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.
Episodes
135 episodes
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.135 - MTA Conference preview - James McEvoy-Stevenson, Deirdre Waller-Box, James Stevenson
MTA CONFERENCE PREVIEW In Episode 135, Patrick looks ahead to the 2026 MTA Conference, and meets two of the speakers leading CPD sessions. James McEvoy-Stevenson gives an overview of his session, ‘GCSE Musi...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.134 - Dafydd Williams, Anna van Veldhuisen & Issy McMichael (Kodály)
In Episode 134, Patrick meets Dafydd Williams, the Music Lead at Rushmore Primary School in Hackney, winner of the Outstanding School Music Department award at the recent Music and Drama Education Awards, to find out about the music-making at t...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.133 - Tim Gray (Pitch Pals), Alex Aitken
In Episode 133, Tim Gray tells Patrick all about the new app 'Pitch Pals', designed to allow young children to practise their aural skills in a fun, game-based way (0:59).And Alex Aitken discusses A Level Music
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.132 - Expo Special
2026 MUSC & DRAMA EXPO SPECIALIn Episode 132, Patrick visits the 2026 Music & Drama Expo, to chat to leaders of CDP sessions, and chat to exhibitors about new Music Education products. Sebastian Murgul f...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.131 - James Manwaring (A Choir in Every School), Prof Derek Aviss, Tamzyn Marchev
In Episode 131, Patrick finds out more about the new campaign, ‘A Choir in Every School’, led by MTA president, James Manwaring (0:57).Professor Derek Aviss chats about his forthcoming webinar, ‘Transformatio...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.130 - Mark Aitchison, Dr Carolyn Cooke, Dr Victoria Kinsella, Dr Elizabeth MacGregor, Dr Anthony Anderson
In Episode 130, Patrick chats to Mark Aitchison about his PhD, which focuses on Key Stage 3 music, and Mark asks for teachers’ assistance with a Year 8 Research Project. Plus, music education academics Anthony Anderson...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.129 - Alan Cameron and Anu Omideyi
In Episode 129, Patrick chats to music educator, technological innovator and coach, Alan Cameron, about his long career, including setting up the world's first ever live weekly instrumental music learning programme via video conference f...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.128 - James B Partridge, Amy Driscoll, ILĀ
In Episode 128, Patrick meets James B Partridge to talk about his shows, Primary School Bangers and The Big Christmas Assembly, which revivify children’s hymns of the 70s and 80s. James and Patrick reflect on what makes these simple piec...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.127 - Jane Mitchell (Aurora Orchestra), Simon Toyne
In Episode 127, Patrick chats to the Aurora Orchestra’s Creative Director, Jane Mitchell, about their free resources as part of Aurora Classroom, covering Key Stages 1–5. Plus, the launch of their Life-Changing Music Campaign, aim...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.126 - Mark Aitchison, Dan Ludford-Thomas
In Episode 126, Patrick chats to Mark Aitchison about Year 8 Music, with potential pitfalls and suggestions, incorporating research from Mark’s recently published paper, ‘A study into musician identity in year 8 students in England’.&nbs...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.125 - Quentin Walston, Caroline Robinson, Dr Delphine Mordey
In Episode 125, Patrick meets Jazz pianist, educator, author and Instagram sensation Quentin Walston, to discuss accessible ways into Jazz for non-specialist teachers, from his new book, ‘How to Teach Jazz and Improvisation’ (0:52).<...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.124 - Ed Watkins, Laura Bendy, Julian Whittaker, RuthAnne
In Episode 124, Patrick chats to Ed Watkins about his recent article, shining a light on disproportionately low grades for otherwise high-achieving music students at A Level (1:02).Laura Bendy and Julian Whittaker in...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.123 - Kirsty Devaney & Ed McKeon, Alys Wilding, Elliot Broadbent-Jones & David Kirtlan (Albion Computers)
