About Inclusive Music

Phil believes in the incredible power of music and through this, the potential for self-expression, growth and fulfillment. He has endeavored to enable access to these essential human needs throughout his 30 year career and has witnessed the healing and joy it brings.  He has chosen Music Technology as the medium for his work as it captures the imagination of children and adults and allows them to participate in the wonder and awe of making and performing music, no matter what the ability or disability.  His mantra: Access For All.

Phil’s consultancy include work with many Music Services, Ofsted, the BBC, QCA, eJay, Connexions, ABRSM, Trinity Guildhall, BECTA – “Ask an expert”, Musical Futures, the Royal Opera House Bridge Project, theatre groups, children’s homes, youth clubs, drug dependent adults, the homeless and therapeutic communities.

He was workshop leader and mentor for the Trinity Guildhall CPD program and an Associate of Drake Music UK, the pioneer of Assistive Music Technology.  He conducts training for groups ranging from children with special needs to the elderly from different care homes who have had accidents or degenerative diseases.  Phil has also taught the Post Graduate Music Technology Course at Bath Spa University. He is currently pursuing opportunities to spread his expertise and mission to Singapore and Asia.

He is an active gigging musician playing in a live environment as well as writing and recording his own material in a wide variety of contemporary styles. His latest projects include music making video tutorial resources for teachers and students.

Highlights

David Ashworth has been helping teachers and their students use music technology effectively for over 20 years. He writes articles, blogs, gives conference and INSET presentations and makes highly regarded, best selling resources for many of the top organisations in music education. Recent clients include BBC, Music Sales, Scholastic and Rhinegold Publications.

He is the founder of the pioneering Teaching Music website, bringing music teachers together to share and collaborate in an online space.

At the national level, David has been involved in many of the recent music initiatives.  For the last five years he has successfully led the flagship ICT strategy, ICreaTe, which has had a major impact on the way primary and secondary schools use music technology in creative music making. His current research is focused on the use of mobile technologies in music education. 

“I always think that it is really difficult to lead a technology day with teachers and satisfy the need for both hands on the technology and meaningful music making. You managed this brilliantly, spoke with real authority, and, importantly, you fulfilled the brief i.e. Using music technology…… musically.”

Christine’s career has been devoted to music education.  She has been Director of Music in secondary, middle and primary schools, and has also worked in an advisory capacity for music in the Primary Phase.

She has also worked as an Ofsted Inspector for music.

Following her retirement from music education, Christine worked as an examiner in music for Trinity College, London.

Her main instrument is voice, and she has given recitals in Bristol, Bath and Wells and other venues in the South West.  Although now retired from solo performing, Christine still sings in choirs in Wells, Somerset, and in Cornwall, where she now lives.

Ben Sellers is a clarinettist, teacher and trainer based in Yorkshire. His practice focuses on composition and improvisation, often using technology, and often in SEN/D settings. Author of the textbook ‘Teaching Music with Band for iPad’, his approach and curricula are used by teachers across the world. Like his workshop leader heroes, he sees the music workshop as a space for personal and social transformation. In addition to his role as Associate Musician with Drake Music, partners have included the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Museum of London, WOMAD Festival and several UK Music Hubs. He prefers seagulls to cats.