Meet the MfBB Team!

Rachael Claridge - Administration Assistant

I am proud to say that I have been working for Music for Bedford Borough in the office since 2011. I love what we do and strongly agree with our ethos ‘Every child should have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and sing’. I am a great believer that good communication and structure are key to an organisation, to enable it to provide a great service to its customers and for me those customers are you.

Diane Love - Primary School Link Teacher

I qualified as a secondary school music teacher in 1984 and have worked in an advisory capacity for schools for the past 10 years. I have held posts as head of music for schools in Aylesbury, Essex and Bedfordshire and since joining the team part-time at Music for Bedford Borough I have worked alongside our primary school music teachers to develop CPD and training opportunities. I play piano, sing, a bit of violin, guitar, drum kit, ukulele and any other instruments I can get my hands on. I firmly believe that having music in your life and being involved in making music keeps you happy, helps you make friends and learn to work as a team. I don’t believe that anyone ‘can’t’ be involved in Music, you just have to give it a go and not worry about wrong notes!

Here are the OperaBabes singing One Fine Day (Un Bel Di From Madame Butterfly).

Karen is the singer on the right hand side.

Karen England - Singing Coordinator

Hi! I’m Karen and I am the Singing Coordinator for Music for Bedford Borough.

I started singing at the age of 4, joined the National Youth Choir of Great Britain and then did a Music Degree at Leeds University before completing a Post Graduate opera course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. I started my career working at the Royal Opera House and performed as an International opera soloist until I signed a record deal with Sony Records. In an exciting career twist I spent the next 15 years performing as one half of the OperaBabes, working with some of the world’s leading orchestras and becoming the first classical act to perform at the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas! Whilst I still perform regularly, I have been working with Music for Bedford Borough for 6 years now, and use my wealth of musical experience to guide and nurture young talent and believe passionately in the importance of singing and music for all children.

Martin Ward - Instrumental Music Teacher

When I'm not teaching I work as a composer and arranger. I am a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and have an Master of Music in Experimental Music from Brunel University. I have composed scores for the Royal Opera, Royal Ballet and English National Ballet among many others. I have also written music for The Wind in the Willows, a production that began at the Royal Opera House and then transferred to the West End in 2013. I won an Olivier Award for the music I wrote for Pinocchio, which was broadcast on BBC4 in 2006. In 2015, I won the Flourish Opera Award.

I am committed to giving all children access to a fun, practical and creative musical education, introducing them to the skills, friendships, confidence and sense of achievement that come with playing music.

Jessica Bullen - Instrumental Music Teacher

I am a Jazz saxophonist, composer and educator currently living in London and studying a Master's Degree at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Prior to this, I achieved a First-Class Honours Degree from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where I had the opportunity to study with some of the UK's leading jazz musicians. This included ECM recording artist Iain Ballamy, Geoff Simkins, Huw Warren, James Maddren and Alex Merritt. This tutoring helped shape my musical vocabulary and allowed me to perform with my own group at a variety of prestigious music events across the UK and Europe including; the London Jazz Festival, Cork Jazz Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival and Langau Jazz Nights Festival in Switzerland. My work for Music for Bedford Borough has continued alongside my performance schedule for the past 5 years. During this time, I have managing Wider Opportunities projects, led ensembles at Saturday Music Centre and helped organise continuation schemes and develop pedagogy. Currently I am delivering a programme by Open Orchestras which addresses the lack of ensemble musical provision in SEND schools by providing an exceptional framework of accessible orchestral provision.

Link to videos: https://www.jessicabullen.com/music-videos

Amy Gamlen - Instrumental Music Teacher

Hello! I didn't start playing the saxophone until I was 14 but now I have been playing and teaching music for over 20 years! I graduated from The Royal Academy of Music’s prestigious jazz program with a first class honours degree and have a PGCE from The University of Nottingham.

As well as teaching, I have had a career as a jazz saxophonist, playing in venues and festivals in London, Paris (where I used to live) and internationally. I've released several albums to critical acclaim and my music has been broadcast on jazz radio programs far and wide. I have been recognised as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music for contributions to the field.

I joined the team a Music for Bedford Borough a couple of years ago and love it! It's a great team to work with and I so enjoy teaching and sharing music with all the fantastic primary schools in the area!

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