CUMIN is the Contemporary Urban Music for Inclusion Network https://cuminetwork.wordpress.com/. CUMIN is an AHRC-funded network designed to bring together researchers, practitioners and a range of stake-holders in educational and social projects that utilise ‘contemporary urban music’ (by which we mean Hip Hop, grime, house, EDM, techno and so forth), fostering dialogue and production of new knowledge.

On Friday 30th June from 9.30am to 5.30pm CUMIN will hold a conference at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/

Confirmed speakers include:

Professor Mark Katz (University of North Carolina, Dept of Music, world-leading specialist on DJ education)

Bridget Whyte (CEO Music Mark)

Matt Griffiths (CEO of Youth Music)

Fran Hannan (Musical Futures)

Richie Littler (CEO Grooveschool in Brixton)

Jon Green (CEO Manchester Hip Hop Archive)

Jim Reiss (CEO DJ School UK, Leeds)

Steven Berryman (chair of examiners for GCSE Music at AQA)

Sandra Allan (Head of Curriculum – Creative Arts at AQA)

Derek Chivers (Principal Examiner for in A level music at Edexcel)

Lloyd Russell (Chief Examiner for A level Music technology at Edexcel)

Key questions for the conference include: How can music education become more relevant to learner tastes and preferences in the 21st century? What would need to change to make this happen? What are the impacts on well-being that can arise from projects utilising contemporary urban musics for inclusion? How can we best evaluate such impacts?

We have a small number of 15 minute slots available for presentations/provocations at the conference. Themes for these could include but are not limited to:

·        DJ decks, contemporary popular music and music education

·        Hip Hop, healing and wellness

·        Evaluation of impact from relevant projects

Proposals for 15 minute presentations/provocations should be 250 words maximum and should be emailed to pete.dale@york.ac.uk by Monday 10th April at the latest.