Profile details

I am the Artistic Director of the Music Workshop Company, we offer a diverse and wide range of musical styles for any age or ability for a programme that is tailored to the client's needs. We offer a range of interactive workshops covering World Music, Jazz, Pop and Classical styles which can be tailored to the needs of the participants led by experienced workshop leaders. We work with schools, hospitals, hospices, young offender institutes, businesses, networking groups, Universities, youth clubs, shops, event organisers and museums - supplying them with musical experiences designed around their requirements.

On Monday 19th May the Music Workshop Company helped Living Streets launch National "Walk to School" Week with Middle Row Primary School in Kensington and Chelsea. We worked with Year 5 students to make instruments out of car parts and then created a piece which was performed at the launch.

I am currently interested in talking to teachers who need to organise interactive events to celebrate Arts week / International week / Cultural week during the summer term - so if you know any teachers who need help, please do ask them to contact us to see how we can help. I'd love to talk to Head Teachers, Music Teachers, International / Arts / Cultural week co-ordinators, School Governors, Members of the PTA - to discuss how we can help them. We can work with schools or community groups to write a proposal for funding - with no obligation - no funding, no project.

We have a large pool of musicians across Britain so can supply workshops at short notice.

We also have a new programme of teacher training - aimed at primary school teachers - both non-music specialists and music specialists. We introduce participants to a range of fun activities that can help music become part of every day school life in an easy way.

The Music Workshop Company are offering a special deal for all holiday clubs based in Hertfordshire. We are offering half day World Music workshops (up to 3 hours) for a special price of £200 instead of the standard £310. Workshops can take place on the client's date of choice and can be working with young people of any age and any ability.

For more information call us on 01438 718 034 or email us on info@music-workshop.co.uk



We also offer a range of business training seminars covering presentation skills, communication skills, team building and creativity - all using music as a starting point. These are tailored to the needs of the client so can work one to one, in small groups, at conferences with hands on experiences or as a key note speech. I am passionate about helping people achieve their potential and find music an excellent tool. I'd love to talk to Event Managers, Conference Co-ordinators, HR departments, Start-ups and Business advisors.

One of clients - Paul Foxley of Wessex Events gave us this testimonial "Maria has done a number of drum work shops for my corporate team building clients at Wessex events and the have always been a huge hit. I have found Maria and her team very friendly professional, talented, enthusiastic and easy to deal with. Each of my groups have all commented on how much they loved the drumming sessions. And have left the day on a high from taking part. The Music Workshop Company is my preferred supplier for these events and I am very happy to recommend her."

We also supply workshops for community events and private parties - recently we provided an African Drumming workshop for a 50th birthday party - a mix of adults and children who learnt some African rhythms and came together in a drumming circle.

All workshops are tailored to the clients needs:
- on the date of your choice
- following the timetable of your choice
- on the theme of your choice
- at the level of your choice
- with the participants of your choice

We design projects specifically for our clients needs, taking into consideration:
- themes
- age of participants
- ability of participants
- number of participants

No prior musical experience is required for any of our workshops!


Other musical interests include my role as Concert Manager of the Manning Camerata, a new professional chamber orchestra. Manning Camerata are the classical group for the 21st century. We create innovative events that are centered on music and invigorate other disciplines. We renew the ethos of the Florentine Camerata as we work with scientists, artists and musicians. We celebrate the diversity of knowledge and opinion which makes contemporary life so inviting yet precipitous. We deliver both content and style. We demand sustainability.

Peter Manning, Artistic Director, is recognised as one of Britain's finest musicians at the leading edge of performance. He is an outstanding soloist, concertmaster, director, teacher and chamber musician. Peter is also Concertmaster of The Royal Opera House and Artistic Director of The Soloists of The Royal Opera House and Musica Vitae, Sweden.

In October the Manning Camerata will perform The Burial at Thebes. For this world premiere tour Peter Manning brings together some of the world's most revered musicians, theatre makers and poets, spanning generations and continents.

For the first time in his illustrious career Seamus Heaney has allowed an operatic approach to one of his works. With Derek Walcott as Director, this is also the first time two Nobel Prize-winning poets have worked together creatively on live music. The Burial at Thebes will be a rare opportunity to see the timeless story of Antigone, interpreted by such eminent artists.

Thirteen musicians from Manning Camerata are joined by an international and multicultural cast of actors and singers from Europe, Africa and the Caribbean to bring Trinidadian composer Dominique Le Gendre's score to life.

The production can be seen at:

Shakespeare's Globe on 11th & 12th October

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on 17th October

Oxford Playhouse on 19th October


I am also Concert Manager for the Eden Sinfonia who have their Queen Elizabeth Hall Debut in November as part of Musical Dialogues - London's first joint celebration of British and Israeli classical music. The orchestra will be conducted by it's Musical Director Daniel Cohen. The Festival is being run by the Jewish Music Institute.

I am also currently a visiting lecturer at the Business School at the University of Hertfordshire.

In my spare time, I regularly attend face to face networking meetings and am an active member of The Lead Generation Club, Harpenden, Creative Herts and my local FSB networking.


View my page on Herts Music Network


Hobbies include:
travelling,
learning,
listening to music - particularly my 78s collection on my wind up gramophone,
watching comedy (live stand up, sit coms and films - my favourite comedians are the Marx Brothers),
visiting the theatre (opera, musicals, comedy, plays, concerts),
cooking, eating and drinking wine