Shake It Up, the music competition for schools, announces star judging panel – and extends deadline for entries

Shake It Up, the music arranging competition for Schools, is delighted to confirm its 2019 judging panel.

The competition invites music teachers to make the most of their Schools Printed Music Licence (SPML) and submit a new arrangement of music for the chance to win £700 worth of music resources, and now the opportunity to meet our fantastic judging panel, plus our keynote speaker, at our prize-giving ceremony at London City Hall on 2 July.

Any music teacher engaged in music education at a licensed school can enter, including peripatetic teachers and those based at a local Music Hub or Service. Find out more about the competition and how to apply.

Collectively, the panel brings a variety of experience from across the music industry to the judging process: John Rea, BAFTA award-winning composer for film and television, who has also worked with leading pop artists; Chrissy Kinsella, CEO of the London Music Fund and a mentor for Arts Emergency; Alex Wilson, jazz musician, recording artist and music educator; Cameron Bray Editor of Music Teacher magazine; Ben Selby, Director of Music Publishing at OUP; and Viki Smith, General Manager of Printed Music Licensing Limited (PMLL). The panel will be joined by Sarah Brear, CLA’s Development Manager for Education and formerly Copyright Manager at ABSRM.  We’re also absolutely delighted that Lord Black of Brentwood will be joining us at our prize-giving ceremony, to award the prizes and speak about the current issues facing music education. As Chairman for the Royal College of Music, Lord Black has been vocal in his warnings about the changing place of music in the school curriculum. At the end of last year, his actions prompted a debate on Music Education in the House of Lords, and it’s clear he is a champion for all those who wish to see music continue as a vibrant, thriving and accessible subject in our schools. You can read more about Lord Black’s thoughts on UK music education here.

Shake It Up deadline for entries has now been extended until 14 May due to teacher demand! 

JUDGES PROFILES 

Chrissy Kinsella is CEO of the London Music Fund, set up in 2011 with the vision that every child who demonstrates significant musical ability, enthusiasm and commitment to learning an instrument is given the opportunity to fulfil their potential, and with the Mayor of London as its patron. Outside work, Chrissy is a soprano singing with a number of professional choirs, and occasionally teaching privately. She is proud to be a mentor for Arts Emergency, a new charity aimed at encouraging and supporting more school leavers from less privileged backgrounds into arts and humanities careers.

Cameron Bray is the editor of Music Teacher magazine and Head of Content for the Music and Drama Education Expo. Cameron graduated King’s College London with a BA(hons) in English Language and Literature. Prior to joining Rhinegold, Cameron worked as Media and Project Assistant for HMDT Music. He was a Barbican Young Poet and is the current poet-in-residence for UCL’s Institute for Global Prosperity. Cameron is also a flautist and self-taught guitarist.

Ben Selby is Director of Music Publishing at Oxford University Press (OUP), one of the UK’s leading independent publishers of classical and contemporary choral music and books for beginner instrumentalists. He is also a Board Director at Printed Music Licensing Limited (PMLL) part of the MPA Group of Companies. Ben has worked in the music publishing and education sectors for over 20 years, holding several posts at OUP, Faber Music and the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM).

Alex Wilson Is a jazz and salsa musician but works across a range of genres. He and has performed and recorded with leading jazz musicians including Courtney Pine, Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Masakela & Ernest Ranglin. He won the Rising Star award at the 2001 BBC Jazz Awards. He has released eight solo albums; he also composes commissions, produces Latin hip hop, runs a 12-piece salsa band and works as a session player. His commissions include NITRO (a British black theatre company), the Royal Opera House, the Royal Northern College of Music, and several library music companies. He also works with schools in London and Essex and is a Special Lecturer in the Department of Music at University of Nottingham.

John Rea is an award winning composer, whose varied work encompasses film and television scores, concert platform commissions and music theatre. John has received two BAFTA Awards for his orchestral score for the BBC and S4C. In addition John has composed numerous television documentaries, adverts, drama, idents and theme tunes. As a musician and arranger, John has played piano, and arranged and orchestrated for the Manic Street Preachers, Mel C, Charlotte Church and conducted live performances for the legendary John Cale of the Velvet Underground.

Viki Smith began her role as General Manager at Printed Music Licensing Ltd (PMLL) in April 2017.  She is responsible for managing all aspects of the PMLL business including areas such as membership, governance, licence management and development. She started her career at the Educational Recording Agency, where she worked her way up from Licensing Officer to the Head of Operations. As a result, Viki is able to use her experience and skill for the benefit of PMLL and expand her copyright knowledge in a sector she is passionate about.

The panel will be joined by Sarah Brear as CLA’s representative. Sarah is CLA’s Development Manager for Education and was formerly Copyright Manager at ABSRM. She has a music degree from the University of York, sings with several vocal groups, and is flautist with the Windmills Wind Quintet.