Reaching The Crescendo with Ben Mussell

Ben Mussell
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Ben Mussell chats with creatives as they journey toward their crescendo, sharing the highs and lows that happen along the way.

  1. EP#27 - GUY COURTIE: Multi-Percussionism, Creative Circles & Social Media being the New Creative CV

    JAN 30

    EP#27 - GUY COURTIE: Multi-Percussionism, Creative Circles & Social Media being the New Creative CV

    In this episode Ben chats to percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Guy Courtie who opens up about the hidden pressures of building a creative career in a self-promoting economy in a small music scene, why rest can be a creative taboo equal to failure, and how musicians and creatives try to protect their headspace without losing momentum and opportunity. Ben and Guy chat about: Escaping London & finding clear headspace as a creative Social media overload & the pressure to always be “on” Short-form & social media being your business card Creative accountability in small scenes Freelancing, burnout & never switching off Obsession, passion & finding healthy balance Music as a process, not perfection The complication relationship between music & AI Why music matters for accessability & community Growing up in a musical household Training, privilege & creative opportunity Life after study & surviving as a creative Guy's Crescendo Anything else that cropped up Follow the podcast, Ben and the guest on social media: Reaching The Crescendo Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/reachingthecrescendopod https://www.tiktok.com/@reachingcrescendopod https://www.facebook.com/reachingthecrescendopod Ben Mussell: https://www.instagram.com/ben_mussell https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmussell Guy Courtie: https://www.instagram.com/guycourtie

    1h 25m
  2. EP#26 - DAN DAY: Earning the Drum Chair, Timing, Jamie Lloyd, and Life in the West End Pit

    JAN 2

    EP#26 - DAN DAY: Earning the Drum Chair, Timing, Jamie Lloyd, and Life in the West End Pit

    In this episode Ben sits down with West End drummer and percussionist Dan Day to chat about a career that’s taken him from learning drums at age 3 to playing on major theatrical productions like Evita, Mean Girls, Sunset Boulevard, Come From Away just to name a few... Ben and Dan chat about: Dan starting to learn drums aged 3 Falling into musical theatre by accident Earning your chair through depping, being good and just being nice Life as a working drummer in the orchestra pit both in London and on tour Surviving high pressure auditions when you really want the job COVID Getting the gig and behind the scenes of Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, Sunset Boulevard and Evita Working with some of the biggest creative names in musical theatre today e.g. Pasek and Paul, Alex Lacamoire and Alan Williams MD Working on The Greatest Showman Musical His Crescendo Strap yourselves in for nearly 2 hours of drum and musical theatre goodness. Follow the podcast, Ben and the guest on social media: Reaching The Crescendo Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/reachingthecrescendopod https://www.tiktok.com/@reachingcrescendopod https://www.facebook.com/reachingthecrescendopod Ben Mussell: https://www.instagram.com/ben_mussell https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmussell Dan Day: https://www.dandaymusic.com https://instagram.com/danthedrummer12

    1h 45m
  3. EP#25 - ZINNIA BRIDGMAN: From Student Radio, To A Voice Of The South Coast Community Radio Airwaves

    12/05/2025

    EP#25 - ZINNIA BRIDGMAN: From Student Radio, To A Voice Of The South Coast Community Radio Airwaves

    Volunteer radio presenter, producer, music lover and all-round self proclaimed 'radio fanatic' Zinnia Bridgman joined me to chat about going from her lockdown student radio beginnings to co-presenting The South Coast Music Show on Voice FM. We chatted about: Getting started in radio through university and student broadcasting, The thrill (and terror) of being live on air on Voice FM, Why volunteer community radio still matters in a de-localised industry, The concept of celebrities with platforms / high follower counts being able to cut the line for mainstream radio shows over people who have put in the hours, The goings on behind the desk and in the room where it happens, Supporting emerging south coast musicians and venues, Volunteering, passion projects, breaking into media, and other things... Follow the podcast, Ben and the guest on social media: Reaching The Crescendo Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ https://www.tiktok.com/@reachingcrescendopod/ https://www.facebook.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ Ben Mussell: https://www.instagram.com/ben_mussell/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmussell/ Zinnia Bridgman: https://www.instagram.com/zinniaecbridgman/ https://linktr.ee/zinniaecbridgman https://www.linkedin.com/in/zinnia-bridgman/ Voice FM: https://www.voicefmradio.co.uk/ https://www.voicefmradio.co.uk/south-coast-music/south-coast-music-show/

    1h 4m
  4. EP#24 - RICKY CHARLTON: From Cartoons to Kindful Creating with Boats, Race Cars & Everything In-Between

    11/14/2025

    EP#24 - RICKY CHARLTON: From Cartoons to Kindful Creating with Boats, Race Cars & Everything In-Between

