Skills Lab Academy is a practical training course for musicians who wish to develop their skills in creative music-making and leadership in a range of community settings. It is an opportunity for emerging and established music leaders to expand their toolkit, stretch their skills, and meet fellow like-minded artists.
The course will cover a wide range of topics related to music-leading in community contexts and touch on tailored, specialist approaches to working with a variety of different audiences. In our second session of three, we’ll have a deep dive into using accessible music technology with Ben Sellers, followed by an afternoon learning varied techniques and approaches to music leading with James Redwood.
Spitalfields Music has 30+ years experience of delivering high-quality musical experiences in schools, care homes and other community settings. Through our Trainee Music Leader and Skills Lab programmes we have helped kickstart the careers of many of the UK’s foremost community musicians and workshop leaders.
Meet the leaders of this Skills Lab session
Ben Sellers
Ben Sellers is a musician, trainer and researcher. His work is focused on future technologies and improving access to high-quality creative opportunities for young people with additional learning and access needs. Author of the ‘Teaching Music with Garageband for iPad’ textbook, he has led education projects with organisations including the Tokyo and BBC Symphony Orchestras and the Royal College of Music. He is an Associate Musician at Drake Music, leads the MEHEM UpRising project and trains on the Bristol Beacon Inclusion CME. Read more at bensellersmusic.com
James Redwood
James is a composer and music leader who has been creating new music with and for groups for over 20 years. His work has taken him all over the UK and Europe and as far afield as New York and Jamaica. He is passionate about introducing people to new musical experiences as listeners, performers and creators.
Skills Lab Academy is generously supported by Arts Council England, The Garrick Trust, Leche Trust, and Scops Arts Trust.
