The Community Musician Podcast

Originally from Liverpool and now residing in Leeds, Victoria shared her journey from teaching to becoming a community musician. She overcame a lifelong fear of singing and learned to play steel pans, forming her own band and Foxwood Panyard. Victoria discussed her efforts to establish a charity to teach steel pans, facing challenges in securing funding. She emphasized the importance of intergenerational music, noting her children and grandchildren's involvement. Victoria also highlighted her approach to teaching, focusing on emotional expression and self-discovery.

Liv and Kevin, co-directors of Sounds Better, work primarily in the South of England. They discussed their journey and the evolution of their community music organisation, working with various demographics, including people with dementia, respiratory conditions, and learning disabilities. The pandemic forced them to adapt, move online and develop new skills. They highlighted the challenges of returning to in-person sessions, emphasising the importance of safety and technological adaptations. 

Lee is Director of the International Center for Community Music at York St John University. He has been in community music since the early 90s and emphasised the non-building-based, people-centric nature of his work. He discussed the impact of the pandemic on his large-scale research project on young people's engagement in folk music. He attended the Community Music Now conference to stay connected and to develop sessions on research, scholarship, and practice in community music.

Based in Leeds, Joanna is a franchisee for Musical Moments, who provides music in care homes, and is a PhD student in community music. During the pandemic, she transitioned her work online, offering singing and piano lessons globally. She found the online format provided a valuable outlet for many and post-pandemic, maintained a few online students. Joanna attended the Community Music Now event to network and to explore new opportunities and attend workshops.

Co-director of Magic Acorns, in the East of England, working with young children through improvisation and emergent practices. The pandemic led to a shift in funding priorities, and Jess's organization received a recharge grant for well-being. They now employ a two-artist model for better reflection and professional development. Jess attended the Community Music Now event to network, emphasising the importance of sustained connections.

Founder of Sound Wave in West Cumbria, David recounts his journey as a community musician, adapting practice through the pandemic by maintaining online sessions and resuming in-person activities when able. He highlights the struggle to retain young talent in a region dominated by STEM industries. He emphasised the importance of community music in providing alternative opportunities for youth.

Becki Driscoll is a community musician based in Bideford, North Devon. She shares her journey from playing in a teenage folk band to specialising in community music at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. She discussed her transition to running her own community music project, disrupted by the pandemic, and adapting by conducting online workshops. 

In this episode we will be looking "behind-the-scenes" of a community musician. From taking care of our own health and wellbeing to that of our participants. The investments we make, both financial and pastoral, the insecurity of work and the ongoing concern with regards to future pandemics. 

And the world opened up and we had to navigate our return to face-to-face delivery, work with our venues to create a safe space, support our participants to feel confident in returning to groups and all the while managing our own feelings about returning. 

When talking about adaptability, we are considering all of the things that community musicians had to do in the face of the crisis of the pandemic. Trying to stay connected to our groups, developing new skills, and learning to deliver online. 

In this episode we will be talking about what it means to be a community musician, the relationships and the responsibilities. 

Introducing The Community Musician podcast. This 4 episode series will see me, Carol Bowden, chatting with community musicians from the North East of England about their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and how that has shaped their work.