Joe Allen - Radio presenter, composer, and musical director.
- Isobel Arden
- Sep 11
- 3 min read
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Meet Joe Allen the sound wiz crafting melodic tunes.
In this interview, Mark invited Joe Allen to create his own fantasy cultural year from the answers to some easy questions where there are no wrong answers. Enjoy his responses below.
Joe Allen is a composer, musical director, performer, and music tutor—practically a millionaire in academic letters—based in the ever-charming city of York.
After graduating with a BA (Hons) in Music (Jazz, Saxophone) from Leeds Conservatoire (2017–2021) and returning for an MA in Musical Direction (2022–2023), Joe was busy—but not too busy to make music and teach others to love it.
When not at his desk brimming with sheet music, he can be found commanding stages as part of his “Euro-Jazz” band, Manouche Ganoush, or as the unmistakable lead alto saxophonist of GT Big Band or Burley-in-Wharfedale Big Band. He’s also led his own Joe Allen Big Band, flexed his composition muscles in The Storytelling Ensemble, and serenaded audiences with the trio Bowes/Berg/Allen.
As a Musical Director, Joe has rubbed shoulders with stars—working with Louis Spence, Les Dennis, and even touring nationally with Anton Benson Productions. He’s also the resident Musical Director at award-winning NETheatre in York.
But wait—there’s composing too! Joe crafts original scores (including for the Northern Opera Group’s children’s show Book of Eternity), orchestrates freelance projects, and arranges for clients within the UK and beyond.
Providing lessons? You bet: saxophone, clarinet (jazz or classical), voice (musical theatre or classical), music theory, composition, and even coaching on performance anxiety, audition prep, deep listening, and self-producing events.
Joe Allen keeps things musical, clever, and confident—whether he’s teaching, directing, composing, or just making jazz sound like a stand-up routine.
Explore some of Joe's work below
Joe's Fantasy Cultural Year ... with a magic wand and time machine at hand.
🌍 Music, Community & Social Impact
Involved in York Theatre Royal’s Joseph Rowntree project
Part of the Rogue Creators Fund, backing local creative projects via crowdfunding
Advocates for cultural compacts + social prescribing
Believes in the huge well-being benefits of community choirs
🏰 Favourite Place: St. James Cavalier, Malta
A fort turned National Centre for Creativity
Imagines himself there with a citrusy IPA, rereading Stephen Nachmanovich’s book on improvisation
🌎 Dream Project: Global Singing Journey
Offered a fantasy year-long world trip to create a TV series on community singing
Package includes: Ted Talk, book deal, global lecture tour
First stop: Poland’s Tatra Mountains
Soundtrack for the year: Blossom Dearie
🎭 Cultural Year in London – Wish List
See a Merce Cunningham dance performance
Enjoy Salzburg spinach gnocchi
Attend: Sonny Stitt jazz concert, The Importance of Being Earnest (National Theatre), Into the Woods premiere
Watch An American in Paris at the IMAX
Dream lunch guest: Stephen Sondheim
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Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM
Chief Culture Vulture
Arts & Culture Network
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