The Musicians' Union Podcast

Musicians' Union

The MU is a community of around 32,000 musicians working to protect our members’ rights and campaign for a fairer music industry. Four times a year we publish The Musician magazine for our members. Here you can listen to the audio recordings of our quarterly publication.

  1. 12/12/2023

    The Musician magazine - Winter 2023 Audio Reads

    Winter 2023 print edition highlights Assessing the threat of musicians being replicated and replaced by Artificial Intelligence All the news from the 40th MU Biennial Delegate Conference In-demand studio session bassist Steve Pearce with impeccable feel and groove

    3h 3m

  2. 08/07/2023

    The Musician magazine - Summer 2023 Audio Reads

    Summer 2023 print edition highlights Orchestra and theatre tax relief welcomed by the MU Record-breaking year for MU royalty payments MU General Secretary: AI: An Existential Threat? How the Union is combatting misogyny and sexism in music The MU fights to protect the livelihoods of the BBC Singers Assessing the health of the UK’s grassroots music scene Supporting neurodiversity in education and the profession Music production: the creative dos and don’ts in the studio Essential MU advice for hiring deps for your function band Cover star: David Kofi, rising jazz keyboardist who draws on diverse styles

    2h 50m

  3. 01/09/2023

    The Musician magazine - Winter 2022 Audio Reads

    Winter 2022 print edition highlights How trade unions have united over the UK cost of living crisis MU hosts a landmark equality, diversity and inclusion summit Cover star: flautist Sarah Bennett with the Hallé Orchestra and freelance player Why musicians must take action to protect their hearing at work

    2h 47m

  4. 07/04/2022

    The Musician magazine - Summer 2022 Audio Reads

    Summer 2022 print edition highlights Naomi Pohl elected as the first female MU General Secretary How are musicians coping, post-Covid restrictions Sustainable touring and the steps musicians are taking A hands-on guide to choosing and using card readers – now a vital tool for live musicians A new MU deal for RCO organists and members New orchestral advisory group promises a voice for musicians Cover star: CJ Hillman, in-demand session player and multi-instrumentalist

    2h 47m

  5. 03/28/2022

    The Musician magazine - Spring 2022 Audio Reads

    Spring 2022 edition highlights Reports from Horace as MU General Secretary and Naomi as Deputy General Secretary Profiles of Shao Dow, south London rapper and grime artist, and Iona Fyfe, Scots traditional singer and stalwart activist A report from the 2022 ABO Conference in Glasgow The pros and cons of releasing recorded music on vinyl The MU’s Composers Against Buyouts campaign A focus on Universal Basic Income How music teachers can boost their businesses How musicians can make the most of TikTok Our regular ‘Tools Of The Trade’ column features drummer and percussion teacher John Park, while ‘Why I Joined’ tells the member journeys of Lisa Redford and Jermain Jackman Reminders of our Statutory Notices for members can be found on page 37 This edition also sees the return of the Tributes section and includes an obituary of former Assistant General Secretary, Jack Stoddart.

    2h 49m

  6. 02/11/2022

    Health & Safety Rep Training: Introduction

    Welcome to our podcast on Health & Safety (H&S) Reps and health and safety in the workplace. This first episode is for new H&S Reps to listen to prior to the Union provided Stages 1 2 & 3 health and safety training. This episode gives an overall, basic introduction to the role of an H&S Rep. Documents mentioned: Consulting employees on health and safety – a brief guide to the law (Brown Book) 5 Steps to Risk Assessment Guidance on exposure to noise ‘Sound Advice’ An Introduction to Health and Safety With Morris Stemp, Orchestras Official and Roger Sutton, Health and Safety Specialist for the Musicians’ Union Introduction to some of the problems that face us Union duties when appointing H&S Reps Hierarchies of H&S Reps: what abilities and protections does an H&S Rep have in the workplace, and what actions an employer should take to deal with hazards and problems Covid and the Workplace Controlling Noise in the Workplace Risk and Risk Assessments Support for H&S Reps and first steps To send us suggestions for our next H&S Podcast or if you are interested in becoming a H&S Rep please email orchestral@themu.org. For more information on health and safety in your workplace please visit the MU website. For individual health and wellbeing advice contact the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM). Soundtrack Forever Happy by Paul Leonard Morgan.

    17 min
  7. The Musician magazine - Winter 2021 Audio Reads

    12/14/2021

    The Musician magazine - Winter 2021 Audio Reads

    Winter 2021 edition highlights Lady Nade: singer-songwriter and emerging talent on the UK Americana scene Climate: How musicians have responded to COP26 How musicians should deal with incidences of being asked to play for no fee Tips on how musicians can optimise Instagram, a social media home for all creatives Matthew Parry: one of the go-to brass players who has made musical theatre his life General Secretary Election 2022

    2h 54m
  8. The Musician magazine - Autumn 2021 - Audio reads

    09/15/2021

    The Musician magazine - Autumn 2021 - Audio reads

    All the news and discussion from the 39th MU Conference MU heralds the findings of the DCMS streaming report Returning to rehearsals The MU’s new access riders MU achieves pay increase for freelance extras and deputies Back in France: pros and cons with Tankus The Henge Maintaining my instrument: tabla How to create clear and accessible social media content for your audience Rosie Frater-Taylor: Genrespanning artist discusses her coming-of-age second album Robin Rimbaud: The electronic musician known as Scanner exudes a real DIY ethic Reviews: new albums, EPs and downloads from members MU General Secretary Election in early 2022

    2h 48m
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About

The MU is a community of around 32,000 musicians working to protect our members’ rights and campaign for a fairer music industry. Four times a year we publish The Musician magazine for our members. Here you can listen to the audio recordings of our quarterly publication.

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