About – Emerging Voices

ABOUT EMERGING VOICES

Music, Inclusion, Empowerment and Potential

WHO WE ARE

Emerging Voices music charity enables adults with lived experience of mental ill health to reach their potential as musicians, in a collaborative and friendly environment.

OUR VISION

Is to promote social inclusion and empower people who experience mental ill health through music

OUR MISSION

Is to provide quality music-making opportunities. Through such musical participation, we will support individuals to improve their general wellbeing and realise their musical aspirations. Whatever your goal is, from joining a choir to recording an album, we can support you through the following ways:

Specialised mentoring and individual tuition with experienced musicians.
Music groups, choirs, workshops and short courses.
Performance opportunities.
Recording opportunities.

MEET THE TEAM

MUSICIANS

Lucy Coleman (Harrogate Wellbeing Choir Conductor)

Lucy Coleman is a classically trained soprano, music graduate (BA Hons) and qualified occupational

therapist (BSc Hons) with an MA in Music Psychology, Education, Performance and Wellbeing from the

University of Sheffield. Over the last 10 years, Lucy worked for Converge at York St John University, where

she managed various projects including music. She has co-authored two academic book chapters on

Converge, published in occupational therapy and community psychology books. She learnt how to conduct

through experienced community musician Chris Bartram who conducts a number of choirs in the York area.

Chris founded Communitas choir at Converge,training Lucy as a co-leader which she did for 4 years. Prior to

working for Converge, she taught singing and violin peripatetically and privately for several years alongside

her performance work, touring with opera companies and as a singer for Music in Hospitals across the UK

and Ireland. Lucy is a founder of Emerging Voices music charity.

Esther Clare (Songwriting Tutor)

Esther Clare is an accomplished musician and has been a professional singer songwriter for 20 years. After working as a television producer, she dusted off her clarinet and followed her dream of playing music, gaining an Advanced Diploma in Popular Music. Since then she has recorded several albums and her songs have been played on BBC introducing. Esther loves co-leading Communitas Choir with Chris Bartram and YSJ music students, and is very proud to be part of such a lively and supportive choir. Esther is the songwriting tutor for Converge and Emerging Voices. She has brought her students’ and her own original songs to Communitas Choir, and produced a series of five Converge Songwriter CDs. Earlier this year, Esther co-wrote a song that the choir recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Esther is glad to be continuing choir online every week during lockdown, as part of Zoomitas. Her dog has even been able to join in!

Aaron Soon (Music Tutor & Events Organizer)

Aaron Soon is a music educator and community musician based in York. He holds an MA in Music Education: Instrumental and Vocal Teaching at the University of York, exploring teaching strategies for andragogy, music performance anxiety, learning difficulties, and mental ill health. Apart from that, he holds a BA (Hons) Music: Education and Community at the York St John University, as well as NQF music diplomas and certificates in piano, vocal, music theory and composition. Aaron has 1-1 and group working experiences in music studios, institutions, and with various local music organizations. He now works in a number of educational settings, in which he supports music learners with varying ages, levels, abilities, and needs. Aaron is also an accredited sound therapy practitioner.

Natalie Walton (Emerging Voices Records Music Producer)

Natalie Walton is a multi-instrumental electronic music producer, mixing and recording engineer. She has graduated with a BA and MA in music production at York St John University. Whilst studying at university she has been involved in many amazing opportunities and projects which has only propelled her passion in music production further and allowed for the creation of Emerging Voices Records. She has created productions with others, had her own radio show at Saints Radio, worked with a local record label, joined the local arts council as a young persons representative as well as writing, recording and producing her own experimental ambient album. Natalie is also passionate about the therapeutic nature of music with music production and its modern technologies allowing anyone to express themselves and how important that is, which she incorporates this with her music production courses that she teaches through Converge.

Laura Jones (Administrator)

Laura Jones has worked as a freelance musician in the York area since 2004. She tutors privately and in schools, and accompanies for various choirs – including Sounds Fun and Haxby Singers – and events, from church services to accredited music exams to pupils’ concerts… and everything in between! Laura’s playing career has taken her to venues such as Castle Howard and Betty’s Tea Rooms and on a national theatre tour with the James Chadwick Swing Sextet, while her Dickens-themed CD with piano duo Two for Tea has sold internationally. She has worked for Music in Hospitals and Silver Song Box, providing music sessions for those with dementia and mental ill-health. Having formerly been a trustee for Emerging Voices, she has now taken on an administrative position, previous admin roles including work for Song Box and University of York Music Press. She has a doctorate in musicology from York University and has taught on the undergraduate programme and for the WEA.

TRUSTEES

Simon Thomson (Chair)

Simon is an educationalist and doctor with broad experience as a charitable trustee. He is interested in how music can be used to promote inclusivity and has previously acted as a trustee for the Tewit Youth Band as well as several other charities. As a clinician he led research, chaired training committees and authored a textbook but he has now left the medical world and is exploring alternative vocations.

Simon Taylor

Simon has a background in preventative wellbeing and coaching, as well as programme and project management. Simon also has experience as a department head and has worked for several charities previously. He has a particular interest in how we can promote positive mental health and wellbeing in workplaces and the community. Simon is also a keen musician, having played guitar and drums for many years, and over the years has enjoyed attending open mic nights and being a member of several bands.

John Ashton

John is now retired after working for 40 years in the field of social work and mental health with children and families. Music has always been an important part of John’s life whether that be singing in choirs, going to gigs or even trying to learn to play the guitar! He has seen the many benefits of people coming together to make music and is committed to providing as many opportunities as possible to people of all backgrounds. John firmly believes that participating in music can support our mental health and wellbeing and sees Emerging Voices as having a lot to offer to the people of York and surrounding areas.

Jack McNeill

Jack McNeill is a composer, educator, researcher and DJ based in York. At the heart of much of his work lies community and collaborative music-making, and he is particularly interested in the inclusive and equitable potential of music technology to foster musical creativity for all. He has worked extensively with inclusive music-making charity Orchestras for All over the last ten years wearing a variety of hats, including as a musical tutor, composer, and Artistic Programme Manager. He has released work, performed and had work commissioned across the UK and Europe, held DJ and radio residencies in London and York, and delivered community music workshops in the UK and Berlin. Since finishing his PhD in composition in 2021, he has turned his passion for inclusive music-making into an area that he engages with both in his research and his practice. Throughout his professional experience in this work, he has seen first-hand the potential that group music-making has on impacting peoples’ lives!

Chloe Fletcher

Chloe Fletcher lives in York and works for ASDA as a Finance Director. She has a keen interest in wellbeing and promoting positive mental health and is heavily involved in this in her role at ASDA. Chloe has a passion for music and enjoys singing in choirs and playing her clarinet. She has experienced the positive benefits coming together in a group to make music can bring and is excited to work with Emerging Voices.