Sound Sense

You are warmly invited to join us this Friday for our February Gathering ‘Community music in uncertain times’.

This is an opportunity to get together for a candid conversation about how local, regional, national & international influences can impact your work as a community music practitioner

We want your submissions for the upcoming issue of Sounding Board! You can share your thinking and practice in words, pictures, audio or video. If you have any questions, please email our Communications Manager claire.francis@soundsense.org & find more info here: www.soundsense.org/DB/resources...

Join us next week for our first Sound Sense Gathering of 2026 hosted by board member Carol Bowden. We'll be idea-sharing around what we can do as community music practitioners to support mental health and wellbeing, for ourselves and for others. All welcome! fb.me/e/5xs1GLMmZ

Chiltern Music Therapy is hiring a Community Musician in the Buckinghamshire area. Part time (approx 6 hours per week). Deadline to apply is 21 November. More details on this great opportunity here: www.soundsense.org/DB/jobs-and-...

The Open University, in partnership with Music Mark and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, have conducted research Exploring England’s Primary Music Education Needs, with insights from schools’ senior leadership, music curriculum leaders, generalist teachers, and music hubs. Read the article to learn more! An illustration of a speakerphone is bottom left.

The @openuniversity.bsky.social aimed to identify the specific needs of primary music education in England from key stakeholders’ perspectives, as well as exploring how collaboration among organisations could enhance music ed in primary schools 💡

🔗Read more: www.musicmark.org.uk/resources/ex...

This panel is ideal for community musicians looking to add digital technology to their musical toolkit, those working with musicians with physical challenges, or anyone looking to expand their knowledge on modern music-making equipment. Book now: cmnn_gloucester.eventbrite.co.uk

Community Music Now & Next panel spotlight: Accessible Music for Community Musicians. This panel brings together some of the champions of UK music technology. Hear about available equipment, what works in the community music field, what's coming next, & considerations when designing for the future.

Book now for Community Music Now & Next to get our early bird ticket price! Offer valid until EOD tomorrow, 30 Sept. Ticket price includes a day of talks, workshops & activities, and lunch + refreshments, plus a platform to share your own community music practice:
cmnn_gloucester.eventbrite.co.uk

RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT. Women Transforming Classical Music. A free online course supporting performers and classical music ensembles and organisations to diversify their repertoire by programming more music by women composers. Browse our 'Further Education' category on our resources page for more free courses! The Open University logo is centre right.

This @openuniversity.bsky.social course offers practical advice covering how to curate diverse programmes, seeking funding, building audience engagement, and getting performers on board 📣

It covers both historical & contemporary women composers! 🎶

🔗Take a look: www.musicmark.org.uk/resources/wo...

Music teachers 📣

The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report is just around the corner. Now is the perfect time for you to have your say on the future of music education.

Take part in our 2025 survey today - your voice matters 👇
https://loom.ly/5V6wtsM

Join the Arts Play Health Community group on Wed 24th September 4-5pm BST for a session on Personal Music for Health & Wellbeing. Explore the role music can play in living well and challenges in using music as part of living well with health conditions: www.pathsresearchgroup.org/artsplayhealth

Booking is now open for Community Music Now & Next!

This event is a one-day, in person CPD and networking event from Sound Sense, in partnership with The Music Works, on Sat 18 Oct in Gloucester.

Early Bird ticket prices are available until the end of September www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-...

Last call for board nominations! We’re looking for four people to join our Board of Directors and help shape our future. The deadline to submit a nomination is Monday 22 September: www.soundsense.org/DB/jobs-and-...

Join me and @katiedoherty.bsky.social for some playful music-making, learning, and conversation 🎶

September issue of our monthly Bulletin Board newsletter is out now!
- Join the Sound Sense Board
- Musicians with autism research steering group
- Contribute to Sounding Board journal
- Community music training, jobs & resources
Members can log in to read it here: www.soundsense.org/news-and-views

The deadline to submit a nomination is Monday 22 September. Find out more, including how to submit your nomination, here: www.soundsense.org/DB/jobs-and-...

Sound Sense - the UK’s professional association for community music - is led by its members, for its members. Nominations for our 2025 elections are now open, and we’re looking for four new members to join our Board of Directors and help shape our future!

YouTube video by Sound Sense Rebecca Denniff on why you should consider standing for election to the Sound Sense board

What’s it like to be on the board of Sound Sense? Find out from our current Chair, Rebecca Denniff, in the video below!
www.youtube.com/shorts/T7zMh...

The next issue of Sounding Board will have the theme 'Duty of Care' - do you have a resource you'd like to share, or an idea for an article or interview? Please get in touch with our editor claire.francis@soundsense.org & find further information at: soundsense.org/resources-and-publications.

A photo of young disabled and non-disabled musicians performing to an audience. Text reads "Trustees and Treasurer wanted! Apply by 1 September".

📣 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀. We need you to guide our work opening music to young disabled musicians as a Treasurer or Trustee!

📅 Deadline: 1 September 2025

🔗Apply: www.openupmusic.org/we-re-recrui...

Please share 🙏

Did you miss our Community Music Now event back in March? Catch up on moments, learnings and perspectives from the two-day event in our latest Sounding Board journal - members can log in and read it here: www.soundsense.org/resources-an...

Join us online this evening at 7pm for our ‘Community Music Now & Next’ themed Gathering, hosted by Sound Sense board members Lee Holder and Ellie Knott! We'll be discussing plans for our in-person event on 18 October in partnership with The Music Works in Gloucester www.facebook.com/events/17400...

🎵 Funding Alert! 🎵 Apply for up to £2,000 from the Sound Connections Innovate programme to pilot creative music projects for young people across England. Includes mentoring and free training!

🗓 Deadline: 21 July 2025

Job opportunity! 📣 Learning, Outreach & Engagement Manager (Harrow-based)
Prospectus is recruiting on behalf of a talent development organisation for a Learning, Outreach & Engagement Manager to oversee their music education and engagement programmes. Find out more www.soundsense.org/jobs-and-car...

Join us online on Wednesday 18 June at 10.30am (UK time) for our ‘Early Years Music'-themed Gathering, hosted by Sound Sense board member Xenia Horne. All welcome - email gathering@soundsense.org for joining details. We look forward to seeing you there! www.soundsense.org/DB/events-2/...

Last chance to for our Spring Membership Offer! Join the UK’s leading network for community musicians and music practitioners - your first three months of membership will cost just £1. After that you will pay £19.25 every three months (equivalent to £77 a year) www.soundsense.org/member-servi...

If you have a resource you'd like to share, or an idea for a story, article or interview for this issue, then please get in touch with our editor, Claire Francis on claire.francis@soundsense.org. You can share your thinking and practice in words, pictures, audio and/or video.

We'd love to share your stories and thoughts, from ways of working and current research and learnings, to the 'big picture' themes and issues that are at the heart of community practice today.

Call out for Sounding Board submissions! 📖

The next issue of our Sounding Board online journal will have the theme of 'Community Music Now', continuing the conversation from our Community Music Now event back in March. What does community music look like to you in 2025?

Our first edition of Sounding Board journal for 2025 is out now!
We have wonderful contributions on the theme 'Not Just Music' from Soundcastle & Spun Glass Theatre, Orchestras Live and Arts Active. Members can read it online here: www.soundsense.org/resources-an...