The Music Man Project Podcast

The Music Man Project

Founded by Churchill Fellow, David Stanley, the Music Man Project UK is an award-winning and world record-breaking music education and performance service specifically for children and adults with learning disabilities. The Music Man Project nurtures the innate musicality in everyone, regardless of their learning difficulty. It delivers education, enjoyment and performances through the teaching of original music at special schools, colleges, care homes, weekly music schools and daily adult classes in the community. The unique service has spread across the UK and to South Africa, India, Nepal, the USA and the Philippines. The Music Man Project has performed to packed houses at the London Palladium, the Royal Albert Hall and now has its sights set on Broadway, New York in 2021!

  1. Join Together!

    04/09/2021

    Join Together!

    The theme of this week's podcast is Join Together! The song was written by David Stanley with lyrics by Jenny Hitchcock. It famously featured in 'Music is Magic at the London Palladium' (2017) and on the studio album of the same name.  The song is a fitting climax to most Music Man Project concerts.  Connecting communities is integral to The Music Man Project's mission. The charity uses the universal language of music to free the constraints placed on people with a learning disability across the world, joining them together through song, country by country. David Stanley's  global campaign has connected musicians with learning disabilities in Essex to their counterparts in counties across England. It has connected musicians in England to those across the UK in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and it has connected musicians in the UK to learning-disabled communities around the world. It is a wonderful thought that every day, somewhere in the world people with learning disabilities from a Music Man Project region are singing Music Man Project songs like 'Music is Magic', 'Join Together' or 'High Low Middle'. The music connects them and celebrates all they have in common. The song 'Join Together' is also highly apt for this time, with Jenny’s wonderful lyrics carrying a message which is more important now than ever before as we all emerge from this terrible chapter in our history. The open verse says: "In times of uncertainty, love and friendship sees you through. Music mends an aching heart, building peace and hope anew”.  We also hear from former Mayor of Southend, MMP trustee and patron, Sally Carr and from Music Man Project Director, Sarah Mann who tells us about her very own 'Join Together' lockdown project led by her students in Kent and featuring the City of Rochester Symphony Orchestra. Click here to watch the lockdown video of the song: https://youtu.be/AX-5h4ceDzM  The Music Man Project is a multi award-winning, world record-breaking music education and performance service for people with disabilities - direct from the Royal Albert Hall! It started in Essex but has spread right across the globe!  To find out more visit www.themusicmanproject.com, follow "The Music Man Project UK" on Facebook, subscribe to David Stanley's blog at www.themusicmanblog.com and subscribe to The Music Man Project's YouTube channel.  Devised and presented by David Stanley BEM Produced by Jon Webber  The Music Man Project, charity no. 1188041 Email musicmanprojectuk@outlook.com to tell us your news!

    1h 12m
  2. Siblings Special

    03/18/2021

    Siblings Special

    The theme of this week's podcast is siblings.  If you ever get the chance, we urge you to watch a young person helping someone with special needs. Their insight, kindness and empathy defy their age, and their experience shapes their personality for the rest of their life. These young people develop the most extraordinary qualities: selfless kindness, patience and love. When that young person is also a sibling of someone with a learning disability, these qualities are even more life-changing for the whole family.   In this episode of The Music Man Project Radio Show on Chelmsford Community, David explores what it is like to have a brother or sister with a disability. He talks to two wonderful young woman, Remy and Emma, who are both sisters of students at The Music Man Project here in Essex, and he concludes with a moving interview with the most famous Music Man Project carer of them all - the legendary Auntie Ann Randal! Ann talks about her life as the sister of two brothers with learning disabilities, David and Paul. David also chats to The Music Man Project’s resident filmmaker, web designer and all-round media guru, Paul Carpenter. 2012, Paul's acclaimed documentary “The Music Man” made a huge impression on the Prime Minister David Cameron.  Finally, Chris Stringer from the Salvation Army talks about The Music Man Project/Salvation Army partnership in an interview recorded for the first series of our podcast last year.  The Music Man Project is a multi award-winning, world record-breaking music education and performance service for people with disabilities - direct from the Royal Albert Hall! It started in Essex but has spread right across the globe!  To find out more visit www.themusicmanproject.com, follow "The Music Man Project UK" on Facebook, subscribe to David Stanley's blog at www.themusicmanblog.com and subscribe to The Music Man Project's YouTube channel.  Devised and presented by David Stanley BEM Produced by Jon Webber  The Music Man Project, charity no. 1188041 Email musicmanprojectuk@outlook.com to tell us your news!

    1h 37m
  3. The Music Man Project Radio Show on CCR!

    02/19/2021

    The Music Man Project Radio Show on CCR!