    ‘Kindful’ video editor Richard 'Ricky' Charlton joined me to chat about going from a young kid from Grimsby fiddling with cameras, to being a paid video editor who’s previously worked with cartoons and currently senior editing at the biggest content agency on the south coast of the UK. We chatted about: How he became interested in videography, How he ended up in Bournemouth, The BTS of creating an animated kids TV show, How he met Joe Hayes, and ended up working for @KindfulCreative, The future of content agencies, The current and future impact of AI on content creation, and other things... Follow the podcast, Ben and the guest on social media: Reaching The Crescendo Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ https://www.tiktok.com/@reachingcrescendopod/ https://www.facebook.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ Ben Mussell: https://www.instagram.com/ben_mussell/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmussell/ Ricky Charlton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-charlton-21753b255/ https://www.instagram.com/richardcharlton_/ Kindful Creative: https://www.kindfulcreative.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/kindfulcreative/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kindfulcreative https://www.linkedin.com/company/kindful-creative/ https://www.threads.net/@kindfulcreative

    47 min
  5. EP#23- Mark Aspinall: 15 Year Journey from Music Assistant to Olivier Award Winning Musical Director

    09/05/2025

    EP#23- Mark Aspinall: 15 Year Journey from Music Assistant to Olivier Award Winning Musical Director

    Benjamin Button Tickets (before it closes): https://shorturl.at/vk8LE Fiddler On The Roof UK Tour Tickets: https://shorturl.at/qg6Hd Into The Woods Tickets: https://shorturl.at/35c9I Award winning musical theatre maestro Mark Aspinall joined me to chat about his 15 year journey from being a music school assistant to becoming one of the best in the biz when putting the music into musical theatre. We chatted about: Mark’s original career plans before he pivoted towards the theatre world How he got his foot in the metaphorical stage door of the industry His experiences of being on the creative team for both 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' and 'Fiddler On The Roof' Being x2 Olivier nominated in the same category, and winning his first award in the process Going ‘Into The Woods’ for his next project Advice for theatre up and comers The future of musical theatre both on and off stage  Follow the podcast, Ben and the guest on social media: Reaching The Crescendo Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ https://www.tiktok.com/@reachingcrescendopod/ https://www.facebook.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ Ben Mussell: https://www.instagram.com/ben_mussell/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmussell/ Mark Aspinall: https://www.globalartists.co.uk/artists/composers/ https://www.instagram.com/masps_snaps/

    41 min
  6. EP#22- Amy Shepherd: Deli Worker Turned Copywriter, ‘‘it still seems to be…an enigma’’

    08/08/2025

    EP#22- Amy Shepherd: Deli Worker Turned Copywriter, ‘‘it still seems to be…an enigma’’

    Freelance Copywriter Amy Shepherd joined me to chat about the relatively unknown art of copywriting, so much so her Nan doesn’t really understand what she does for a living.  We chat about: What copywriting is Brands she’s worked for in the past e.g. @thecalmzonenet and @LUSH   Life in the freelance world Her stance on AI What she's currently working on Brands she wants to work for and with in the future Her future Crescendo  Follow the podcast, Ben and the guest on social media: Reaching The Crescendo Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ https://www.tiktok.com/@reachingcrescendopod/ https://www.facebook.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ Ben Mussell: https://www.instagram.com/ben_mussell/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmussell/ Amy Shepherd: https://www.amyshepherdfreelance.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-shepherd-172a391a1/ https://www.instagram.com/amy_shepherd_freelance/

    41 min
  7. EP#21 - Joshy Clements: The South’s Drone Specialist, His "booming" Drone Side Business, AI & His Ideal Drone

    07/11/2025

    EP#21 - Joshy Clements: The South’s Drone Specialist, His "booming" Drone Side Business, AI & His Ideal Drone

    Joshy Clements is the go-to drone guy on the south coast. He joined me to chat about how he discovered and mastered the drone, how he's using its situational versatility to run a "booming" drone side business 'Horizon Drone Specialists' with multiple clients, the future of drone usage with the addition of AI, and pitched his ideal drone features to DJI in the process. Follow the podcast, Ben and the guest on social media: Reaching The Crescendo Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ https://www.tiktok.com/@reachingcrescendopod/ https://www.facebook.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ Ben Mussell: https://www.instagram.com/ben_mussell/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmussell/ Joshy Clements: https://www.horizonedronespecialists.com/ https://www.instagram.com/horizondronespecialists/ https://www.instagram.com/joshyclements/

    56 min
  8. EP#20 - Nate Williams: Instruments, Sessions, Gigging, Touring & Podcasting

    06/06/2025

    EP#20 - Nate Williams: Instruments, Sessions, Gigging, Touring & Podcasting

    Nate Williams is a multi-instrumentalist & podcaster who has worked with many well known artists. Nate joined me to chat about growing up in a musical family, playing musical instruments, life on and off stage as a gigging musician, working with Jamiroquai, Steve Winwood and others, as well as chatting with his industry friends and heros on his podcast 'In Session With...' Follow the podcast, Ben and the guest on social media: Reaching The Crescendo Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ https://www.tiktok.com/@reachingcrescendopod/ https://www.facebook.com/reachingthecrescendopod/ Ben Mussell: https://www.instagram.com/ben_mussell/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmussell/ Nate Williams: https://www.instagram.com/nategroove/ https://open.spotify.com/show/5uEpi0tdYI7J25B3D6LuIG https://www.tiktok.com/@/nategroove83/

    58 min
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Ben Mussell chats with creatives as they journey toward their crescendo, sharing the highs and lows that happen along the way.

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