Interview with Sharon Jagdev Powell

Sharon Jagdev-Powell is a passionate music educator and Interim Head of Service for Leicestershire Music. We spoke about Sharon’s musical journey and role models, access to music for young people and what she loves about her job…

Tell us about your musical experience growing up…

My family home was always filled with music when I was growing up. We had one of those stacking hifi systems with a glass door and I used to sit in front of it and look through all my mum and dad’s records while they played them. At primary school, I was handed a violin and I absolutely loved the way it felt and sounded. This sparked my love for music and I carried on learning the violin until after a few months I was asked to try out a viola. I loved the resonance of the viola so continued playing throughout school and university.

In my community music was not really encouraged as a job or even a hobby, Asian parents normally encouraged their children to have a ‘proper’ job in medicine or law! However, I had incredibly supportive parents who encouraged me to do the things I was most interested in and I feel lucky that I was able to follow my passion. Nobody looked like me in the orchestras I played in, which looking back was a real shame. Even though there were no musical role models that I could truly relate to on the curriculum, I studied GCSE Music and A level music and eventually went on to study Music Performance at Kingston University.

Who influenced your musical journey?

My music teacher at secondary school was a positive influence on me. He made music enjoyable and showed me how accessible learning could be. I remember that we had a trainee teacher on placement who was keen on composing and it felt great to learn from a ‘real’ composer who inspired me to explore chords and melodies that took off at unexpected tangents. This deepened my appreciation for music composition.

Why did you choose to become a classroom music teacher?

When I finished my BA honours degree in music, I decided to stay on at university to study for my PGCE in Secondary Music. I was not convinced I wanted to be a teacher until I started the course and set foot inside a classroom. It felt like the perfect fit for me and I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge of music and experiencing the energy and creativity from the young people I taught. I am also quite a noisy person so being in the music classroom seemed to fit with my personality!

I taught music in secondary schools in London and Nottingham over a period of 23 years. One of my most memorable days as a teacher was when I was working at Holland Park School and we were all called in to a special assembly to hear a visitor speak. To my amazement Nelson Mandela was standing on the school stage and the atmosphere was electric! He spoke to us about following our dreams and advised the pupils to always listen to the teachers! This was something that really inspired me to work hard and make the best of the opportunities offered to me.

What are you most passionate about in music education?

I am most passionate about giving all young people the opportunity to play an instrument or to be involved in music in some way. There are so many barriers that stop young people getting involved and financial barriers are often the biggest thing to overcome. I know how inspiring music can be and I intend to share the joy of music with all young people no matter what their circumstances are or what their background is. Music is so powerful and inspiring and everyone should have the opportunity to get involved.

What does your current role as Interim Head of Leicestershire Music involve?

I am learning every day and I love my job! Leading a Music Hub is a privilege and every day is different. I work with an amazing team of committed people who are passionate about music and music education and we work together to enable the young people of Leicester and Leicestershire to have equity of access to music. In a typical week there are quieter days where I am working at home on policies and procedures and then there are days when I am out and about visiting partners, projects and schools. I also love watching our young people perform and the Christmas concert season is my favourite time of year. I get to meet so many people in my role and feel lucky to have the opportunity to shape the strategic vision for music education in Leicester and Leicestershire.

What are you looking forward to in the next 6-12 months?

I am looking forward to developing the culture and inclusive ethos of Leicestershire Music to further empower the voices of our young people so they can shape the work we do. It is always busy working in a Music Hub, and we have experienced a prolonged period of change and upheaval recently. I hope the next year will be spent celebrating the positive impact of music and I hope to have a period of calm where we can really focus on making music and spreading the joy this brings.

Can you share your proudest musical moment?

During a school music concert, I performed my grade 8 viola pieces. I had spent hours practising for this and it felt good to be able to share the joy of these pieces with a live audience. When I work on performance pieces for exams, I often got very lost in the practise, but when I finally perform to an audience, I realise how far I have come and how important it is to share music with others.

You’re certainly very busy! How do you like to relax?

We are a busy family with two teenage daughters and two Bengal cats. Listening to music is the best way for me to relax and in my home, we always have music playing. I like going to gigs, most recently I went to see Pete Tong and the Essential Orchestra and I also like going for walks in our local park.