    The Music Man Project Podcast is back with a bang! Following the success of our first series, we are delighted to launch series 2 with highlights from our brand new monthly radio show on Chelmsford Community Radio! In this episode, David Stanley, who was was recently recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours List, talks to Music Man Project resident drummer Daniel Camacho and his drum tutor Glen Burton. We also reunite the three stars of the National Lottery 25th birthday TV advert - Sam, Wendy and Graeme,  and we talk to Ian Jewell, who recently achieved an amazing 25 years of service at Iceland Foods.  The world record-breaking Music Man Project provides award-winning accessible music education and performance opportunities for children and adults with learning disabilities across the UK and around the world. These remarkable musicians have performed at the Royal College of Music, the London Palladium and the Royal Albert Hall. Every podcast includes news, music, interviews and lots of other exciting features and surprises. It celebrates the achievements of all people with learning disabilities from around the world. To find out more visit www.themusicmanproject.com, follow "The Music Man Project UK" on Facebook, subscribe to David Stanley's blog at www.themusicmanblog.com and subscribe to The Music Man Project's YouTube channel.  Devised and presented by David Stanley BEM Produced by Jon Webber  The Music Man Project, charity no. 1188041 Email musicmanprojectuk@outlook.com to tell us your news!

    1h 19m
  4. Christmas Special: The Kingsdown School CD!

    12/22/2020

    Christmas Special: The Kingsdown School CD!

    The final episode of The Music Man Project Podcast series 1, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley. In this episode we hear every track from the new Kingsdown Special School Christmas CD! "It is fair to say that 2020 did not go as planned! It started well with a memorable teaching trip to the Philippines, our fifth international expedition in as many years.  We also took The Music Man Project to Wales and even launched The Music Man Project Strawberry Field in Liverpool.  Following 6 months of hard work, The Music Man Project officially became a registered charity in February. We looked forward to performances at the House of Commons, Birmingham's NEC, a special presentation to Camelot and the first concert of our "Music is Magic on Broadway" preview tour. Everything was coming together for yet another spectacular year in our history, two decades after it all began.  But then the restrictions put in place to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a standstill. I have been immensely proud to witness how our community has adapted to the challenges presented by lockdown. In fact, our music has actually reached thousands more people through all the Zoom rehearsals, Facebook live sessions, YouTube videos, video calls, virtual concerts, podcasts, blogs and doorstop visits. Thanks to the National Lottery and Government funding, we were able to deliver £6000 worth of musical instruments for isolated families to play at home. The original Southend Mencap Saturday music school, which was the forerunner for the Music Man Project we know today, has of course been closed since March. I especially miss the children and it has been wonderful to work some of them at Kingsdown Special School. We were delighted to record and produce their very own Christmas CD, which you can hear on this special Christmas episode of The Music Man Project podcast. We hear from Kingsdown teachers, Lisa Stroud and Sophie Harris who tell us how the CD came into being and give an insight into life at their wonderful school during the pandemic."  David Stanley The world record-breaking Music Man Project provides award-winning accessible music education and performance opportunities for children and adults with learning disabilities across the UK and around the world. These remarkable musicians have performed at the Royal College of Music, the London Palladium and the Royal Albert Hall. Every podcast includes news, music, interviews and lots of other exciting features and surprises. It celebrates the achievements of all people with learning disabilities from around the world. To find out more visit www.themusicmanproject.com, follow "The Music Man Project UK" on Facebook, subscribe to David Stanley's blog at www.themusicmanblog.com and subscribe to The Music Man Project's YouTube channel.  Devised and presented by David Stanley Produced by Jon Webber  The Music Man Project, charity no. 1188041 Email musicmanprojectuk@outlook.com to tell us your news!

    52 min
  5. Marc McOwens

    08/09/2020

    Marc McOwens

    Episode 14 of The Music Man Project Podcast, presented by founder and CEO of The Music Man Project charity, David Stanley. No matter how driven or talented they are, everyone needs someone to believe in them, to share their vision and to take risks on their behalf. For David Stanley, that man was Marc McOwens, General Manager of Southend Mencap.  Marc valued David's ambitions and encouraged him to follow his dreams. It was the same as back in 2001, when David had proposed a Saturday morning music school to the then President of Southend Mencap – the late Joe Dorado. The two men are widely different in many ways but in this they are the same: they supported, encouraged and trusted David and he will forever be in their debt.  We hope you enjoying learning how The Music Man Project started with an amazing charity from South East Essex. Without Southend Mencap and Marc in particular, there would no Music Man Project and no Music Man Project podcast! The world record-breaking Music Man Project provides award-winning accessible music education and performance opportunities for children and adults with learning disabilities across the UK and around the world. These remarkable musicians have performed at the Royal College of Music, the London Palladium and the Royal Albert Hall. Every podcast includes news, music, interviews and lots of other exciting features and surprises. It celebrates the achievements of all people with learning disabilities from around the world. To find out more visit www.themusicmanproject.com, follow "The Music Man Project UK" on Facebook, subscribe to David Stanley's blog at www.themusicmanblog.com and subscribe to The Music Man Project's YouTube channel.  Devised and presented by David Stanley Produced by Jon Webber  The Music Man Project, charity no. 1188041 Email musicmanprojectuk@outlook.com to tell us your news!

    44 min

About

Founded by Churchill Fellow, David Stanley, the Music Man Project UK is an award-winning and world record-breaking music education and performance service specifically for children and adults with learning disabilities. The Music Man Project nurtures the innate musicality in everyone, regardless of their learning difficulty. It delivers education, enjoyment and performances through the teaching of original music at special schools, colleges, care homes, weekly music schools and daily adult classes in the community. The unique service has spread across the UK and to South Africa, India, Nepal, the USA and the Philippines. The Music Man Project has performed to packed houses at the London Palladium, the Royal Albert Hall and now has its sights set on Broadway, New York in 2021!