I was a member of SingTank, the consultative group for the National Singing Programme, and have written several articles for the SingUp magazine. Most recently, I wrote a piece called "Boys will surprise you" for the SingUp publication Sing into Secondary. I have undertaken recent consultancy for the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and have visited a number of secondary schools over the last two years to give demonstration lessons of boys' singing at KS3 and advise on the setting up or development of boys' choirs. If you would like such a visit to your school, please contact me via e-mail on ashleym@edgehill.ac.uk
I established Edge Hill University's Sounding Edge music education project, which continues to work in close partnership with the Voices Foundation to provide master's level accreditation for primary school teachers who wish to lead the music curriculum, and for secondary school teachers who wish to enhance their capability to manage singing at KS3. Sounding Edge is now working with the Association of British Choral Directors to produce the UK's first MA in choral conducting. This new degree will include validation of the ABCD intermediate conducting certificate as the gateway to further advanced study.
I have also been involved with chorister outreach programmes, having managed the Bristol Cathedral scheme between 2004 and 2008. Sounding Edge currently works with Blackburn Cathedral to accredit the work of teachers involved with the Blackburn music outreach programme. A very pleasing outcome of this work is the new boys' cambiata voice choir movement for the North West of England. The first of a number of training events for this in collaboration with ABCD took place on 15th October 2011. See details. The choir meets for the first time on Saturday 14th January 2012.
I will be very pleased to advise on the promotion of singing in schools and particularly on the recruitment of boys to choirs.
