Decolonising the Curriculum

Kay Charlton is a trumpet player, educator and composer with many years’ experience of teaching brass, WCET and KS2 music. She plays with the Bollywood Brass Band who perform internationally and work with schools and Music Hubs across the UK. Kay is passionate about making music fun and accessible, particularly for beginners and WCET. Publications include ‘How to Teach Whole-Class Instrumental Lessons: 50 inspiring ideas’ (Collins Music), ‘Flavour Fusions’ (Kevin Mayhew) and ‘Are You Ready?’ for WCET (Warwick Music).

Yogesh Dattani has taught music for over 25 years and has authored Indian Takeaway – Rāg and Tāl Basics, an innovative online resource for the teaching and learning of Indian music. Since 2004, Yogesh has led the Music Education Hub for Ealing.

Prof Nate Holder BA (Hons), MMus is a musician, author, international speaker and music education consultant. Nate leads CPD training and workshops for schools, hubs and universities; helping to address bias, and underrepresentation in music classrooms, departments, hubs and boards internationally. He has performed or recorded with Ghetts, Emeli Sandé and Ed Sheeran, and he has consulted or worked with the BBC, Hal Leonard Europe and Collins Music. As well as serving on different advisory boards, he has written eight books including I Wish I Didn’t Quit: Music Lessons (2018), Where Are All The Black Female Composers (2020) and Listen and Celebrate (2022)

Liz Stafford is Director of the consultancy company Music Education Solutions, Editor of Primary Music Magazine and Music Hubs and Services Magazine, and author of The Primary Music Leader’s Handbook.

Bridget Whyte became CEO of Music Mark in 2017. She started her career at Arts Council England before going freelance, working with over 50 music & music education organisations. Key clients included Youth Music, the Department for Education (DfE), and she was a Strategic Advisor to the British Council, setting up and managing their World Voice Programme which supported the use of singing as a tool for learning in over 20 countries. As Music Mark’s CEO, Bridget is in demand as a keynote speaker, advocate and advisor at a national and international level. Most recently she supported the Welsh Government on writing its National Plan for Music Education which was published in May 2022, was part of the Department for Education’s English National Plan for Music Education Expert Panel, and has now joined its Hub Monitoring Board.