Cumbria Music Hub Advisory Board

The Hub Advisory Board is a group of dedicated volunteers who use their wide range of skills and experiences to support and challenge the strategic decisions of the Hub Leadership Team, and to provide assurance that our funding agreement obligations to the Arts Council are met.

Our Board membership includes key stakeholders from the local area and beyond, representing the youth voice, our strategic partners and the wider cultural, youth and music sector.

Meet our Board Members...

Mike was Headteacher of Flimby Primary School and Caseworker for the National Education Union up to December 2011.

He has been an active musician (Singing and playing guitars in groups) from the age of 13 and now simply plays and sing for the pure enjoyment of it.

He regularly attends shows and performances by established and famous musicians as well as supporting local young developing musicians and local events.

Mike is currently Chair of Soundwave where he has actively been involved with young musicians.

Mike enjoys all forms of music and believe that opportunities for young people in music are a vitally important ingredient in fulfilling their young lives and helping them through what can be difficult years. He’s never met a youngster who hasn’t related to one form of music or another………music is definitely a doorway.

Michael Cunningham

Chair

Tony is Treasurer of Westmorland Youth Orchestra, and his professional background is in accountancy, mainly for charities.

He is also a keen musician and singer, playing guitar, bass, harmonica and mandolin.

Tony Farren

Vice Chair

Alison is Head of Music and Curriculum Leader for the Arts at Trinity School in Carlisle.

Growing up in Cumbria, Alison had instrumental lessons through the Music Service. She went on to study Music at Leeds College of Music, continuing her studies in Cardiff at the University of Wales, and graduated with a BA (Hons) in Secondary Music Education.

Alison returned to Cumbria to work for the Music Service, as a peripatetic music teacher, and as a classroom music teacher at Ullswater Community College. In 2011 Alison completed an MA in Performing Arts Education with the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, and was awarded her degree by Sir Paul McCartney. Also in 2011 Alison was made Cumbria News Group Teacher of the Year at the Golden Apple awards. In 2014 Alison took up an additional advisory role with Cumbria Music Hub as the Development leader for the north area of Cumbria. In her spare time Alison still enjoys playing the trumpet and flugel horn with a variety of ensembles in Cumbria and Southern Scotland.

Alison Richardson

Although Annie is an International singer and harpist, she is most proud of being a Cumbrian farmer’s daughter, as it is her family, the Cumbrian fells and her Celtic heritage which have most inspired her along her musical journey.

“Canto Ergo Sum” symbolises Annie’s philosophy - “I sing, therefore I am”, and thus she endeavours to bring out the music which she believes is inside everyone.

In 1992 Annie founded the Sunbeams Music Trust which now employs 10 professional multi-talented musicians, who provide “Music For Life®” and “Music for Dignity®” in over 50 projects every month, throughout Cumbria, for over 15,000 people with Special Needs. Wherever her professional singing career takes her, it is with sunbeams where her heart and vision lie. By following her vision, her belief in the transformative power of music upon people with disabilities, Sunbeams have raised £2.5 million - to build their own Music Centre which is a “sustainable legacy” for people with special needs and opened in January 2017.

Annie Mawson MBE MRSM

Joanna is the Creative Leader for Curriculum at Charanga, the UK’s leading provider of music education technology and digital resources for schools

Joanna conceptualised and authored the Musical School Scheme and continues to be responsible for Charanga Musical School's content and creative development.

After studying clarinet and saxophone at University, Joanna moved to South Africa where she performed and studied her Masters Degree in Ethnomusicology. On her return, alongside performing, she worked for Lancashire Music Service teaching woodwind and later as Head of Woodwind and Lead for Whole Class Instrumental Delivery. Joanna also mentors for Music for Youth on a part time basis.

Joanna believes that music is something that everybody can do regardless of their ability or background. She is passionate about the importance of music as part of a broad and balanced curriculum in schools and the opportunities, well-being, love and enjoyment it brings to all who engage with it.

Joanna Mangona

Laura is the Director of Cumbria Development Education Centre, whose focus is in working with children and young people to engage them in global thinking and local action.

Laura’s areas of work have included youth engagement and empowerment, organisational and strategic development, project design and delivery and partnership development.

Laura taught in Secondary schools in the UK and Uganda for 8 years before moving to the charity sector. She has worked for a peace building organisation and a Council of Voluntary services supporting organisations working with children, young people and families. Laura has led a range of local, regional and international partnership projects with schools, communities and local government. She has also chaired the board of a national youth charity, Young Advisors and continues to support local teams of young people to affect change in their communities.

Laura Goad

Martyn is a Y5&6 teacher at North Lake School in Penrith.

He was the co-founder of the North Cumbria Transition Choir and Ensemble. Martyn is also a Charanga Music trainer, has written articles, produced lesson plans and resources for Sing Up and took part in a Guardian Newspaper Round table debate over the future of singing in education. Martyn has been an Artsmark Assessor and is a Computing at Schools Master Teacher specialising in Online Safety.

North Lakes School was one of the first Sing Up Platinum Schools in England and the fist in Cumbria. It acts as an ambassador for Sing Up and has performed at London's Roundhouse, Festival Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham and live on BBC Children in Need. More recently they sang the National Anthems in the Rugby League Four Nations Scotland v New Zealand. The school is an Artsmark Gold School and has received the CN Innovation in the Arts Award.

Martyn Soulsby

Peter is a trustee and treasurer of Furness Music Centre. In his professional life he is a senior executive manager for a large defence company.

He hopes that from this background he brings financial, analytical and other relevant skills to the Music Hub.

During his childhood Peter sang in cathedral choirs, which gave him the capability and confidence to be the first in his extended family to go to university.

Many years later Peter is now trying to make sure that others – children and adults – have similar opportunities to develop their own musical skills and gain the confidence that comes with this. Peter says he is now a passable amateur cellist as well as a singer, and provides basic lessons in the cello in the Furness area since the nearest professional teacher is in Kendal.

Peter Fitzpatrick

Sally is headteacher at Warcop CE Primary School in Upper Eden. As a teaching head, she still teaches music to her own pupils throughout the school.

Sally says, ‘We see music as something which we are very proud of and our end of year productions are the highlight each year’.

Sally has a love of music and took a degree in Creative and Performing Arts before she qualified to be a teacher. As a mum, both her girls have enjoyed being part of the CYO and taking part in jazz workshops.

Sally Linsley

Sarah is a musician and freelance music educator with 30 years experience in the music sector.

For 18 years she worked as music teacher at a comprehensive school and also ran a community music centre for all ages. From there she joined the Learning and Participation team at the Sage Gateshead as a senior manager and led the Schools programme. This role enabled Sarah to work at both a national and international level, gaining an insight into music education across the country.

Sarah was a board member and Chair of Soundwave until 2013 - a community interest company with charitable status based in Workington.

One of Sarah’s current roles within the Music Hub is as the West Area Music Hub Network leader. This includes visiting primary and secondary schools, developing larger music events for schools and staff training as well as connecting with local organisations and musicians to keep abreast of what is happening in the County and beyond, looking for new opportunities and partnerships.