In Episode 123, Patrick chats to Dr Kirsty Devaney and Dr Ed McKeon about the project Time Loops, run by the Science Museum Group, using old music technology in new and innovative ways, with Key Stage 3 resources to bring i...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.122 - Dr Elizabeth Stafford & Dan Francis, Ritula Shah, Buster Birch
In Episode 122, Patrick meets Dr Elizabeth Stafford and Dan Francis, to talk about their new book, 'The Secondary Music Leader's Handbook' (0:48).Classic FM presenter Ritula Shah introduces the Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.121 - Leanna O'Brien (Soaring Scarves Academy), James Manwaring, Catherine Barker
In Episode 121, Patrick meets Leanna O’Brien, from the Soaring Scarves Academy in California, who teaches music using movement and scarves, to help students really internalise great works by Tchaikovsky and Grieg, amongst others (...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.120 - MTA CONFERENCE incl. Dr Jim Frankel and Mark Armstrong
2025 MTA CONFERENCE SPECIALIn Episode 120, Patrick visits the 2025 MTA Conference, held at Trinity Academy, Bristol. He meets ABRSM Chief Examiner and Jazz trumpeter Mark Armstrong, to find out more about Mark’s CPD se...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.119 - Liz Dunbar, Asha Bishop, Alexander L'Estrange
2025 MTA CONFERENCE PREVIEW In Episode 119, Patrick chats to Liz Dunbar and Asha Bishop about the crucial balancing of creativity and academic rigour at Key Stage 3 (1:08).And composer, arranger, singer, conductor and ...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.118 - Rilla Paterson, Julian Whittaker, Jack Laidlaw, James Tuck and Dustin Ragland (Ableton)
In Episode 118, Patrick chats to composer Rilla Paterson about her compositions for young voices, designed to help children with sight-reading; plus the importance of notation.Julian Whittaker introduces the MTA’s free ‘...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.117 - Dr Jonathan Savage, Caroline Robinson
In Episode 117, Patrick chats to Dr Jonathan Savage about significant changes in the world of Music Education, the relationship of Music Hubs with schools, and new BBC Bitesize resources.And the MTA’s Head of Growth and Operations...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.116 - Maria Thomas (Music Workshop Company), Martin Cullingford (Gramophone Magazine), Mark Aitchison (European Day of Music in Schools)
In Episode 116, Patrick is joined by Maria Thomas from The Music Workshop Company, to find out about their range of schools workshops, including historical music, and a very interesting workshop using cutlery!Editor of Gram...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.115 - Expo Special - SymphoMe, Nikki Yeoh, Dr June Fileti, Rachel Hawker, Simon Beale
~ 2025 MUSC & DRAMA EXPO SPECIAL ~In Episode 115, Patrick visits the 2025 Music & Drama Expo, to attend CDP sessions, and chat to exhibitors about new Music Education products. Ifeanyichukwu Ezinmadu int...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.114 - Dylan McCaig, Laura Bendy, Thomas Gregory
In Episode 114, Patrick chats to Music Teacher Dylan McCaig about being a recent ECT, and about Early Music both within the curriculum, and as part of co-curricular activities.MTA Operations Manager Laura Bendy shares deta...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.113 - Mike Wright, Prof Derek Aviss, Catherine Barker
In Episode 113, Patrick catches up with ‘That Music Improv Teacher’, Mike Wright, to find out about Mike’s on-going work to promote improvisation as a standard part of music teaching (01:01).Professor Derek Aviss OBE discusses the psych...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.112 - Jenevora Williams, Nic Chalmers
In Episode 112, Patrick meets singer, teacher, and vocal health expert, Dr Jenevora Williams, to discuss ways to recognise, manage, and prevent any issues with students’ – or teachers’ – vocal health (0:34).Plus, conductor Nic...
Teaching Notes - MTA Podcast - Ep.111 - Alex Aitken, Phil Croydon, Lissa Schneckenburger
In Episode 111, Patrick chats to Alex Aitken about GCSE and A Level composition and set works, including ways to teach them, their place within a course, and the barriers faced by teachers and students (00:53).Editor of Music Tea...