David Stanley Mmus Bmus (Hons) PGCE NPQH

David Stanley MMus BMus (Hons) PGCE NPQH

David Stanley studied at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, King's College, London, The Royal Academy of Music and The Institute of Education. He holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Education, a Master’s Degree in Musical Analysis and the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH).

David founded the Southend Mencap Music School in 2000 and by 2012 had established a new full-time music education service specifically for people with learning disabilities. The Music Man Project continues to break new ground through its energetic and inspirational approach to music education and performance regardless of learning disability, difficulty or special educational need. Commended by the Prime Minister and described as outstanding by OFSTED, the Music Man Project has been shortlisted for the BEST SEN Resource category at the 2015 Music Teacher Awards for Excellence. In June David and his students will present the variety spectacular “Music is Magic” for one very special Sunday Night at the London Palladium. The production will include a new musical written by David called “From the Asylum to the Palladium”.

Before The Music Man Project, David worked as a Deputy Head Teacher at a Secondary School and at a fulltime Performing Arts College where he taught the winner of the BBC’s search for Joseph, Lee Mead. David is also the author of 12 published volumes of text books for both the Primary and Secondary School curriculum.

TV credits include playing the Music Master in Channel 4’s That’ll Teach ‘Em and the spin-off quiz show That’ll Test ‘Em. David composed music used in both series, including The Charles Darwin School Song. In 2010 he composed Through the Efforts of Friendship in honour of a visit to the People’s Republic of China and performed the work at the Confucian Institute in Beijing. As composer in residence for Pinpoint Create Production Company, David wrote the music for an Olympic Torch Relay stage show in 2012 which included a new song performed by Lee Mead. 2011 witnessed the premiere of his new operatic setting of the Anglo Saxon poem Beowulf. In 2013 his Fanfare for Noah was performed at Southwark Cathedral to announce the start of a special performance of Britten’s Noyes Fludde, marking the 100th anniversary of the composer’s birth. In the same year, David’s music for the new musical The Nine Wives of Laurel and Hardy was previewed at the UK Laurel and Hardy Convention. Most recently David wrote songs and music for a re-working of a Music Hall performance to mark the century of the Great War.

Since 2009 David has raised approximately £30,000 for charitable causes through his concerts and fundraising challenges, including playing the piano for 24-hours non-stop on the end of Southend Pier and continuously playing a keyboard strapped to the back of a mobility scooter for 12.2 miles. David is one of the first Hate Crime Ambassadors in the country, having developed the idea with Essex Police in 2013. He is the patron of the Yardarm Folk Orchestra and became a non-party voluntary Councillor for Leigh-on-Sea Town Council in May 2011.