Meet the team

Lisa leads Hertfordshire Music Service, overseeing the strategic direction and vision of the service while championing accessible, high-quality music education for children and young people across Hertfordshire. 

What Lisa says about Hertfordshire Music Service
“Hertfordshire Music Service is a force for good in our communities and is also nationally significant – influencing the evolution of music education through partnership and policy work. We improve lives and life chances using the power of music and help young people develop their potential – whatever that looks like of them. Musical learning helps develop a range of transferable skills and cultural capital that gives our students a head start. I’m incredibly proud of the inclusive and accessible work we do and grateful to our brilliant team for their passion and expertise” 

Outside of work you might find me; at a football stadium, in a theatre or concert venue or behind the wheel of my car getting my children to their various pursuits! 

The last book I read / I am currently reading; ‘Kids Wait til you hear this!’ the autobiography of Liza Minnelli. I was a musical theatre kid growing up and this book is dripping with star dust, backstage gossip and name dropping. A great read! 

Something you probably didn’t know about me is; I used to host Karaoke sessions for a living! 

A song / piece of music you’ll find on my playlist right now is; I Just Might by Bruno Mars – perfect for a drive in the sunshine. 

Ben oversees the musical direction and quality of music education experiences across Hertfordshire, facilitating teachers, schools, and leaders in HMS to deliver engaging and inclusive musical experiences that improve lives. 

What Ben says about Hertfordshire Music Service
“Making music, teaching, and performing music always has been – and always will be – my happy place. I believe that shared cultural experiences through music creates stronger human connections and improves lives. Hertfordshire Music Service is an organisation full of passionate musicians and educators seeking to deliver this for families across the county – so it’s a joyful, sometimes challenging, but always uplifting organisation to be a part of.”  

Outside of work you might find me; walking in the countryside, trying to keep up with my two teenage boys on a bike ride, following the Boston Red Sox baseball team, or at performances with my family. 

The last book I read / I am currently reading; Out of Our Minds by Ken Robinson. It’s a book all about unlocking creativity and how organisations and policy can support people to realise their potential. It’s full of great quotes too – “Creativity involves putting your imagination to work. In a sense, creativity is applied imagination.” I see this linking to our own work – encouraging pupils to imagine a sound, melody or feeling and then applying technical and musical skills to bring it to life for others to hear. 

Something you probably didn’t know about me is; one of my first jobs as a music student at the Royal College of Music was working at Heath Barn for the Dacorum Music School on a Saturday morning with Wallace Ruby. Although I’ve taught in lots of places and performed cello with orchestras and shows all over the world, my experience at DMS laid the foundation for my work in music education and ultimately my return ‘back home’ to Hertfordshire. 

A song / piece of music you’ll find on my playlist right now is; either an epic symphony like Mahler 2, or a power ballad from someone like Whitney Houston or Celine Dion… just listen out for that power snare! 

I joined Hertfordshire Music Service in 2019, and lead on people, culture, and business development. Educated in Hertfordshire from primary to post-graduate level, I am a proud Hertfordshire resident and am passionate about the opportunities education and skills can provide to our young residents, regardless of their background or circumstances. 

What Michael says about Hertfordshire Music Service 
Thanks to the hard work of those in the HR & Business Development team and the joint efforts of everyone at Hertfordshire Music Service,  I can see that we positively are shaping our Hertfordshire Music Service culture, grounded in our values and guided by our collective purpose; improving lives by creating musical learning opportunities of all kinds, nurturing and growing happiness and confidence. 

Outside of work you might find me; Spending quality time with my two children, playing football, or pool, or darts – I love most sports, out on a walk listening to a podcast, or nestled down somewhere comfy with a coffee and a good book. 

The last book I read / I am currently reading;  Neurotribes by Steve Silberman. A fascinating chronology of how the understanding of Autism and the attitudes towards Autistic people have developed over the past century. 

Something you probably didn’t know about me is; I was a London 2012 Gamesmaker. I was a player dressing room attendant at Wembley stadium and still have a copy of the Brazilian team tactics from the gold medal match (evidently, they didn’t work though, as they lost the match 2-1 to Mexico – sorry Brazil fans!). Volunteering was an incredible experience; it gave me some great new skills and I encourage people to volunteer and support causes and events they are passionate about (big or small) in any way they can. 

