Author | Lightnews

Reposted by Howard Goodall

Sing Up Foundation @singupfoundation.bsky.social · 10d

Music is an incredible leveller of a playing field. Many autistic young people face barriers to music participation because programs aren't designed for their needs. Explore our new resources for autism-friendly singing: https://f.mtr.cool/litexhdhfv #MusicEducation #Inclusion

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · 2d

Even by your own very high standards, Niall, this is an outstanding thread 🙏

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · 2d

Warmest composerly wishes to Phil Daish-Handy, the singers of Choralia Milford and players of Nova Foresta Philharmonic performing my ETERNAL LIGHT: A REQUIEM tomorrow at St Mary Magdalene Church New Milton in support of The Royal British Legion 🙏 thebridgemos.org.uk/your-centre/...

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · 4d

Good riddance. A pet project, as was Brexit, of Michael Gove, the man more destructive of the musical health of Britain than anyone in our modern history.

The Stage @thestage.co.uk · 5d

The English Baccalaureate is likely to be scrapped in education secretary Bridget Phillipson’s long-awaited Curriculum Review, a change that would represent a significant victory for figures across the theatre sector.

Read more 👇

EBacc set to be scrapped after drama school leaders’ last-ditch plea

The English Baccalaureate is likely to be scrapped in Bridget Phillipson's long-awaited Curriculum Review

www.thestage.co.uk

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · 24d

Couldn't agree more Kev. Fender is absolutely brilliant and that song one for the ages 👏👏👏🏆

Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · 26d

Congrats Bernard 👏

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · 27d

The world's most brilliant, secretly influential (& unsung) bassoonist. Fantastic article.👇👇👇

Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 28d

I need a Tommy Flowers Was Robbed t-shirt. Great piece!
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Move over, Alan Turing: meet the working-class hero of Bletchley Park you didn’t see in the movies

The Oxbridge-educated boffin is feted as the codebreaking genius who helped Britain win the war. But should a little-known Post Office engineer named Tommy Flowers be seen as the real father of comput...

www.theguardian.com

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Oct 9

Warmest composerly wishes to Karen Beer, Olivia Thomas, Paul Young and all at Grimsby Philharmonic Society performing my ETERNAL LIGHT: A REQUIEM in Grimsby Minster on Saturday evening 🙏

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Reposted by Howard Goodall

Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · Oct 8

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Oct 3

Am doing this on Oct 23rd, tickets here: www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/wor...

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Oct 3

#BlueLights is so beautifully written, directed, acted, with such integrity & care, truly a privilege to watch. Each series fresh highlights & character depth: this time Katherine Devlin & Dearbháile McKinney absolutely heartbreaking in every scene. 👏👏👏

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Reposted by Howard Goodall

Kate Bevan @katebevan.com · Sep 24

not going to push that pic of Farage at LBC into your feeds again, but I'll note two things: first, the whole paracetamol nonsense is profoundly misogynistic. It blames women for their children's autism, and doesn't give a shit about why women might take paracetamol.

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Sep 4

Ms Webster of Newcastle is a ⭐ a story about singing, solidarity & compassion 👇👇👇

Colin Elves @colinelves.bsky.social · Sep 3

With alt:

Smajo Beso • Follow
3d • ©
I started school in Newcastle in Year 5 without knowing a word of English. I was nine years old and had arrived as a refugee from Bosnia just a couple of months earlier.
I was one of those strangers our politicians often speak about.
I missed my grandparents and friends. I was having awful nightmares, and I would wake up screaming every single night. I hated going to school. I would sit in my chair, look out of the window, and spend my day daydreaming about ways to run back to Bosnia. I didn't want to be here.
After a couple of weeks at school, my teacher, Miss Webster, and my classmates did something special to help me settle, something that made me feel less of a stranger. That was the first day I went home with a smile on my face.
I have shared this story before, but as tomorrow is start of the new school year, I thought I would share it again.
**

Miss Webster was amazing, but I couldn't understand a word she was saying. She had this ritual where, at the end of each day, we would all sit on the floor around her, she would play the guitar, and we would all sing a song together.
I couldn't understand what they were singing, but I could see she would sing one part of the song, then she would say someone's name or point to them. The next part of the song would be sung with that person's name in it, and they would get to go home first.
My classmates loved this, but I hated it. It annoyed me because I couldn't understand what they were singing, but if I am honest, l hated it mainly because of how happy they all were. I definitely wasn't happy. I cried myself to sleep nearly every night.
I eventually started having separate English lessons, which I enjoyed more because it took me out of the classroom. It was always daunting coming to school because I felt everyone was looking at me or speaking about me. For months, my dad would stand with me outside the school gates in the morning until it was time to go in.

