Ged Marciniak

Professional Portfolio I am a full time musician, musical director and teacher. I have a diverse range of skills that allow me to work in a number of different environments including the rare opportunity to specialise in a number of musical styles. I am especially adept at musical theatre, popular music and modern choral repertoire. These skills are very much people centred meaning that I can be inclusive with all those people in the projects we prepare for. A major part of my role at One Education (formerly Manchester Music Service) is as senior choral tutor. Daily I enjoy teaching choirs in Manchester schools including a sixty strong choir. This part of my job gives me opportunity to work with people of all abilities and backgrounds and has made me adept to be completely understanding and flexible working with a cross section of musical ability whether it be child, adult amateur or professional. In September I was sought out to become the Musical Director of the 45 strong Manchester United Youth Choir. This highly skilled group is part of the club’s outreach programme engaging both male and female singers who are auditioned to be part of an SATB group that regularly performs a modern programme developed with the youth themselves at club events, on TV and Radio, with professional orchestras and who will be performing at national and international choral competitions in 2016. Since the age of 8 I have been in and around professional music making. For twelve years I was a chorister in the internationally renowned Manchester Boys Choir with whom I travelled the UK and the world performing many hundreds of concerts including winning the International LLangollen Eisteddfod. At the same time I was also an instrumentalist playing in the Manchester Youth Ensembles that achieved the highest standards of youth ensembles in the UK. I achieved grade 8 piano in 1996 meaning I have excellent piano skills that I use everyday. This upbringing guided me to study music at The University of Sheffield where my studies specialised in composing and arranging, conducting, performance, music production and the psychology of music. In 2001 I was soloist in a Marimba concerto at RNCM with the University Wind Orchestra. In 2006 I co-founded and directed the “Manchester Consort”. This ensemble was founded to allow performance opportunities at the highest levels for recent graduates from the high quality graduates of RNCM and other universities and conservatoires. The main focus of the consort was a semi-professional chamber choir who performed a wide range of repertoire including well established British choral works through classical repertoire and especially the incredible modern choral music of Eric Whitacre and John Tavener. Through this experience I am experienced at developing exciting and diverse choral concert programmes that mix modern classical with established repertoire. This ensemble allowed me numerous opportunities to conduct professional orchestral players, choirs and soloists performing music ranging from Bach, Arvo Part, Bernstein to Mozart. The Consort received favourable reviews in The Independent for it’s RNCM project of West Side Story performing four sold out shows at the prestigious conservatoire working closely with it’s Professor of Operatic studies Stefan Janski and many of the leading lights in the opera department. For the past ten years I have enjoyed a position as Music Teacher for Manchester Music Service (now privatised as One Education Music). During this time I have gained a vast and varied amount of experience teaching voice, choirs, drum kit, percussion, bands, choirs, piano, music theory, voice and music technology. This has involved Key stages KS1-5 and especially BTEC and A level. For the past five years in this role I have been centre manager at the Zion Arts Centre. This post involves looking after the safeguarding and welfare of over 100 pupils (age 3-23) and managing a team of up to 15 staff including clerical staff. I oversee the development of the pupils at the centre and the direction of Manchester’s senior ensembles. The post involves being in charge of risk assessment, health and safety , student progress and planning, behaviour management.. An important part of this post has been organising foreign concert tours for up to 120 pupils and staff. Each term I organise performances for the centre that culminates in a week of performances and festivals at the RNCM in July each year. I have been proud to produce a number of these large-scale performances. The creative educational environment at the Manchester Music Service has allowed me many opportunities to advance the musical experiences of the young people in Manchester and surrounding areas through developing exciting new projects. I am the founding musical director of the Manchester Youth Stage Group that rehearses weekly and performs material of varied styles as a stage choir and large instrumental group in the musical theatre style.. In 2008 I developed and launched the Manchester Youth Album Project. This project allows young songwriters, musicians and performers an industry specific experience, taking their own music from conception to a finished record. The project teaches live performance, professional studio production and courses on the music industry. Some of the participants of this project have gone onto to secure recording deals in their own rite and are touring the UK and abroad. As well as my work in schools I enjoy regular professional music making. This has included being an in demand musical director having worked on many projects but noticeably: The Big Sing(2006 – present) : A community singing event at Bridgewater Hall involving nearly 2000 participants. West Side Story(2008) (Assistant Musical Director/orchestral manager): A nationally recognised project with the RNCM outreach team. The project encompassed local students and students at RNCM. The Runcorn Passion(2013): A large scale public theatre project with over 250 performers and audiences over 1000. As a pro-active person I have accrued many contacts in the creative industries including some at the very top of the film and music industries. I have been in demand for producing and arranging projects including work for artistes such as Heather Small, Jamelia, Simon Webbe, Rufus Wainwright and organisations such as BBC TV and Radio and tenten theatre company. This includes work arranging and composing for choirs and ensembles. I also have a network of professional musicians and ensembles across the UK including working relationships with many professional session musicians in a variety of styles of music ranging from choral, classical, jazz, orchestral percussion, session pop and original bands. I am an “in demand” vocalist, piano and drum kit player in the music scene in the North West including regularly performing with some of the country’s best function bands. My communication and organisational skills have been described as excellent having worked on so many diverse projects. I am a strong believer in the applications of modern social media and the internet as a positive tool when working within the modern music industry. This led me to undertake a number of media training courses with the award winning firm, ThinkMedia. Each summer since 1999 I have been a volunteer for the sick and disabled with the 1500 strong diocesan pilgrimage to the Catholic shrine of Lourdes, France. In my spare time I am a keen sportsman playing golf and football when possible. I am player manager of a Saturday 11 a-side football team who have gained promotion twice in two seasons.