A song / piece of music you’ll find on my playlist right now is; Perfectly Imperfect by MOD SUN. It’s a few years old now, but the lyrics are great and the pop-punk vibe appeals to me as someone who grew up musically in c.2000. 

Jeff oversees operations and finance at Hertfordshire Music Service, ensuring the service runs effectively and sustainably while supporting schools, families, and staff across Hertfordshire. 

What Jeff says about Hertfordshire Music Service 

Up until now I have spent my working life working for commercial organisations whose only real motive was maximising profit for shareholders, so I have found it totally refreshing to work for an organisation where the focus is on helping young people to develop and thrive through musical experiences. I know we have gone through significant change over the past years, but it was important for us to become financially sustainable. We are now in a great position to continue to offer opportunities to young people going forward. I really enjoy being part of the Music Service and working with such a committed and talented group of people. 

Outside of work you might find me; walking our two dogs, cooking (including on the BBQ), watching rugby, going to gigs, reading and listening to music. 

The last book I read / I am currently reading;  Is a River Alive by Robert MacFarlane. I am passionate about nature and conserving it for future generations, so this struck a chord. 

Something you probably didn’t know about me is; I was nearly killed in a head-on car accident when I was 18 (I was not the driver!), so it has given me a real appreciation for making the most of life. 

A song / piece of music you’ll find on my playlist right now is; this is a tough one as I am a massive music fan with a very diverse taste in music but “I Believe in You” from the Talk Talk “Spirit of Eden” album from 1988 is one of my desert island discs. 

I’m Head of Participation and School Music at Hertfordshire Music Service. Having started my career as an orchestral musician and music teacher in South Africa, I have since worked across classroom teaching, school leadership, community music and strategic arts education. I joined HMS in 2015 and love creating opportunities that enable children, young people and families to experience the confidence, connection and sense of belonging that music can bring.

I’m especially passionate about inclusive music education and building strong partnerships with schools. My work explores how music can support wider priorities such as language, literacy, wellbeing, self-regulation and readiness to learn. I’m proud that this commitment has been recognised through two local inclusion and community awards.

I’m Head of Musical Progression at Hertfordshire Music Service, leading programmes that support musical development and progression for young musicians across the county. I work with a range of stakeholders to create high-quality opportunities that help young people develop their skills, confidence and musicianship.

As a double bass and bass guitar player, I’m particularly passionate about ensemble music-making and the transformative experiences it can provide. My work with HMS includes oversight of the County Youth Music programme, the continuing professional development programme, and delivery of the biennial HMS Schools’ Gala.

Outside of work, I continue to enjoy performing on both double bass and bass guitar, and I’m an enthusiastic home cook.

As Project Manager for the Music Service, I support a wide range of projects and operational activities across the service. My role involves helping to manage change and promoting a planned, collaborative approach to ensure improvements are delivered well.

Working with Sue Hengeveld, we support teams across the service as needed. This includes helping with questions from teachers, schools and parents/carers. Since the introduction of SpeedAdmin, we’ve taken the lead in updating the system to accommodate new and changed requirements, managing the annual process to set up and complete the rollover to the new school year, and helping colleagues access the service information they need from the system.
I also maintain an overview of health and safety, helping to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place across the Music Service.

Before joining the Music Service, I spent much of my career with London Underground, working in a variety of roles. Starting as a Health and Safety Manager, I then moved into Operations, managing three central London stations with responsibility for customer service, safety, budget and people management, before working in programmes and projects. I later broadened my experience through a role in a small business. These varied experiences have equipped me for the range of responsibilities and work involved in the Music Service.

I am continually so impressed by all that teachers and the wider music team do to involve children and young people in a fantastic range of musical opportunities.

I’m the ED&I Development Lead at Hertfordshire Music Service, developing inclusive music opportunities for young people across Hertfordshire. I work with children with special educational needs, including teaching piano, flute and interactive music at a SEND school. I’ve established the HMS Inclusive Choir, Sound Sensations and the HMS Youth Council, and am developing an accessible music technology suite. I also lead a national inclusion strategy group bringing music leaders together to share ideas and best practise.

My background includes music teaching, early intervention, Sounds of Intent and working with visually impaired children through the Amber Trust. I spent several years working in Asia involving music with children with autism. 

Outside work, I play C flute and bass flute in a local flute ensemble. I love Asian food, particularly noodles!