The Musician Journal of the Musicians’ Union Autumn 2019 theMU.org MU Conferences Report from the Delegate and Members’ events in Brighton Profile: Kojo Samuel Meet the MD behind Stormzy’s landmark Glastonbury show The Value Of Teaching Why teachers are pushing back on the obsession with grades Therapeutic Music How Orchestra of the Swan is working to help tackle dementia contacts Union HQ Regional Offices General Secretary Head of Communications London Horace Trubridge & Government Relations Regional Organiser: Jamie Pullman Isabelle Gutierrez 33 Palfrey Place, London SW8 1PE Deputy General Secretary t 020 7840 5504 Naomi Pohl In-House Solicitor e [email protected] Dawn Rodger National Organiser East & South East England Jo Laverty (Orchestras) PR & Marketing Official Regional Organiser: Paul Burrows Keith Ames 1a Fentiman Road, National Organiser London SW8 1LD Diane Widdison (Education & Training) Recording & Broadcasting Official t 020 7840 5537 Michael Sweeney e [email protected] National Organiser Phil Kear (Recording & Broadcasting) Licensing & Distribution Official Midlands Annie Turner Regional Organiser: Stephen Brown National Organiser 2 Sovereign Court, Dave Webster (Live Performance) Sessions Official Graham Street, Geoff Ellerby Birmingham B1 3JR t 0121 236 4028 Live Performance Official e [email protected] Kelly Wood Wales & South West England Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Official Regional Organiser: Andy Warnock John Shortell Transport House, 1 Cathedral Rd, Cardiff CF11 9SD Orchestras Official t 029 2045 6585 Morris Stemp e [email protected] Campaigns & Social Media Official North of England Maddy Radcliff Regional Organiser: Matt Wanstall 61 Bloom Street, Manchester M1 3LY Union HQ t 0161 236 1764 60–62 Clapham Road e [email protected] London sw9 0jj Scotland & Northern Ireland t 020 7582 5566 Regional Organiser: Caroline Sewell f 020 7582 9805 Suite 6A, 1st floor, e [email protected] 1/2 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QF w theMU.org t 0141 341 2960 @WeAreTheMU e [email protected] REPORT New Look Conference This year’s new format Delegate Conference and the new Members’ Conference were both a resounding success. But elsewhere, British politics is entering a crucial era… For Music Venues, Musical Instrument Committee members who made the two Tuition and many other issues with conferences such a resounding success. which our industry continues to Work has already started on planning for grapple. The mood of Conference was Conference in summer 2021, and if you have overwhelmingly upbeat, and the delegates never attended an MU Delegate Conference were very supportive of the changes that before, I would ask you to consider we have introduced to the Conference becoming a delegate for the next event. format. The Conference report was completely restyled with the National Difficult future and Regional Organisers and the Heads Finally, I am writing this column at the tail of Department contributing to the various end of July with a new PM just installed and sections of the report. As such, the a no-deal Brexit looming large on the new style Conference report was horizon. I sincerely hope and pray that by a much more attractive and accessible the time you read this, good sense has document, and delegates were unanimous prevailed, and the threat of a no-deal Brexit in their praise for the changes that we has been averted. have introduced. 3 Conference itself was treated to “Delegates were © Joanna Dudderidge Joanna © speeches from Michael Dugher, CEO of Horace Trubridge, UK Music, and Kevin Brennan, Shadow unanimous in their praise General Secretary Deputy DCMS Minister, who are both naturally very supportive of the MU’s for the changes that position on Brexit. The 38th MU Delegate Conference took we have introduced.” place in Brighton on the 23 July in glorious New format hot and sunny weather. For the first time The day after the Delegate Conference, we Brexit has the potential to severely damage in the Union’s history, the business of held the inaugural Members’ Conference our wonderful industry and a no-deal Conference was conducted in just one day, and the breakout sessions proved very Brexit would be disastrous. We must not sit and we even finished early, which gave the popular with all who attended. The back and let this happen. We have to keep delegates time to take a swim in the sea plenary sessions provided the Executive demanding that Article 50 be revoked or, once the Chair of the EC, Dave Lee, had Committee with invaluable information at the very least, that the British people are declared the Conference officially closed. and guidance to assist them in forming given the opportunity to vote for or against policy for the next two years on a range leaving the EU on such calamitous terms. Motions to Conference were moved and of differing issues. The recommendations carried on a range of different subjects will be considered over the coming months In the