Accessible Singing

Baz Chapman is Joint Head of the Sing Up Foundation, which explores and promotes singing to support children & young people’s mental health and wellbeing. The Foundation is a registered charity which is part of the wider Sing Up group, and seeks to develop and share a deeper understanding of the unique power of singing and vocal work to improve children & young people’s lives.

Baz is also Manager of the Singing for Health Network, Co-Founder and General Manager of the National Teachers’ Choir, and an arts and education consultant. His career has included roles with Birmingham Opera Company, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Youth Music and Ambition Institute, and from 2007-11 he was Programme Director for Sing Up, the Government’s national singing programme for primary schools. As a freelancer he has worked with organisations including Arts Connect, Britten Pears Arts, Ex Cathedra, Friends of Cathedral Music, London Youth Choir, National Youth Choirs, National Opera Studio, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Sing for Pleasure, The People’s Orchestra and a number of music education hubs.

Baz writes, arranges and self-publishes choir repertoire, and is accompanist for his local choir in the Scottish Highlands.

Jo James is EDI Lead for Durham Music Service (lead partner in the Durham and Darlington Music Education Hub). Jo has a special interest in SEND music education and has been leading Signing Choirs and SEND singing opportunities for many years.

Jenny Trattles has an established reputation for enthusing adults and children to sing and cultivate their musical skills as a freelance music education specialist and now as Musicianship Director at the Voices Foundation. She enjoys working in partnership with other organisations, consultancy work with Multi Academy Trusts, writing and formulating resources and leading an exceptional team of practitioners delivering quality music training to class teachers and their children.

She is also a choral conductor, working with Music Hubs, S.C.I.T.T. schemes, choirs, and several successful community projects. She is a conductor and workshop leader for Scunthorpe Cooperative Junior Choir, focussing on outreach to local schools and professional development for teachers. Jenny also currently works as a Music Subject Lead at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, keeping abreast of current education initiatives.

Matt Wigley is Head of Young People’s Programme at Sage Gateshead. Born in the West Midlands, Matt has worked at the University of Birmingham and as Programme Manager for Aldeburgh Young Musicians at Britten Pears Arts, developing a passion for inclusive, high-quality music making that enables young people to express themselves through creativity. At Sage Gateshead, Matt leads a diverse programme of activity and partnerships to support young people to realise their potential within the North East.

Jenny Williams works for North Tyneside and Music Partnership North Music Education Hubs as a secondary schools’ music adviser. In her previous capacity as head of music for many years, Jenny became passionate about singing as an accessible route into developing all aspects of musicianship. Working with a range of partners as part of Newcastle Sings, Jenny leads on the Newcastle Youth Choir Project, an open-access opportunity for young singers from across the region to experience the many benefits of singing together.