News & Stories for Musicians

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Vlure: A Genre Busting, International Tour de Force

Scottish five-piece Vlure are forging a reputation across Europe for their intense and emotional live performances. Here, they speak about crafting their cathartic, genre-defying sound.

Published: 19 January 2024

A marching military band on parade in full uniform.

No Such Thing as a Typical Background: A Look into the Career of Musicians in the Armed Forces

The British Armed Forces represent one of the largest employers of UK musicians. Three experienced military band members share their advice on this rewarding but often-overlooked career path.

Published: 08 January 2024

Steve Pearce smiling holding up a red bass guitar.

It’s About Playing For the Song: A Look Into the Career of Session Bassist Steve Pearce

Find out how bassist, studio musician and MU member Steve Pearce balances his love of session recording with gigging, and why he continues to sustain a highly successful career, which already spans four decades.

Published: 05 January 2024

Learning to Negotiate as a Matter of Give and Take

For most freelance musicians, negotiating doesn’t come naturally. But with gig fees, contracts and more to consider, knowing how to do so is crucial to your success within the music industry.

Published: 22 December 2023

Aerial view of a diverse crowd of people against a white background, connected by lines, representing connection and networking concepts.

You Don’t Need to Navigate Your Career Alone: A Report on the Wales and South West England Members' Day and AGM

MU Regional Officer Ruth Ballantyne reflects on the first ever Wales and South West England Members' Day and AGM, looking back at the highlights, exploring both regional and national success, and how we can implement member feedback and ideas moving into 2024.

Published: 13 December 2023

Fair Play on Tour 2023: Celebrating a Decade of the MU Fair Play Venue Scheme

Natalie Witts-Kilshaw, MU Live, Theatre and Music Writers Official, reflects on this year’s series of live themed events, which collectively marked a decade of the Fair Play Venue scheme. Find out what our members and fellow musicians were discussing on each leg of the tour.

Published: 13 December 2023

A group of diverse people of differing ages surrounding a piano singing while two play. Representing community music groups.

Elizabeth J. Birch: Inclusive Music Making For a Fuller Landscape of the Human Experience

MU member and winner of this year’s Youth Music's Inspirational Music Leader award, Elizabeth J. Birch shares how the community music space saw her potential, and how she integrates inclusivity into her work.

Published: 24 November 2023

Multicoloured ropes connected to one another in a circle, representing diverse collaboration.

Disability History Month: Exploring the AutismAble and Future Collaborations Project

In this blog Andrew Forster discusses the Future Collaborations Project, an accessible music outreach program for people aged 14-25, promoting neurodivergent and neurotypical collaborations within the music industry. We also hear from one of the project’s participants and a Learning Mentor.

Published: 20 November 2023

Close up of curled music sheet with notes.

How to Conjure an Estimate: Jill Streater on the Who, What and Why of Being a Music Copyist

In this blog, MU Music Writers' Section Committee member Jill Streater demystifies the world of the Music Copyist and explains exactly how she breaks down estimates for her work.

Published: 20 November 2023

Close up of two pairs of hands, sat opposite each other, holding cups of coffee on table.

Music Chaplaincy: Getting Support for Musicians Through a Faith Organisation

MU member Heather Simmons is a Methodist Church Musician’s Chaplain, providing support for all musicians, across all faiths or none. Here she shares her knowledge of how musicians in need could get support from a Music Chaplain.

Published: 07 November 2023

Black and white silhouette of singer under a spotlight with both arms raised and a microphone in one hand.

The Legacy of Black British Music and Harmonious Activism: From Windrush to Grime

October is Black History Month and the MU has partnered with Scottish charity Intercultural Youth Scotland to bring you this guest blog from one of its members Ash Harper, which explores the relationship between Black British Music and activism.

Published: 20 October 2023

White hand fan on yellow background, top view, concept of hot flush and the menopause.

Helping Others to Help Ourselves: The MU Celebrates World Menopause Day 2023

To mark World Menopause Day on Wednesday 18 October, Angela Gascoine, PA to the MU’s Assistant General Secretaries, shares her blog on the role of Menopause Champions at the Union, as well as a list of resources for other organisations and individuals.

