The Music Man Project Podcast

This month's highlights from The Music Man Project Radio Show on Chelmsford Community Radio, bringing you news from the Southend Mencap Achievers Awards, some great interviews with the remarkable students of The Music Man Project in Essex and a special look back at the launch of The Music Man Project in the Philippines. 

We hear a heart-warming tribute from Terry to his beloved father, who adopted him when he was in a...

This week we talk to our very own Dr Natalie Bradford, who recently published her ground-breaking research PhD at the Royal College of Music about the impact of musical participation on adults with Down's Syndrome. Natalie's research can be read in full here: Academic Research | The Music Man Project UK. 

We also pay to tribute to the late violinist Lorraine Kelly, who sadly passed away from Cancer in 2018. Lorra...

The theme of this week's podcast is Join Together!

The song was written by David Stanley with lyrics by Jenny Hitchcock. It famously featured in 'Music is Magic at the London Palladium' (2017) and on the studio album of the same name.  The song is a fitting climax to most Music Man Project concerts. 

Connecting communities is integral to The Music Man Project's mission. The charity uses the uni...

The theme of this week's podcast is siblings. 

If you ever get the chance, we urge you to watch a young person helping someone with special needs. Their insight, kindness and empathy defy their age, and their experience shapes their personality for the rest of their life. These young people develop the most extraordinary qualities: selfless kindness, patience and love. When that young person is also a sibling of someo...

The Music Man Project Podcast is back with a bang! Following the success of our first series, we are delighted to launch series 2 with highlights from our brand new monthly radio show on Chelmsford Community Radio!

In this episode, David Stanley, who was was recently recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours List, talks to Music Man Project resident drummer Daniel Camacho and his drum tutor Glen Burton. We also reuni...

The final episode of The Music Man Project Podcast series 1, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley. In this episode we hear every track from the new Kingsdown Special School Christmas CD!

"It is fair to say that 2020 did not go as planned! It started well with a memorable teaching trip to the Philippines, our fifth international expedition in as many years.  We also took The Musi...

Episode 14 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley.

No matter how driven or talented they are, everyone needs someone to believe in them, to share their vision and to take risks on their behalf. For David Stanley, that man was Marc McOwens, General Manager of Southend Mencap. 

Marc valued David's ambitions and encouraged him to follow his dreams. It...

Episode 13 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley.

This week's guest is Margaret Rimmer, inspirational retired Headteacher of Kingsdown Special School. Margaret was vital to the development of The Music Man Project. She wanted to make Kingsdown “a musical school” and engaged The Music Man Project to help her embed music across the  curriculum, to ...

Episode 12 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley.

Since 2017 The Music Man Project has worked in partnership with the Salvation Army. The Music Man Project UK Ambassadors have travelled thousands of miles around the country, including flights to Scotland and Northern Ireland to deliver workshops and performances, and to launch new regional Music Man P...

Episode 11 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley.
 
A personal message from David:

I always thought the secret of The Music Man Project was to keep it purely about the Music. I never had any training in disabilities, syndromes, behaviours, medication, social care or even clinical Music Therapy. Music education for its’ own sake remains vitally...

Episode 10 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley. 

In this special episode we talk to the famous Music Man Project patron, Noah Wall, and his inspirational mum Shelly. 

Three months into her pregnancy Shelly discovered that baby Noah had a catalogue of health problems, including spina bifida, rare chromosome abnormalities and hydrocephalus - ...

Episode 9 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley. 

In this episode we meet The Music Man Project’s amazing musical arranger, Al Steele. Al is one of the most accomplished and versatile musicians you will ever meet. Whether playing, composing, arranging, recording or producing, Al approaches his work with professionalism, enthusiasm and most of all, expertise. He...

Episode 8 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley. 

In this episode we talk to musician, singer and musical theatre performer Stuart Woolner. In 2015 Stuart memorably appeared with The Music Man Project at the famous London Palladium in the West End debut of our musical 'From the Asylum to the Palladium'. Stuart explains what it was like to perform alon...

Episode 7 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley. 

In this episode we visit The Music Man Project in Keynsham, a thriving regional project run by Keynsham Mencap. We hear from their delightful regional director, Naomi, about her own journey from her first ever teaching session to the Royal Albert Hall in a single year! 

And then, back by popular demand, we have a...

Episode 6 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley. 

In this episode we meet the founder and director of Browne’s Boot Camp, Angus Browne, to learn about his health and fitness programme for children with special needs. We also hear from Music Man Project Essex student, Jenny Harvey, in an interview originally recorded by Paul Carpenter for the 2012 Docu...

Episode 5 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley.

The importance of effective support workers (or carers as they are often known) can never be overstated in relation to people with learning disabilities. Caring can be the difference between happiness and despair for families, especially when parents become less able to care for their children themselv...

Episode 4 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley. This episode reunites the main protagonists who helped establish The Music Man Project Philippines in February 2020: David Stanley, Cathy Greenwood, Paul Cudby, Daunton Todd and Mel Irvine, who officially became the Regional Director for the Philippines during the visit. 

This was The Music Man Project&...

Episode 3 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley.

This episode is all about The Music Man Project in Kent, the fastest growing regional project and the largest outside of Essex. We hear from Music Man Charity director and regional director for Music Man Project Kent, Sarah Mann and we speak to Thomas, one of the leading students from the region. Thomas...

Episode 2 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley.

In this episode we meet one of the most famous Music Man Project students, Wendy "Woo". Wendy and her fellow musicians, Graeme and Sam, sang the opening lines of the National Lottery's 25th birthday advert "3 is a Magic Number". The advert has been seen by millions of people on ...