Diane Rivaud
Diane studied Performance (Violin) at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She also has a LTCL on Piano , a PGCE and QTS. Her first teaching post was at Queens College, Taunton.
Diane has been a leader in music education for more than 25 years, in roles including Head of Leicester-Shire Schools Music Service and Hub, board member for Music Mark, and Deputy/Interim Director at Somerset Music Service. She was also Musical Futures Regional Coordinator for the South West. Prior to this, she was Head of Music and Instrumental Tutor in schools.
During her time at Somerset, the Music Service was judged as ‘outstanding’ in a DfE-supported peer evaluation programme, and she developed expertise in staff development and training work – an INSET programme for the service received high praise from Ofsted.
At LeicesterShire Schools Music Service, within three months of taking up post, she submitted a successful bid to Arts Council England. She secured 50 local and national partnerships that reflected the cultural and diverse landscape of the city and county, and partnership working became an area of specialism. She also responded to local authority demands by restructuring the Music Service while protecting services to schools. She also set up an independent Charity ‘Leicestershire Music and Cultural Trust’.
Diane has a Masters in Education with a higher distinction and a special award from Plymouth University for ‘Impact on Performance’. She is a qualified and experienced Suzuki violin teacher (she actually had a masterclass with the great man himself!). She was also a FMS Music Service Self Evaluation Partner.
Graham Bland
Graham has 24 years’ experience as a head of music service, leading music services/hubs in Barking & Dagenham, Luton and Somerset, and 40 years’ experience of public and private sector music education. He began his career in schools, as a tutor and Head of Music.
As Director of Somerset Music, he transformed the service which had an inherited debt of £600k, achieving zero liability in three years. I established the first Music Service Music Technology peripatetic teaching initiative in the country, which also delivered highly regarded provision into 90% of the special schools in the county. As a result children and young people with profound and multiple learning difficulties were able to participate as performers at the Somerset County Council Christmas Celebration Concert in Wells Cathedral. Towards the end of his tenure, working with Diane, he led on a significant restructure and reduction of staff. Through careful negotiation they made it possible for tutors who were made redundant to continue their work in schools and independently as freelancers through tailored support. As a result we maintained the provision of high quality music services to all schools and pupils.
He then led Luton Music Service, which experienced the third biggest cut in Arts Council funding in the three years from 2012, and left it in profit three years later. The change process involved a new income generation model, and restructuring for sustainability. A similar model to the one developed in Somerset created a category of Hub Associate Tutors which provided additional support to tutors and their pupils. This HAT scheme is still functioning today. This scheme successfully retained the loyalty of tutors as they transferred from PAYE to freelance contracts.
Most recently, he led Barking and Dagenham Community Music Service, where he developed a wide range of partnerships, created an effective governance structure and recruited a valuable and effective board, finally appointing an independent chair. He extended the range and reach of the service, initiated Early Year developments, Youth Voice and ED&I strategies and plans, and ensured financial stability despite a turbulent funding climate and a global pandemic. Despite these pressures the Music Education Hub maintained its minor risk rating with Arts Council England throughout his tenure As a result, on his retirement in September 2023 he left the service in a very healthy position strategically, operationally and financially. .
As well as financial management experience, he has specialist expertise in quality assurance systems, training course design, and the implementation and successful use of organisational frameworks and strategies.
Graham has a BA (Hons), a Professional Development Diploma in Management Studies and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education. He was a Music Service Evaluation Partner and a Mentor on the Arts Council England’s mentoring scheme for Music Education Hub Leaders.
