MU Column: Autumn renewal

It's been an isolating and difficult 18 months for music teachers, to say the least. Fortunately, as society reopens, teachers can once again meet in person for training and CPD events. It's vital that our sector now offers these opportunities, which have been absent for so long. As excellent as online training has become, there's no substitute for being in the room with colleagues and benefitting from valuable conversations, both in and out of the training room.

With all of the above in mind, the Musicians' Union (MU) is running an Education Conference on 15 and 16 October, to which all MT readers, and of course MU members, are warmly invited. The conference will take place at Resonance, a new state-of-the-art music college in Dudley that we hope delegates will be excited to visit.

What's on?

We are taking the word ‘renewal’ as our theme, interpreting this in several ways. A primary interpretation is the need for teachers to renew their inspiration and motivation after a uniquely challenging year. We will also renew our commitment to stand together for fair terms and recognition for music teachers, which is at the heart of what the MU does.

Similarly, we renew our commitment that no learner should be left out, which is why we are looking at inclusion at the conference and how best to support students with a range of additional learning needs. Further, we renew our concern for the mental health of teachers, who must practise self-care more than ever – to which end we are offering meditation and wellbeing sessions, as well as one-to-one coaching sessions.

We are working with some excellent trainers and leaders to present this conference. I am excited to welcome virtuoso percussionist Mohamed Gueye to lead a Senegalese drumming workshop, while Abigail D’Amore, director of the ‘Fair Play’ programme for the Printed Music Licensing Limited organisation, will be on hand to discuss all things education copyright. We also welcome Roger Wilson from Black Lives in Music for a positive, practical, and thought-provoking workshop on inclusion in music education. Other sessions will be led by similarly qualified practitioners, and the conference programme is available in full on our website. The MU's own officials, who are experts in contracts, employment law, workplace issues and government policy, will lead sessions of our own. Sessions will include:

• Health and wellbeing – meditation, Feldenkrais and more.
• Post-pandemic – adaptability and retaining the best of what we've learned.
• Rates, contracts, and employment law – what you need to know.
• UK music education policy – what's going on?
• Copyright in music education.
• Diversity and inclusion with Black Lives in Music.
• Hands on with Senegalese drumming – principles for your own teaching.
• Neuroscience and applications for music education.
• Helping students with performing anxiety.
• Supporting learners with additional needs and autism.
• Online teaching tips and editing videos for YouTube.
• Getting creative with technology.
• One-to-one coaching sessions to discuss individual career goals.

A chance to connect

Renewal also means getting back in touch with our social selves, a part of life that has been thin on the ground over the last year. For this reason, we have organised a social event on the first evening of the conference – a dinner and get-together at a nearby hotel. This is included in the price of a two-day conference ticket. We are offering a discounted rate for delegates who would like to stay at the hotel, which is a two-minute walk from the conference venue.

The MU is subsidising the conference for our members, who can purchase a two-day ticket for £65 and a one-day ticket for £40 (tickets are available for either day). Non-members can book a two-day ticket for £150 and a one-day ticket for £90 – but joining the MU costs just £1, so I encourage you to join and benefit from the lower price.

The conference is also fully catered during the day, with lunch, coffee and snacks all available. In the unlikely event that the conference cannot go ahead due to coronavirus restrictions, delegate tickets and hotel rooms will be fully refunded.

Delegates who are unable to afford tickets due to financial hardship can contact us confidentially at education@theMU.org. We are committed to accessibility and are happy to discuss ways to make it possible for you to attend.

You can find out more about the MU Education Conference on our dedicated Eventbrite page (bit.ly/3foggIQ) where you can also book your place. You may find it easier to visit the MU website and use the search function to navigate to the right place. I look forward to welcoming you to the conference in October, and I wish you a successful autumn term.

musiciansunion.org.uk