One day I came back into the classroom from my English lesson. We sat down, and everyone was extra-excited, looking at me more than usual for some reason. Of course, I thought it was because I was a refugee, because I couldn't speak English, or because they couldn't pronounce my name. I was bracing myself for another afternoon of my classmates encouraging me to sing. This was probably the closest I came to running out.
So we were all sitting on the floor around Miss Webster. She was holding her guitar, ready to sing. I remember the sun shining through the tall, narrow windows as I slowly drifted into a daydream of being back in Bosnia. She began playing the guitar, my classmates joined in, but this time, everything was different. I froze. I understood what they were signing. Not because I had miraculously learned English in one afternoon, but because they were singing in Bosnian for me. I looked around in shock, and they were all smiling at me, and for a moment I thought I was daydreaming.

While I was having separate English lessons, Miss Webster had taught our entire class to sing this song for me in Bosnian. They sang it terribly, but it was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. I skipped home that day with a huge smile on my face. For the first time, I looked forward to going back to school the next day.
I have often imagined Miss Webster and my classmates rehearsing, struggling with the strange Bosnian words and laughing at themselves. For me, that effort was the ultimate recognition, an act of peace that felt like the opposite of everything I had known during the war. It was special.
I do not know if they realised it then, but that moment helped to give me back my dignity, my belonging, and, for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like I was just a refugee or an outsider. I was home.

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Aug 7

Hi Thomas good to hear from you - yes indeed our industry is very vulnerable from scraping - though this article and its responses is an interesting take on over trusting copyright as a solution www.jamesrball.com/p/copyright-...

Copyright (probably) won't save anyone from AI

There is lots of justified outrage at the way AI companies have "stolen" millions of creative works to train their models. But there's every chance it's legal.

www.jamesrball.com

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Aug 1

Go for it!

Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Aug 1

Will do!

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Jul 31

How kind of you Adrian 🙏 Thank you 🙏 (& I'm much enjoying your Sanctuary collection for Omnisphere - please be the first to do one for a Theatre Organ when you have time 🤞) Cheers H

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Jul 30

Very sad to hear of the death of Sylvia Young, a hugely enthusiastic and motivating stage school founder/director who was so kind and supportive to me (& thousands of others) in the early part of my theatre career. RIP

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Jul 27

Kelly Magnificat
(Niche choral gag)
#Lionesses

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Jul 27

Yes, this. Though other than imbuing a sense of resilience, and that the whole effort is EN ROUTE not a COMPLETION, it's hard to see who else can absorb this discovery other than the creative artists themselves. Point about what to say to encourage without glib approval very well made too.

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Jul 27

44/45: correct...BUT..no artist <really> believes their failures <are> failures, just that they were/are under-appreciated/misunderstood/poorly presented. Not honestly acknowledging creative failure isn't vanity so much as insecurity,which itself is a powerful driver of creativity?

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Jul 23

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Jul 23

bsky.app/profile/chlo...

Chloe Smith 🪩 @chloeivyroseseo.bsky.social · Jul 22

big up whoever did this to michelle agyemang's wikipedia #lionesses

A screenshot of Michelle Agyemang's wikipedia which says "Michelle Agyemang (born 3 February 2006) is the current Queen of England who plays a forward for Women's Super League club Arsenal and the English national team."

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Reposted by Howard Goodall

Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · Jul 18

"Merseyside, UK – amid rising youth crime, mental health challenges, and social disconnection, the arts remain one of the most overlooked yet powerful tools for healing, growth, and empowerment – particularly for young people who struggle to find their place in the world."

Creativity over crime: why the arts must return to our communities

Youth crime is rising, and teaching creativity and expression through the arts might just be what many young people need instead

northwestbylines.co.uk

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Howard Goodall @howardgoodall.bsky.social · Jul 18

Apols: Padgate