Dr Robin Harrison PhD - The Maestro Online.

Innovation and celebrity musicians in education.

In this lively update, Mark Walmsley of the Arts and Culture Network catches up with long-standing full member Robin Harrison, founder of Maestro Online.

Robin shares exciting developments, including the launch of a new exam board for pop, gospel, and jazz piano that allows for improvisation and flexible learning. He also recounts a recent teaching tour of Uganda and upcoming masterclasses in Budapest and potentially Nigeria.

The conversation then shifts into a joyful "Fantasy Cultural Year," where Robin is whisked from picnicking under the Eiffel Tower to leading a global music education initiative backed by a wealthy Parisian foundation. His dream destinations include Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, and Sydney, while his cultural companions include the Maasai Mara dancers, Monet’s VR gallery, and a cricket match in Australia.

Robin’s fantasy performances span Status Quo and 9 Below Zero, Othello at The Globe, Jesus Christ Superstar with Mel C, The Magic Flute at the opera, and a childhood-favourite film, Rain Man. Over a hero's lunch in London, he picks Stephen Fry as his ideal dinner guest.

A final round of "this or that" reveals Robin’s preferences—from sparkling water and Beethoven to jazz piano and seeing the future. A warm, engaging, and insightful conversation all around.

Watch our interview update here:

And watch our original interview here:

I recently met ACN founder member Robin Harrison of The Maestro Online to learn more about his work and how he innovates in the world of music education. It was an eye-opener.

Robin (AKA The Maestro Online) is insanely obsessive about music educational techniques, progression and methodology.

Kodaly and improvisation are at the core of the philosophy. Classical courses include partimenti based improvisation, solfege and aural skills to diploma level. Rock-Pop-Gospel courses are created with leading international level musicians who have performed with incredible names such as Madonna, Tina Turner, Will Young, West Life, Gabrielle and many besides.

Bespoke courses created for and in collaboration with leading colleges, schools and universities alongside the international level musicians to produce unique digital music courses that support students in a way not found anywhere else on the web. Courses that raise student's musical IQ, using session musicians to connect the inner ear with the most expressive performances.

Diploma level courses include transposition, improvisation and composition from the very first lesson and pupils develop into intuitive musicians with significant musical intelligence from the very earliest stages. Particularly emphasis within schools is inner-ear pedagogy derived from solfege.

Robin is published by Routledge and has been Director of Music, Manager of Performing Arts at leading schools and taught undergraduates at the Royal Northern College of Music. He is an examiner and academy teacher for the Royal College of Organists, Pop Vocal coach, involved in stage audition preparations, classical singing, piano in all styles with a very creative and musical structure to lessons and organ lessons to a very high level, with award winning vocal pupils in both regional and national events.

Whilst being classically trained, Robin reached no. 1 in the UK and no. 33 globally via albums released as "Dr Ivor E Keys" that included light jazzy twists on modern pop repertoire.

Mark

Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM

Chief Culture Vulture

Arts & Culture Network

www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com