mail 2026 MUSC & DRAMA EXPO SPECIAL In Episode 132, Patrick visits the 2026 Music & Drama Expo, to chat to leaders of CDP sessions, and chat to exhibitors about new Music Education products.  Sebastian Murgul from Klang.io introduces their software, that uses AI to transcribe audio to stave notation (0:48); Composer, author and educator Paul Harris discusses the importance of R...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 131, Patrick finds out more about the new campaign, ‘A Choir in Every School’ , led by MTA president, James Manwaring  (0:57). Professor Derek Aviss chats about his forthcoming webinar, ‘Transformational Teaching’ , for instrumental and vocal teachers to come together to share those special moments in their practice (19:18). And CEO of youth music charity Kinetika Bloco...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 130, Patrick chats to Mark Aitchison about his PhD, which focuses on Key Stage 3 music, and Mark asks for teachers’ assistance with a Year 8 Research Project.  Plus, music education academics Anthony Anderson , Carolyn Cooke , Victoria Kinsella and Elizabeth MacGregor introduce the new edition of the seminal book, ‘Learning to Teach Music in the Secondary School’ , disc...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 129, Patrick chats to music educator, technological innovator and coach, Alan Cameron , about his long career, including setting up the world's first ever live weekly instrumental music learning programme via video conference for school children in 2005, and now head of Cameron International Coaching. Plus, Director of the National Gospel Music Centre, Anu Omideyi...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 128, Patrick meets James B Partridge to talk about his shows, Primary School Bangers and The Big Christmas Assembly, which revivify children’s hymns of the 70s and 80s. James and Patrick reflect on what makes these simple pieces so popular, and what they can still offer us.  Publisher and Commercial Director of Music Teacher Magazine , Amy Driscoll , tells Patrick about...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 127, Patrick chats to the Aurora Orchestra ’s Creative Director, Jane Mitchell , about their free resources as part of Aurora Classroom, covering Key Stages 1–5. Plus, the launch of their Life-Changing Music Campaign, aiming to raise £500,000 across its 20th anniversary season, to support their work nationwide (01:09). Plus, Executive Director of Music at the David Ross...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 126, Patrick chats to Mark Aitchison about Year 8 Music, with potential pitfalls and suggestions, incorporating research from Mark’s recently published paper, ‘A study into musician identity in year 8 students in England’.  Plus, The National Children’s Choir of Great Britain ’s musical director, Dan Ludford-Thomas , discusses singing amongst young people, and the excel...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 125, Patrick meets Jazz pianist, educator, author and Instagram sensation Quentin Walston , to discuss accessible ways into Jazz for non-specialist teachers, from his new book, ‘How to Teach Jazz and Improvisation’ (0:52). Head of Growth and Operations at the MTA, Caroline Robinson introduces many of the speakers for the 2026 MTA conference, as tickets go on sale (24:15...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 124, Patrick chats to Ed Watkins about his recent article, shining a light on disproportionately low grades for otherwise high-achieving music students at A Level (1:02). Laura Bendy and Julian Whittaker introduce the new Members’ Area of the MTA website, and the first webinar of the academic year (13:38);  And Grammy- and Brit-nominated singer-songwriter RuthAnne discu...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 123, Patrick chats to Dr Kirsty Devaney and Dr Ed McKeon about the project Time Loops , run by the Science Museum Group, using old music technology in new and innovative ways, with Key Stage 3 resources to bring it into the classroom (0:57). Alys Wilding introduces a new ECT Secondary Music Network , being set up by Birmingham City University, to support ECTs nationwide...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 122, Patrick meets Dr Elizabeth Stafford and Dan Francis, to talk about their new book, 'The Secondary Music Leader's Handbook' (0:48). Classic FM presenter Ritula Shah introduces the Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards (deadline for entries is 20th July 2025!) (15:54). And Jazz musician, author and educator Buster Birch chats about methods of tea...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 121, Patrick meets Leanna O’Brien , from the Soaring Scarves Academy in California, who teaches music using movement and scarves, to help students really internalise great works by Tchaikovsky and Grieg, amongst others (0:43) We also meet the new MTA President, James Manwaring , to find out about him as a musician and teacher, and to see what he hopes to achieve in his...

Send us Fan Mail 2025 MTA CONFERENCE SPECIAL In Episode 120, Patrick visits the 2025 MTA Conference, held at Trinity Academy, Bristol.  He meets ABRSM Chief Examiner and Jazz trumpeter Mark Armstrong, to find out more about Mark’s CPD session, ‘Jazz in the Classroom’ (04:31), and chats to Founder and President of MusicFirst, Dr Jim Frankel, about his Key Note speech, ‘The Impact of AI on Music Mak...

Send us Fan Mail 2025 MTA CONFERENCE PREVIEW   In Episode 119, Patrick chats to Liz Dunbar and Asha Bishop about the crucial balancing of creativity and academic rigour at Key Stage 3 (1:08). And composer, arranger, singer, conductor and jazz musician Alexander L’Estrange discusses ways to get your choir to swing (15:46)! Presented and produced by Patrick Johns. https://musicdepartmentresources.co...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 118, Patrick chats to composer Rilla Paterson about her compositions for young voices, designed to help children with sight-reading; plus the importance of notation. Julian Whittaker introduces the MTA’s free ‘ Mock Interview ’ service, for members applying for a new job, to have a practice interview with an experienced Head of Music. Plus, Jack Laidlaw , James Tuck , a...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 117, Patrick chats to Dr Jonathan Savage about significant changes in the world of Music Education, the relationship of Music Hubs with schools, and new BBC Bitesize resources. And the MTA’s Head of Growth and Operations, Caroline Robinson introduces the 2025 MTA conference, including the CPD sessions, the mentoring and training, the keynote speakers, and details of tic...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 116, Patrick is joined by Maria Thomas from The Music Workshop Company , to find out about their range of schools workshops, including historical music, and a very interesting workshop using cutlery! Editor of Gramophone Magazine, Martin Cullingford , tells Patrick all about the Survey ‘Growing Musicians, Shaping Lives’, aiming to find out about music teachers’ day-to-d...

Send us Fan Mail ~ 2025 MUSC & DRAMA EXPO SPECIAL ~ In Episode 115, Patrick visits the 2025 Music & Drama Expo, to attend CDP sessions, and chat to exhibitors about new Music Education products.  Ifeanyichukwu Ezinmadu introduces SymphoMe , which uses AI to help give students detailed feedback on their performances in between lessons. (1:08) Award-winning Jazz pianist, composer and educato...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 114, Patrick chats to Music Teacher Dylan McCaig about being a recent ECT, and about Early Music both within the curriculum, and as part of co-curricular activities. MTA Operations Manager Laura Bendy shares details of her new role at the MTA, as well as an important announcement. And looking towards the Music and Drama Education Expo , Patrick meets Thomas Gregory , to...