Published: 17 October 2023

Light shines through the glass ceiling dome, with lines that spiral out in a hub like fashion

Why I Became an MU Education Rep

Find out more about the history of the MU Education Reps, and the essential part they’ve been playing since the role was created in 2013. In this feature MU Education Section Committee member Maxim Rowlands talks us through the story as it aligns with his own personal journey.

Published: 10 October 2023

The panel left to right Rose Delcour-Min, Alex Niven, DJ Paulette and Paul Smith.

Breaking the Class Ceiling: Panel Highlights From Generator Live Conference 2023

The MU’s panel at this year’s Generator Live Conference discussed the challenges and barriers faced by working class musicians, and explored how we can ensure that those from different socio-economic backgrounds can access a career in the music industry.

Published: 06 October 2023

Victoria Jaquiss looks into camera, she has bright pink hair and pale blue lipstick, a steel pan drum is in the background

Art for Art’s Sake, Music For All: An Educator’s Journey

MU/National Education Union (NEU) member Victoria Jaquiss shares how her belief in music education and the art form of teaching led to her joining the MU’s Education Section Committee, and writing a motion calling for music and the arts to be given their rightful place in the school curriculum.

Published: 02 October 2023

Clarinet with close up of detached reed mouthpiece.

Embouchure Exhibition: Celebrating the Story of One Dentist and His Pioneering Work With Wind and Brass Players

A new London exhibition shows how the dedication and passion of dentist Maurice Porter helped generations of brass and woodwind players perfect and resolve problems with their embouchure.

Published: 02 October 2023

What Does The WGA Strike and Deal Reached Mean for Musicians?

MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl on what the new Writers’ Guild of America agreement delivers for writers in the States, and what precedent this agreement might set for terms offered by big streaming companies, including in relation to the threat of AI developments.

Published: 29 September 2023

Close up two hands connecting jigsaw pieces. Teamwork concept.

Member’s Voice: Why I Became an MU Education Rep

Verity Quarmby reflects on how a spark for union involvement led to becoming an MU Education Rep and how she’s making a difference in her workplace.

Published: 12 September 2023

From Classical to Contemporary Pop: How One Music Education Innovator Has Helped Shape Vocational Qualifications

Norton York started a summer school for pop musicians with the help of a grant from the MU in 1988. Thirty five years on, his exam board, RSL Awards, is a major player in the music education marketplace.

Published: 08 September 2023

Empty stage with instruments set up and stage lights, cast in blue light and smoke.

MU Fair Play Scheme: What We’ve Achieved So Far and What’s Next

Kelly Wood, MU National Organiser for Live, Theatre and Music Writers explains what the Fair Play scheme is, why it’s important, and how we’re continuing to help to educate artists, grassroots venues and promoters in what represents a mutually fair deal.

Published: 31 August 2023

Secondary school children sat around tables in a classroom, sharing an electronic keyboard having a music lesson.

The MU and NEU: A Shared Belief in Every Child’s Right To Music

MU National Organiser for Education Chris Walters discusses the vital importance of all children being able to access music and arts education in an article for NEU’s Educate magazine.

Published: 30 August 2023

A wall of multi coloured vintage boom box devices

The Enduring Power of Hip-Hop, 50 Years On

On the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the MU assesses how the genre has grown from the margins to the mainstream, empowering communities and highlighting social injustice, poverty and racism.

Published: 17 August 2023

Sarah Tomlinson: “I Wish I’d Used the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme Years Ago”

MU Education Rep Sarah Tomlinson tells us why she decided to use the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme and why hearing health is important for everyone.

Published: 14 August 2023

Four wooden cubes with head symbols and a hand that is flipping one to reveal a lightbulb representing an idea.

Member’s Voice: Alice Angliss on Why She Attends MU Regional Committee Meetings

Musician and MU London member Alice Angliss shares her first-hand experience of what Regional Committee meetings are, how they work and why they’re vital in giving support to members and the industry.

Published: 10 August 2023

“The MU Couldn’t Function Without You” - Chair of the Executive Committee Alex Gascoine Addresses MU Delegate Conference

Chair of the Executive Committee Alex Gascoine opened MU Delegate Conference with a look at how work has changed in the last two years, and how the union is tackling the big challenges facing musicians.

