Simon Benger (Arts Council England)

Simon is a Music Relationship Manager at Arts Council England, the national development agency for the arts. He works across Yorkshire and the Humber, helping musicians to access funding and advice for a range of activity including creating new music, recordings, collaborations, performing, touring and making creative digital content. Before first starting with Arts Council England in 2013 Simon worked for a range of music and music education organisations across Yorkshire and the North West. He is passionate about supporting musicians across the North of England.

Simeon Walker (Composer)

Following a decade working as a musician, UK-based pianist & composer Simeon Walker has quickly emerged as a leading light in the burgeoning Modern Classical scene in his own right, following the release of his EP Preface (2016) and his debut full length album Mono (November 2017). Following this, 2018 saw him complete a successful 8-date European Tour; receive significant radio airplay across BBC Radio 3, 6 Music, World Service & BBC Introducing shows nationwide; and performed at Latitude Festival, whilst collaborating with other musicians and artists and working towards a follow up album and continued touring. 

With three consecutive Official Piano Day playlist features and numerous glowing reviews from across the music world, Walker’s calm, introspective piano instrumentals invite the listener to find stillness and beauty as much in the spaces between the notes as the notes themselves, as musical stories are woven with each tender, intimate performance. 

Richard Watson (360 Club)

A lot of my time is dedicated to helping and advising musicians, my most well-known proteges being alt-J. I’ve been promoting music for 25+ years, underground, grass roots and internationally known artists throughout the UK & Ibiza, including live broadcasts with Radio 1 and MTV. I’m a passionate supporter of live music and offer all acts I work with meetings to give advice, help and support in various areas of the music industry.

Lins Wilson (Magick Mountain, Music:Leeds)

Lins Wilson is a cellist, guitarist, bassist and vocalist splitting time between between cello work (primarily as a part of a collective called Buffalo) and her psych garage-rock band, Magick Mountain. As an active and longstanding member of Leeds’ music community she is passionate not only about creating and performing, but also connecting artists, audience and communities through music. Lins has played live in the UK, Europe and US for many many acts including Grammatics, Lone Wolf, Sam Airey, Menace Beach, Pulled Apart by Horses, Sky Larkin and Mother Vulpine. She also works as a creative producer / project coordinator, having delivered projects for Music:Leeds, creative studio Lord Whitney and Transform theatre festival.

Oliver Morris (UK Music)

Oliver has worked in a broad range of educational settings, formal and informal, with a variety of learners since 2001. Before taking up his role as Director of Education & Skills with UK Music he had been lecturing in education and human geography at Aberystwyth University and undertaking doctoral research. His educational experience encompasses widening access to HE programmes, undergraduate tutoring, community education, schools, and youth work with a creative focus (as musician, composer, deviser and performer). He was also extensively involved in the voluntary sector in his home-county of Ceredigion in mid-Wales both as community worker and trustee with the County Voluntary Council and his local Communities First partnership. He is currently trustee of Creative & Cultural Skills and on the advisory board for Live Music Exchange. He has played music since his teens in a variety of bands and composed and performed for theatre and TV. For a number of years he was drummer for a lion dance troupe and has also been long-listed for the BBC Fame Academy Award and was a finalist in the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry in his native Wales. 

Tony Ereira (Come Play With Me / Hatch Records)

Come Play With Me is a social enterprise established in 2015 to help people in the Leeds City Region that are looking to create sustainable careers within music. Tony is also one of the founding directors of Hatch Records, a Leeds-based record label that has seen releases from Deadwall, Then Thickens, Nine Black Alps and The Wedding Present. 

Tony has successfully been awarded funding from various funders inc. The Arts Council Grants For The Arts, Unltd. and Leeds Inspired for Come Play With Me - and from PRS Momentum Fund for Hatch Records.