
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast
Teaching Notes, the Music Teachers' Association's podcast, covers all aspects of Music Education, both in the UK and beyond. Interviews with Music Teachers sit alongside chats with industry professionals and education experts. Plenty of CPD, discussion, and reports from conferences and Expos. A must-listen for every Music Teacher! Presented and produced by Patrick Johns.
Latest episodes

Sep 8, 2022 • 38min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.62 - Chris Hoban, Music Teacher Mondays, Dr Jennie Henley
Send us a textIn Episode 62, Chris Hoban chats to Patrick about Folk Music in the curriculum, with some useful ideas and tips. There's an extract from a recent Music Teacher Monday webinar, in which Don Gillthorpe talks about ways to make KS4 Music more accessible.And Dr Jennie Henley, Director of Programmes at the RNCM, discusses recurrent barriers to music education.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns.#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying © Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org

Jul 21, 2022 • 27min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.61 - MTA Connect, Alex Parsons, Don Gillthorpe
Send us a textPatrick reports on the recent MTA Connect day, with Lewis Edney and Alicia Johnson, and Alex Parsons introduces a great homework activity for KS3 students. Plus, Don Gillthorpe reflects on the academic year.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns.#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying© Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org

Jul 4, 2022 • 24min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.60 - National Plan for Music Education - Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, Catherine Barker
Send us a textIn the wake of the National Plan for Music Education, "The Power of Music to Change Lives", Patrick talks to two of the panel of experts who helped to shape the Plan: Jamie Njoku-Goodwin and Catherine Barker.They chat about the background to the Plan, and about various points raised in the Plan, and expectations for schools, and music departments.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying© Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org

Jun 16, 2022 • 34min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.59 - Ukraine Music Hub, Music Teacher Mondays, Bridget Whyte (Music Mark)
Send us a textIn Episode 59, Stephen O’Regan from the Ukraine Music Hub tells Patrick about the great work they’re doing to provide free music tuition to Ukrainians, recently arrived in the UK;We hear an extract from a recent Music Teacher Mondays, led by James Manwaring and Liz Dunbar discussing classroom singing;And Bridget Whyte introduces Music Mark’s ‘Talk into Action’ movement, supporting music education organisations in their EDI journey.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns #CanDoMusic #GetPlaying© Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org

Jun 1, 2022 • 42min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.58 - Lincoln Abbotts, Dr Kirsty Devaney, Christopher Stevens
Send us a textIn this episode, Executive Director of the ABRSM, Lincoln Abbotts, introduces their latest resource, Classroom 200;Dr Kirsty Devaney discusses her research into the teaching of composition in schools, including surprising perceptions amongst students, and some myths;And Ofsted’s National Lead for Music, and Senior HMI, Christopher Stevens, answers questions, sent in by music teachers.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying© Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org

May 20, 2022 • 34min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.57 - MTA Conference Special - Andy Stott, Michael Hamilton, YolanDa Brown
Send us a textMTA CONFERENCE SPECIALAndy Stott, Head of Popular Music at the RNCM, introduces the RNCM’s new Young Artists’ programme; Michael Hamilton introduces the Real Music Video Company, and what they can do for music departmetns; And saxophonist YolanDa Brown chats about her keynote speech, and her approach to music education.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns.#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying © Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org

May 6, 2022 • 34min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.56 - David Ryan (Furlong Solutions), Emily Crowhurst, Michelle James (Sing Up), Felix Higginbottom
Send us a textMTA CONFERENCE PREVIEWIn this episode, Patrick looks towards the MTA Annual Conference, chatting to two companies from the trade fair, and two of the guest speakers, to find out what they will be talking about at the conference:David Ryan from Furlong Solutions, introduces their new app;Emily Crowhurst explains what ‘tuning’ a curriculum is, and the simple steps we can all take to help develop new Schemes of Work;Michelle James from Sing Up talks about their work, and introduces a new programme for primary schools;And professional drummer, Felix Higginbottom, on how to support students who want to go into the music industry.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying© Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org

Apr 22, 2022 • 37min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.55 - Andrew Gant, Liz Dunbar, Mark Aitchison
Send us a textIn Episode 55, author, educator and musician Andrew Gant tells Patrick about his new book, Five Straight Lines, covering the entire history of Western music; Liz Dunbar offers some excellent, detailed advice about job applications, interviews and interview lessons;And MTA committee member Mark Aitchison introduces a new mock-interview service provided by the MTA.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying© Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org

Mar 25, 2022 • 33min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.54 - Music & Drama Awards - Nick Thorne, Mary-Alice Stack, Nate Holder
Send us a textPatrick interviews two of the winners at the recent Music & Drama Education Awards: - Nick Thorne from Orchestras for All, and Mary-Alice Stack from the Inclusive Music Consortium. Plus, Prof. Nate Holder gives an overview of the forthcoming free ‘Why Music’ CPD, looking at topics such as Rap, Music & Islam, Electronic Music & Hip Hop, Trinbagonian Culture & the Steel Pan, and the Roots of Blues.Presented and produced by Patrick Johns.#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying© Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org

Mar 10, 2022 • 37min
Teaching Notes - MTA podcast - Ep.53 - Harriet Clifford, Dr Steven Berryman, Anna Gower, Steve Jackman
Send us a textIn episode 53, Harriet Clifford gives a preview of the Music & Drama Education Awards being held in late March; Dr Steven Berryman introduces the new MTA Composing Club, in collaboration with NMC Recordings, using contemporary classical music to stimulate students’ compositions;And Anna Gower and Steve Jackman chat about their use of Musical Futures in their lessons in Thailand, and beyondPresented and produced by Patrick Johns#CanDoMusic #GetPlaying© Music Teachers' Association www.musicteachers.org