Published: 02 August 2023

Mike Nottage stands behind a table set up for PAT testing with a medium sized amp on display

Testing Times: Ensuring Your Equipment is Safe and You Are Protected

MU Member and PAT tester Mike Nottage writes up his answers to your most frequently asked PAT testing questions, and some thoughts from the PAT testing events he’s run in the past for MU members.

Published: 03 July 2023

Black background with golden glitter and confetti to represent a celebration.

The MU’s 130th Anniversary

We look back on the Union’s rich history and the battles won and lost over the decades.

Published: 20 June 2023

Music stand holding open music books with chairs and an acoustic guitar in the background.

Arts Council England Confirms New Music Hub Geographies

Arts Council England (ACE) has confirmed that from September 2024 there will be 43 Music Hubs in England, down from the current 116. Here MU National Organiser for Education and Health & Wellbeing Chris Walters looks at the implications for members.

Published: 13 June 2023

Howard Rogerson dressed in a white suit as conductor, on stage with the orchestra facing a seated audience.

Howard Rogerson: The Importance of Access to Free and Meaningful Music Education

In this insightful blog, long standing MU member Howard Rogerson reflects on how free access to quality music education was crucial for his lifelong career in music.

Published: 01 June 2023

Kelly Wood, Paul Smith, Annabella Coldrick and Jeremy Pritchard post panel at Liverpool Sound City 2023.

Touring in the EU Post Brexit: Panel Highlights from the MU at Liverpool Sound City 2023

The MU led an insightful panel discussion at this year’s event on the UK live sector’s new relationship with Europe.

Published: 04 May 2023

Busker Charlotte Campbell, a white woman with long blonde hair sings in an outdoor location, smiling into the microphone and strumming an acoustic guitar.

Singer-Songwriter Charlotte Campbell on Making Connections Through Busking

For Charlotte Campbell, busking is so much more than a career stepping stone. It’s a medium that offers immediacy and a powerful way to connect with her audience. We follow her career from the BRIT School to the Southbank.

Published: 03 May 2023

Impact of Arts Council England Cuts on Young Workers Raised at TUC Young Workers’ Conference

MU delegate Tom Plater explores the impact of Government arts funding cuts on young people in this speech to TUC Young Workers’ Conference 2023.

Published: 18 April 2023

MU Head of International Dave Webster speaks on stage at a networking event that's part of SXSW

The MU at SXSW 2023: Supporting Members and Making the Case for Fair Visa Fees

MU Head of International Dave Webster joined close to 160 UK bands attending this years’ South by South West (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, supporting and advocating for musicians.

Published: 17 April 2023

Kelli-Leigh sits on stage at the MU Members' Conference, a blue background behind her. She has one hand raised in the air as she speaks into a microphone.

Speaking up and Standing Together to Change the Industry

In Kelli-Leigh’s resonant keynote speech at the MU Members’ Conference, she discussed her journey to standing up for what she believes in, and discovering others going through the same.

Published: 17 April 2023

A Feldenkrais demonstration taking place, where the arm of a model skeleton is held up in the same pose as the arm of a demonstrating participant

Michelle Saacks: Why I go the MU’s free Feldenkrais sessions

The MU have been running Feldenkrais sessions for members over Zoom for a few years now, and in this article MU Member Michelle Saacks talks about her own Feldenkrais journey – from finding herself in a more functioning body, to the impact it’s had on her teaching.

Published: 14 April 2023

Why I Joined The MU: Holly Carter

Pedal Steel Guitarist Holly Carter discusses the feeling of community she gets from being a member of the Musicians’ Union, the sense of coming together and supporting each other.

Published: 13 April 2023

A photo of Clive Deamer playing on a Gretsch drum kit in front of purple and blue stage lighting.

Instinctive Innovator: A Session Musician’s Career Story

Clive Deamer always knew he was going to be a drummer, and his skills as a spectacular polyrhythmist able to blend traditional skill with contemporary style have seen him work with acts from Radiohead to Tom Jones. This profile explores his story.

