Phil Castang MBE

Music for Youth Proms sound check always brilliant fun for a former sound engineer like me! Such a great sounding hall. Excitement at maximum. #MFYProms25 #music #MusicEduction #MusicforYouth

Kate Bush released 'The Red Shoes' 32 years ago on this day, November 2, 1993.

A concert took place every 137 seconds across the UK in 2024, as live music spend in the market jumped 9.5% to $7.2bn, according to new report - Music Business Worldwide Music fans shifted some spending from festivals to one-off concerts, industry group LIVE noted.

Music for Youth staged concerts with over 1100 groups in 2024.

www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/a-concert-to...

From pop producer to activist: Robin Millar on the barriers disabled people still face He made his name with chart-topping hits – now the Scope chair wants to change how society sees disability

This is a must read. 👇
A powerful story reinforcing the importance of equity of opportunity in the music industry.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

“The piano just started speaking to me”: How Kate Bush stunned David Gilmour with a masterpiece of songwriting she made at just 13 years old The early song was unmistakable evidence of Bush’s boundless talents

www.musicradar.com/artists/the-...

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues – first trailer released The highly anticipated sequel to 1984’s seminal comedy sees the band reunite for a farewell show with appearances from Elton John, Questlove and Paul McCartney

The End Continues #spinaltap looks hilarious
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ju...

Great to be at the #MUConference
Observing all the workings of the @wearethemu.bsky.social in action.

This 👇
#theartsandmindscampaign
Every child should have the right to study and enjoy the arts.

#ArtsAndMinds #TheArtsAndMindsCampaign

Welsh folk music could die within a generation, report warns Dafydd Iwan, one of Wales' best known folk singers, says the situation is "very worrying".

Protect Welsh music.
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Debbonaire: ‘UK risks losing global reputation for arts excellence’ - Arts Professional The UK’s culture sector is under threat, and the country is at risk of losing its global reputation for excellence, former Shadow Culture Secretary Thangam Debbonaire has told parliament. Addressing t...

Debbonaire: ‘UK risks losing global reputation for arts excellence’ www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/debbona...

Sting at Cardiff Castle what a brilliant gig.

Five Years of Musicians of Change (PGCEi) - Impact Report - Music Masters What we've learned from working closely with music educators for the past five years and how together we might empower socially minded musicians with advanced training.

Amazing impact report from @ukmusicmasters.bsky.social

musicmasters.org.uk/impact_and_r...

Nigerian Govt asked to bring music education back to schools The Nigerian Government has been urged to bring music education back to schools to encourage the discovery of young and raw talents. The call was made by

Sounds familiar.
dailypost.ng/2025/06/03/n...

Spending Review: Major cultural organisations told to ‘review pay and cut workforce’ - Arts Professional Efforts to cut DCMS spending by £52m will see the government department and all the public bodies it sponsors compelled to adopt efficiency measures including reviewing pay and reducing staff numbers,...

That’s a lot of restructuring and efficiency measures.
www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/spendin...

Watch Saoirse Ronan in Talking Heads video for 'Psycho Killer Talking Heads have unveiled a new video for their classic track 'Psycho Killer' which stars Irish actor Saoirse Ronan to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

This is brilliant. Talking Heads share a new video for Psycho Killer.
faroutmagazine.co.uk/talking-head...

I just heard an American tourist say “You have to remember, their salads are not like our salads”. And there you have it. This simple sentence sums up the difference between Americans and the rest of the world. 🌎 Our salads are indeed very different.

Only UK degree course in stringed instrument-making to close Campaigners say knowledge taught at Newark School of Musical Instrument Crafts vital to preserve traditional skills, especially luthiery

This would be a disaster.
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/m...

From seeing the Pixies yesterday in Brixton to The Great Day (community) Choir today. It’s all good. #bathmusicfest

Pixies @o2academybrix were surf guitar amazing last night.

Sir Lenny Henry calls on ‘allies’ to help tackle racial inequality as he declares diversity ‘under real threat’ — The Independent Comedian stated that ‘woke’ is being ‘weaponised to denigrate anything hated by the right’

Absolutely correct 👇

apple.news/AV0OaiNMmQ4e...

Arts Council England chair says sector at ‘tipping point’ amid funding fears Sir Nicholas Serota says continued public investment is vital to draw in private funding to maintain cultural centres

This 👇
www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...

Goodbye DCMS? Government ‘considering abolition’ of department - Arts Professional The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) could be “abolished” with its responsibilities split between three other government departments, it has been claimed. An article published by the Sun...

An absolutely terrible idea. Total Philistinism.
www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/goodbye...

Vacancies | Music for Youth

Become Music for Youth’s new chair of trustees 👇

www.mfy.org.uk/about/vacanc...

The trickle down effect of haute couture is a great example of why we need boundary stretching art. The The Devil Wears Prada. What an amazing show. Hats of the the fabulous cast. A massive shout out the the incredible house band, down in the pit but loud and proud. Vanessa Williams = legend

'The space is like an instrument': How Notre-Dame found its voice after fire muffled it Performers and visitors to the famous gothic cathedral in the midst of the River Seine may find some subtle differences to the way sound bounces around its walls.

www.bbc.com/future/artic...

‘Finally we are being seen as contenders’: delight in India as demand for south Asian art booms As wealth in India has grown, so has the number of arts patrons championing both India’s 20th century modern masters and the next generation

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Avinash Chandra was the pioneer and now his daughter Alita Chandra continues. A shame not to see them mentioned in the article.

RIP Clem Burke. One of the greatest.

What a joy to spend the afternoon at the BBC with Sir Lenny Henry and Richard Curtis (Four Weddings, Black adder, Love Actually etc…. ). Nothing exemplifies the value of the BBC better than the collective impact of the BBC/Big Red Nose Day partnership.

I’ve just been on LBC to talk about the Ed Sheeran Foundations letter calling on the government for £250M of funding and 5-key points. Essentially, I said the letter presents a very good outline of what is needed by the music education sector. See below.
edsheeranfoundation.com/assets/esf_l...

#31GreatWomenMusicians
(catching up)

18. Cinder Well.

US folk singer Amelia Baker (now relocated to Ireland) has a heck of a voice - Fallen first caught the attention, and her Cadence lp was my album of the year 2023.

youtu.be/XBlIg6u9G8g?...

youtu.be/LEaTYlNHQzM?...