meantime, look after your chops and including Online Streaming Payments, Parity and much of what was proposed will no keep searching the horizon for any signs of For Women In Music, Business Rates Cuts doubt be actioned. the cavalry. I want to send my heartfelt thanks to the Horace Trubridge delegates, staff and Officials and Executive TO HEAR MORE FROM HORACE, VISIT THEMU.ORG The Musician • Autumn 2019 Contents Autumn 2019 4 36 “I don’t think we ever had a plan. We just did it.” Nova Twins The Musician • Autumn 2019 40 Frontline Features 6 Calls to change bullying 28 History of the banjo, from its and harassment legislation African origins to the present 7 MU statement on PledgeMusic 35 Why I joined the MU 8 New podcast discusses 42 A guide to diary services, a musicians’ mental health vital resource for musicians South Asian 44 A range of advice on how to women musicians Reports become a musical director address and 3 MU General Secretary defy cultural 10 Deputy General Secretary Your Voice stereotypes. 12 Delegate Conference and 9 Interacting with MU members Members’ Conference 2019 and supporters on Twitter Butkiewicz Zuzanna © 22 The value of teaching and the pressure of constant exams Profile Reviews 24 How musicians can help 18 Musical director Kojo Samuel 47 New music from members to combat climate change on working with superstars 27 Maintaining your instrument 36 Nova Twins: an innovative Union Notices 32 Orchestra of the Swan’s sound and independent spirit 02 Key MU contacts workshops to tackle dementia 50 Cover star: bassoonist 46 Ask Us First 40 The Mahadevi Sessions Linton Stephens 51 Member benefits 5 MU Contributors Andrew Katie Henry Neil Stewart Nicholls Yates Crossley Andrew writes Katie is a Henry is a A journalist and for The Times, The freelance journalist freelance writer from editor who has written Guardian, Classical and editor whose Gloucestershire who for The Independent, Music and BBC Music features and reviews has written for titles The Daily Telegraph, Magazine, among have appeared in as diverse as Classic The Guardian and others. He is also titles such as Mojo, Rock, Total Guitar, The Financial Times. Director of Southwark The Guardian NME and Record Neil also fronts the Voices. p12 and Kerrang! p24 Collector. p28 & 42 band Furlined. p44 George Dave Neil Yasmin Hall Everley Churchman Prabhudas George has Dave has Neil is an A freelance written widely on worked as a senior experienced journalist journalist who writes opera and classical editor on Q, Classic in broadcasting and for trade unions and music for such Rock and Kerrang! print. A former BBC charities. Yasmin also publications as BBC magazines, as well national newsroom writes for content Music Magazine, The as writing for The assistant editor, he marketing agencies Guardian, The Stage Observer and the now writes on music and for a lifestyle and Opera Now. p32 Evening Standard. p36 and the media. p22 magazine. p40 Cover: Linton Stephens Photo: Joseph Branston. © MU 2019 Photographed at The Barbican Conservatory, London Photo: Joseph Branston. © MU 2019 The Musician • Autumn 2019 BREXIT AND YOU The MU is fighting to protect musicians’ right to travel when working in the EU post-Brexit. We want to hear from you about how Brexit has ! affected your working plans for 2019.#WorkingInTheEU bit.ly/2AzdUAV Autumn 2019 frontlineThe MU in action, working on behalf of professional musicians. The MU is calling for legislative Harassment At change to counter harassment Work Laws Require in the workplace. Legislative Change Getty Images / Skynesher © The Musicians’ Union is calling for legislative change relating to bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment, both in the workplace and in spaces related to work. 6 There is currently no statutory duty on employers to take steps to prevent harassment or victimisation in the workplace. “We call on the government to introduce a statutory code of practice on harassment at work,” said MU Deputy General Secretary, Naomi Pohl, “specifying the steps that employers should take to prevent and respond to sexual harassment.” The MU also believes that the government should extend the protections relating to discrimination and harassment in the Equality Act 2010 to freelancers, so that they are based on multiple characteristics. As the law entitled to the same protections as the wide stands, a person can make a claim on the “We call on the range of individuals in the workplace who grounds that they are a woman, or because are already protected. they are BAME. However, they cannot claim government to that they have been discriminated against The MU feels that the current time limit of on the grounds that they are a black woman. introduce a statutory three months from the act of discrimination or An intersectional approach, which draws on code of practice on harassment in which to bring an Employment more than one characteristic, would Tribunal claim is a significant barrier to strengthen claims.