Everydaymusic UK - Martin Milner

Martin Milner
Composer, community musician and education consultant

Martin Milner has long been an internationalist in outlook, and went off to study History with African and Asian Studies at Sussex University in the 80’s. Since then he has combined music and education, having played guitars, flutes and other interesting instruments in styles as diverse as Egyptian dance, reggae, folk-rock, classical and jazz. He has taught instrumental technique, music theory, workshop practice and improvisation, but is most interested in the personal development of people using music making as a vehicle.

Qualified music teacher (1996) and worked in a big school for two years.
Became Education Director at Manchester’s wonderful live music venue Band on the Wall (1998-2003), where he continued his education by watching amazing bands from all over the world.
He has lectured at LIPA (Community Arts degree course and Performing Arts for Disabled Artists, 2002-04), and run Community Youth Music and education projects from Carlisle to Crewe, Wallasey to West Yorkshire.
He has been a board member for Sound Sense since 2002.
As a freelancer he is a connector, working with several distinct but separate organisations and many other individuals and sharing extensive knowledge of community arts and education networks.
As all of us are multi-skilled and have many personal qualities and resources, he believes in a ‘project not discipline’ approach to work, where objectives are tackled using whatever resources are best suited.
As a musician he is an experienced improvisor in several styles including jazz, also a singer-songwriter, and is equally interested in music technology, audio editing and recording.
He has played alongside much better known musicians such as Gary Crosby (Jazz Jamaica), Will Gaines (Jazz Hoofer), Jerome Stokes, Charlotte Glasson, Beverley Martyn, Yvonne Shelton and more.
He has worked as a composer and musical director for theatre, and produced CDs for several community music projects.
He currently plays guitar with Aidan Jolly and Jilah Bakshayesh, as well as flute and darabuka for Egyptian dancing events.