
David Stanley BEM - From One Student to the Royal Albert Hall
“In 1999, I befriended a young man with Downs Syndrome called Tony. One day I sang Tony “I Am The Music Man” but he soon requested his favourite song: “The 12 Days of Christmas”. 14 renditions later we both collapsed in fits of laughter. It was the middle of July after all! Tony’s reaction changed my life forever. I taught a small workshop for people with learning disabilities with local charity, Southend Mencap. I promised my students that one day they would play the Royal Albert Hall. It was a joke that became a dream, that became an ambition and then my obsession. 20 years later, The Music Man Project presented 200 children and adults with learning disabilities from across the UK in a concert called ‘Music is Magic at the Royal Albert Hall’. It was the UK’s largest ever celebration of accessible music-making. The Music Man Project joins a remarkable community of people together through song, country by country. It multiplies that original moment of joy I experienced with Tony and shows what people with learning disabilities can do, not just what they need.”
Accessible Music Education and Performance for All

Documentary Playlist

From Southend to San Diego: The Music Man Project Headquarters and Global Ambassadors
The home of The Music Man Project is Southend-on-Sea, the City where David established his first weekly music school with local charity, Southend Mencap. Following the debut of 80 Southend-based Music Man Project performers at the London Palladium in 2015, a group of 12 original students became the charity’s first Student Ambassadors. These leading musicians tour the UK with concerts and workshops to raise awareness of accessible arts and culture and to encourage other communities to duplicate David’s original service. They regularly appear in the national media and at major concert venues, and they have delivered workshops to over 12,000 primary school pupils. In 2023, the Student Ambassadors became Global Ambassadors following their tour of San Diego, supported by HM Band of the Royal Marines and courtesy of our global marketing partner, TEAM LEWIS.
21,000+
Miles to connect a global community through song, country by country
11,000+
Miles to launch regional Music Man Project across the UK
100+
12,000+
Corporate Away Days
Corporate Disability Awareness and team building through singing, signing, playing and dancing with inspirational musicians with learning disabilities. Find out more.
School Workshops
Pupils sing, sign, play and dance to repertoire from the Music Man Project Songbook, led by role models with learning disabilities. Book a visit.
“I stood back at one point to take in the children’s reactions, all I saw was smiling, happy and laughing faces. The children were hugging and dancing with the Music Man group, just having the time of their lives. They didn’t even want to go back to class!!”
Musical Collaborations and Celebrity Endorsements
The Music Man Project collaborates with industry professionals and celebrities to promote the talents of musicians with learning disabilities in large-scale original productions. We bring together Music Man Project Regional partners to perform our original music at iconic venues, such as the Royal Albert Hall and London Palladium. Collaborations include Taiwanese mezzo-soprano, Der-Shin Hwang, Joseph’s Lee Mead, singing duo Classical Reflection, actor Peter Egan, the Phantom Peter Kerrie and stars of Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor. Our music is arranged and recorded by Al Steele of Shabbey Road Studios, Wales. In 2022, The Music Man Project began a unique collaboration with His Majesty’s Band of The Royal Marines to connect elite military musicians and people with learning disabilities through the universal langauge of music.
Higher Education and Academic Research
The Music Man Project is the basis of PhD research at the Royal College of Music by Music Man Project Director, Dr Natalie Bradford. CEO David Stanley has lectured at Berklee College’s ABLE Assembly in Boston, Manhattan School of Music in New York (annually) and the UK’s National Music Mark Conference. David and Natalie delivered a spotlight session and performance at the Inclusive and Supportive Education Conference (ISEC21), hosted by the University College of London Centre for Inclusive Education and the National Association of Special Educational Needs. Music Man Project Director, Sarah Mann, works in partnership with Kent University and our charity supported research students at universities around the UK, including Bath Spa University, the University of Birmingham and University College, London.

Charity Directors




Sarah Mann
After completing a music degree, Sarah Mann began her career in the Music Library at the BBC. She very quickly moved to join the production department at BBC Radio 3, where she worked as Radio Production Assistant and then Presenter. Whilst raising her family Sarah began work for Kent Music, teaching pre-school and primary aged children. During this time, she studied Kodaly musicianship and became a Colourstrings international tutor and trainer, working in a number of settings in London and the South East. Sarah has taken part in collaborative music education projects with the London Philharmonic Orchestra including leading ‘Family Music’ sessions at the Royal Festival Hall and with Pimlico Opera in their ground-breaking production of Sweeny Todd, working and performing alongside ‘inmates’ at Wormwood Scrubs.
After completing a Post Graduate Certificate in Education in 2008, Sarah entered the world of class teaching where she has worked for several years at a leading SEN primary school in the Medway Towns. Sarah has been able to employ her ability for creative teaching by using singing and musical activities in all areas of the curriculum to engage, motivate and inspire learning as well as producing a positive impact on outcomes for pupils. In 2012 Sarah was appointed Specialist Leader in Education for Primary Music for the Medway Teaching Schools Alliance and enjoys sharing her skills and expertise, offering peer-to-peer support and training to develop outstanding and innovative practice in education.
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Dr Natalie Bradford
Natalie Bradford is passionate about providing equal access opportunities to music participation for everyone, irrespective of their needs or challenges. She is a musician, teacher and academic researcher, with a special interest in understanding how participating in music can enhance well-being and support people in achieving happy and fulfilling lives within their community. Having spent her summer holidays as a student volunteering at a local special needs school, an interest was sparked which was going to become a life-long venture.
Natalie studied for her first BSc Degree in Psychology at London University, with special needs education forming an integral part of her studies and dissertation. After working as a stockbroker in the City for a few years and raising three daughters, Natalie then returned to education. She moved into the world of music and embarked upon an exciting journey that has led to worldwide international travel and academic study at the famous Royal College of Music Conservatoire in London. Learning to play the violin as an adult and having progressed through all the grade examinations, a performance-based music degree seemed to be the next logical step. This was undertaken at Colchester Institute Music Department (University of Essex), where a first class BA Music Degree was awarded in 2014. With a keenness to pursue further musical expertise, the next step of the journey involved a Masters’ Degree at the Royal College of Music (Performance Science). Upon successful completion of this, Natalie was then invited to remain at the Royal College of music and undertake a PhD, as a scholarship award candidate.

David Stanley BEM MMUS BMUS NPQH PGCE CF FRSA
David is a disability rights campaigner, musical director, teacher, composer and the founder and CEO of The Music Man Project, a multi award-winning international music education service for people with disabilities. David studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, King’s College London, the Royal Academy of Music and the Institute of Education (UCL). He holds a Master’s Degree in Musical Analysis, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education and the National Professional Qualification for Secondary School Headship (NPQH).
David was awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s 2021 New Year Honours List for services to people with Special Needs. He is a Churchill Fellow, Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary International) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. David was a 2020 Global Peace Ambassador for People with Disabilities and became the UK Government’s Disability and Access Ambassador for Arts and Culture in 2021. He was a member of the Advisory Panel for the new National Plan for Music Education, representing the rights of children and young people with SEND. In 2022 David’s work to improve access to music for people with learning disabilities around the world reached the United Nations in New York.
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