MTA Webinar

Meet the Speakers!

Julian Thomas

Choirmaster and Head of Academic Music – Tonbridge School

As Choirmaster and Head of Academic Music at Tonbridge School, Julian Thomas leads the school’s choir, which also includes younger boys recruited from neighbouring schools. Their distinctive voices enrich the choir’s sound whist providing talented young singers with exceptional musical opportunities. Welcoming pupils from a range of backgrounds, including those supported by scholarships and bursaries, Julian is passionate about making high-quality choral music accessible. Having begun his own musical journey as a cathedral chorister before building a career in cathedral music and school choral leadership, he brings a wealth of experience to developing young voices.

In this webinar, Julian will explore how choir tours unite singers of different ages and from different schools through a shared musical purpose. Drawing on nearly 30 years of organising choir tours, he will discuss how thoughtful planning, careful budgeting, and bursary support can make touring possible for more young people, ensuring financial circumstances are not a barrier to participation.

Reflecting on the choir’s recent tour to Belgium, where they performed sacred music, Julian will highlight the unique opportunities and challenges of touring with a choir drawn from multiple schools. He will explore how tours forge unlikely friendships across year groups – from Year 5 pupils to sixth formers – and between boys from different schools. As many of the younger choristers later progress to Tonbridge, these shared experiences help them arrive with established friendships and a strong sense of community, making the transition to senior school both easier and more rewarding.

Vicky Moroziuk

Head of Performing Arts – The Carlton Academy

As Head of Performing Arts at The Carlton Academy in Nottingham, Vicky Moroziuk has spent more than a decade building an inclusive and thriving music department where every student has the opportunity to participate. She leads an open-access singing group alongside the aptly named “Anything Goes Band”, an ensemble that welcomes musicians of all abilities. By arranging much of the music herself, Vicky ensures every student can contribute, creating a culture where enjoyment matters just as much as musical experience.

In this webinar, Vicky will explore how concert tours can become a brilliant tool for inclusion, both musically and financially. Rather than restricting tours to a single ensemble, she brings together singers and instrumentalists from across the department, adapting performances to suit whichever students sign up. Drawing on her experience of leading concert tours to destinations like Germany, she will discuss how thoughtful planning and an inclusive approach allow pupils of all abilities to share the experience of performing abroad. She will also reflect on how touring has helped grow participation in music across the school, transforming the department over the past decade and inspiring plans to expand the programme even further.

Vicky will also share how The Carlton Academy works to remove financial barriers to participation. Through pupil premium funding, which enables eligible students to receive 50% support towards the cost of a tour, alongside flexible payment plans for families, she is passionate about ensuring that financial circumstances are never a barrier to taking part.

Stefan Reid

Director of Music – Wycombe Abbey

As Director of Music at Wycombe Abbey, Stefan Reid leads a thriving and diverse music programme spanning orchestras, bands, choirs, chamber ensembles and jazz. Stefan has reimagined touring as an opportunity for younger musicians, opening recent tours to pupils in Years 7–10 and creating bespoke ensembles that allow every student to contribute meaningfully.

By investing in these formative experiences early, he aims to cultivate a lifelong enjoyment of making music.

In this webinar, Stefan will explore how concert tours can strengthen ensemble retention by giving younger musicians a shared goal and a musical adventure that keeps them engaged long after they return home. Drawing on his experience of touring for over 27 years, in four different schools, he will discuss strategies for planning repertoire, creating flexible ensembles, and ensuring every performer – regardless of experience – has a valuable musical role.

Reflecting on recent tours to Belgium and across mainland Europe, Stefan will explain why he believes the greatest value of a concert tour lies beyond the performances themselves. From carefully balancing music with time to relax and celebrate together, to creating experiences pupils remember for years to come, he will share how thoughtful touring can have a lasting impact on both young musicians and the culture of a music department.

FREE webinar – Register today!

Tuesday 22 September 2026

5:15pm (BST)
Online via Zoom

Register through the Music Teachers’ Association to secure your free place! 

We look forward to welcoming you and inspiring you to unlock a world of exciting performance and touring opportunities for your students.  

Register here