Job Description

Job Description: Musician-in-Residence

Hours: 15 hours per week (2 days)

Base: HMP Bullingdon

Salary pay scale : £29,329 - £31,959 (pro rata).

Application Deadline : Wednesday 2nd April.

Organisational Aims: Changing Tunes aims to support people with lived experience of prison to lead meaningful lives free from crime. 

Job Purpose: Changing Tunes uses music teaching, rehearsal, performance and recording to aid the rehabilitation of prisoners and ex-prisoners. The Musician-in-Residence will support the rehabilitation of prisoners and ex-prisoners through music teaching and rehearsing in prisons, creating bands, holding concerts, producing recordings and providing post release support. 

Key tasks 

• To lead music teaching & rehearsing sessions in prison on a weekly basis, teaching groups of prisoners and individuals a range of instruments and singing in a wide range of styles. Sessions are usually between 2 and 2.5 hours long and group size ranges from 3 to 10. 

• To enable prisoners and ex-prisoners to achieve accreditation for their skills wherever possible. 

• To develop prisoners' and ex-prisoners' composition skills. 

• To co-ordinate concerts involving prisoners in prison (this can be dependent on the regime in the prison). 

• To enable prisoners and ex-prisoners to record songs (assisted by a recording engineer), including their own compositions, for entry into the Koestler awards programme when appropriate. 

• To train prisoners who are competent musicians to act as mentors for new musicians and to maximise opportunities for healthy group support. 

• To obtain, transcribe and arrange music for the use of prisoners and ex-prisoners

• To maintain musical instruments to as high a standard as possible. 

• To organise occasional concerts in the community that include ex-prisoners with whom we have worked. 

• To provide advice and support for ex-prisoners and to facilitate links with other groups that provide support. 

• To work closely with the Chief Executive and Senior Musicians-in-Residence to develop a thorough understanding of the environment in which Changing Tunes operates. 

• To regularly support other Changing Tunes musicians in their respective prisons. • To maintain accurate records of prisoners attending sessions 

• To maintain accurate records of the development of individual prisoners to enable them to demonstrate their progress during their time with the project. 

• To maintain a regularly updated equipment inventory. 

• Any other task relating to the job. 

Essential Person Specification: 

• Confident and skilled musician able to play at least two instruments, and teach to basic level in four instruments, plus singing. Most of the work involves guitar tuition and band rehearsal, but other styles and instruments are also valuable. Above all, applicants must be confident, flexible and comfortable with many musical styles. 

Priority instruments include Guitar, Drums, Keyboard/Piano, Bass guitar, Voice (Rap/Singing), and instruments/technologies essential to electronic music production 

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and listening skills. 

• Commitment to the aims of Changing Tunes. 

• Ability to work collaboratively with other partner organisations and faith groups. 

• Excellent leadership skills that enable diverse individuals with different musical tastes to work and perform together as a team. 

• Mature personality with contacts in music industry, local churches, community organisations. 

• Ability to work towards deadlines. 

• Competent IT skills. 

• Willingness to get the job done and occasionally work outside of normal working hours. • Commitment to Changing Tunes’ Equal Opportunities policy.

• Driving licence and car

Desirable Person Specification: 

• Management experience 

You may find the following documents useful in your application.