Published: 13 April 2023

Member only Read more about Instinctive Innovator: A Session Musician’s Career Story

Silhouette of man sitting at sunset representing mindfulness.

Ben Haines: How Skills From The MU’s Meditation Sessions Transformed My Playing

Ben Haines is a regular at the MU’s free weekly Meditation sessions, which originally started during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic due to the enormous impact it had on the mental health of our members. Here he shares why he’s been going ever since.

Published: 11 April 2023

Linton Stephens talking into a microphone on a stand in front of a background of Musicians' Union banners.

An Inclusive Workplace is Characterised by Affirmative Action

Chair of the MU Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee Linton Stephens discusses what we can do to make our industry more inclusive through recognising art as an ever-changing response to the world around us.

Published: 05 April 2023

The Brodsky Quartet stood on stage in a line, holding their instruments.

Four The Love Of Music: The Brodsky Quartet

Journalist Ariane Todes celebrates the The Brodsky Quartet - beloved of the classical, pop and artistic world alike - which is celebrating its 50th year with a set of brave new projects.

Published: 31 March 2023

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Vlure: A Genre Busting, International Tour de Force

No Such Thing as a Typical Background: A Look into the Career of Musicians in the Armed Forces

It’s About Playing For the Song: A Look Into the Career of Session Bassist Steve Pearce

Learning to Negotiate as a Matter of Give and Take

You Don’t Need to Navigate Your Career Alone: A Report on the Wales and South West England Members' Day and AGM

Fair Play on Tour 2023: Celebrating a Decade of the MU Fair Play Venue Scheme

Elizabeth J. Birch: Inclusive Music Making For a Fuller Landscape of the Human Experience

Disability History Month: Exploring the AutismAble and Future Collaborations Project

How to Conjure an Estimate: Jill Streater on the Who, What and Why of Being a Music Copyist

Music Chaplaincy: Getting Support for Musicians Through a Faith Organisation

The Legacy of Black British Music and Harmonious Activism: From Windrush to Grime

Helping Others to Help Ourselves: The MU Celebrates World Menopause Day 2023

Why I Became an MU Education Rep

Breaking the Class Ceiling: Panel Highlights From Generator Live Conference 2023

Art for Art’s Sake, Music For All: An Educator’s Journey

Embouchure Exhibition: Celebrating the Story of One Dentist and His Pioneering Work With Wind and Brass Players

What Does The WGA Strike and Deal Reached Mean for Musicians?

Member’s Voice: Why I Became an MU Education Rep

From Classical to Contemporary Pop: How One Music Education Innovator Has Helped Shape Vocational Qualifications

MU Fair Play Scheme: What We’ve Achieved So Far and What’s Next

The MU and NEU: A Shared Belief in Every Child’s Right To Music

The Enduring Power of Hip-Hop, 50 Years On

Sarah Tomlinson: “I Wish I’d Used the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme Years Ago”

Member’s Voice: Alice Angliss on Why She Attends MU Regional Committee Meetings

“The MU Couldn’t Function Without You” - Chair of the Executive Committee Alex Gascoine Addresses MU Delegate Conference

Testing Times: Ensuring Your Equipment is Safe and You Are Protected

The MU’s 130th Anniversary

Arts Council England Confirms New Music Hub Geographies

Howard Rogerson: The Importance of Access to Free and Meaningful Music Education

Touring in the EU Post Brexit: Panel Highlights from the MU at Liverpool Sound City 2023

Singer-Songwriter Charlotte Campbell on Making Connections Through Busking

Impact of Arts Council England Cuts on Young Workers Raised at TUC Young Workers’ Conference

The MU at SXSW 2023: Supporting Members and Making the Case for Fair Visa Fees

Speaking up and Standing Together to Change the Industry

Michelle Saacks: Why I go the MU’s free Feldenkrais sessions

Why I Joined The MU: Holly Carter

Instinctive Innovator: A Session Musician’s Career Story

Ben Haines: How Skills From The MU’s Meditation Sessions Transformed My Playing

An Inclusive Workplace is Characterised by Affirmative Action

Four The Love Of Music: The Brodsky Quartet