Conference report: MTA annual conference 2022

For those who don't already know it, the Music Teachers’ Association (MTA) is the largest and longest established association of music teachers in the UK; it supports all who are connected with a school music department. Established in 1900, its 122-year history is impressive, and it is still very much run by teachers, for teachers.

One of the huge benefits of being an MTA member is being able to attend its annual conference. This moves around the county from school to school, but this year it was hosted in the beautiful surroundings of St Edward's School in Oxford – an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for girls and boys aged 13 to 18.

The last ‘physical’ Music Teachers’ Association Conference was back in May 2019. After three years of sterile ‘little squares on a screen’, there was a joyous feeling of excitement to be back, meeting friends old and new with hugs and handshakes. The personal interaction that we have all missed during the Covid years was finally back!

A community

One of the nice things about the MTA Conference is the way its delegates interact with each other. Those new to the conference weren't left on their own and the atmosphere felt warm and inclusive, with the ECT (NQT), PGCE student and graduate having the same input and voice as a long-standing director or head of music. The networking element of the conference is very important and being able to meet and talk to other teachers from a whole range of different schools cannot be undervalued.

The conference always starts on a Friday afternoon and runs through to Sunday lunchtime. The catering is normally supplied by the school's in-house catering team and is always of a very high standard. As usual, this year there were more networking opportunities at the drinks receptions, and these were accompanied by live music from school music groups. At ‘Teddies’ (St Edwards), the spring sun was in abundance and the early evening drinks were a delight. There is also an annual ‘gala dinner’ during the conference, allowing everyone to get dolled up in their best finery! This year, after a superb meal, the guest speaker was Sir Andrew Parmley delivering a very entertaining speech about his career in music and education, and as the 689th Lord Mayor of London.

MTA members at a keynote speech

A warm welcome

The conference kicked off with a welcoming address from Don Gillthorpe in the sumptuous Olivier Hall – a beautiful oval shaped hall of acoustic timber panelling that was also the setting for all the keynote sessions. Gillthorpe is the current president of the MTA, as well as being the director of music at Ripley St Thomas CE Academy. It was good to hear that (like most membership organisations) the MTA Membership has increased, and that the gender split is pretty much 50:50. He welcomed the 160 delegates and 30 corporate exhibitors to the conference, stating that he wanted to eradicate any ‘doom and gloom’ and concentrate on the wonderful inspirational opportunities for sharing good practice to enable all delegates to do even better for the students in their care.

Important discussions

The programme was excellent, with a choice of five different topics during each of the six sessions. These included panel discussions on curriculum design; equality, diversion and inclusion; the impending revised National Plan for Music Education; partnerships; careers; and music in Higher Education, with a host of well-informed panellists. There were also workshops with specialist teachers on important topics such as SEND; the curriculum and music technology; musicianship; choral conducting; musical theatre; and composition with the excellent Rachel Shapey of I Can Compose.

George Fenton, the acclaimed international film composer (and formal pupil of St Edwards) was fascinating. Hearing how he goes about writing music to film was inspirational. His tips included the need for technical knowledge and other practicalities, as well as interpersonal skills with other members of the film crew. In a conversation with John Williams, Fenton said you need to ‘look for the pulse’ of the film to add the musical accompaniment, following this with examples in clips of his latest film The Duke. When asked who his favourite film composer was, he pointed to Bernard Herrman of Psycho fame with his masterful use of sounds and orchestration.

The impact of music

There is always live music at the conference, and this year we were treated to an utterly amazing concert that included a performance by the incredible (already world renowned) Leia Zhu on violin. Though just 15, age did not determine her professionalism, and she gave a mesmerising performance from the very first down-bow.

The keynote speeches were delivered by saxophonist, composer and broadcaster, YolanDa Brown, and Caius Lee, choral director of the Diocese of Leeds, having been an organ scholar in Cambridge. Brown has infectious positivity. She is always looking at ways she can help promote music and I loved the way she presented music as magic, that being a musician is a superpower, and that all music teachers were Mr Miyagis!

It was also good to be reminded of the emotions music can bring out in students, highlighting the responsibility it puts on music teachers, who can often become the friendly open face for music as therapy and counselling.

I always find the ‘power of music’ a cringy cliché, but hearing Lee deliver his keynote was more than worthy of a standing ovation. From his humble and troubled early life in Bradford, music really did save his life. Lee opened his heart to a packed audience, reminding us about the life-changing effects that music can have. By giving music a chance, he turned his life around, and he praised his mother for her patience and support through many dark days. He is now fully engaged in encouraging students similar to his younger self to get involved in singing and enjoying music.

The 2023 Annual MTA Conference will be held at Loughborough Schools Foundation in May. MTA membership is £68 a year or free for PGCE/Graduate and ECT (NQT). www.musicteachers.org