Improvising & Community Music with Ben Higham!

Music, Learning, Conversation

Welcome to the second episode of Music, Learning, Conversation. We are delighted to welcome you to this new series of podcasts exploring the different ways in which we learn about music. In this episode, we welcome Ben Higham. Ben is a classically trained musician who for the last thirty-five years has worked as a professional performer in the fields of improvised, jazz and popular contemporary musics. He is also a composer in these fields including music for video and theatre.
In 1985 Ben founded Community Music East Ltd. (CME), a community-based education organisation, charity and social enterprise of which he was the Director until December 2009. During this period he led the development of community music practice and curriculum development and implementation for the training of community music tutors, music teachers and other professional musicians involved in teaching. As we have discussed, I first met Ben in 1995 when he came to visit the UEA PGCE music course and ran sessions there.
Having established Community Music East, and building on a long and distinguished career in community music education, Ben is now a consultant specialising in strategic planning and organisational development in the voluntary, social enterprise and SME sectors.
In this episode we talk to Ben about the key educational features of a community music approach. In particular, we focus on the use of improvisatory pieces as a starting point for music making with musicians of all ages and abilities. The work of John Steven’s is discussed. His work has been hugely influential on Ben as well as Jonathan. Finally, we look at the challenges facing music education today, particularly within the community music sector.
All episodes of Music, Learning, Conversation will feature a piece of music specially chosen by our guest. This episode features the title track from Ben’s band, the The Brass Monkeys’, an album that is being released shortly.

Music Learning Conversation is hosted by Jonathan Savage and Andy Scott, and is a UCAN Play podcast.
Produced by Josh Savage
Title Music - JellyBaby
Written and Performed by Dave Hassell & Andy Scott
Remix by Stan Scott
Voice over Sam Marsden
Mixed & Produced by Paul Dormer