Joe Allen
Radio presenter, composer, musical director and music teacher
I'm Joe Allen, a composer, musical director, saxophonist, and facilitator based in beautiful York. I earned my BA (Hons) in Music (Jazz, Saxophone) from Leeds Conservatoire in 2021—and, because I’m obviously addicted to academia, I returned there in 2022–2023 for an MA in Musical Direction.
I perform with my Euro-Jazz ensemble Manouche Ganoush, and have had the privilege of playing lead alto sax in GT Big Band and Burley-in-Wharfedale Big Band. I also lead my own Joe Allen Big Band, and play in a trio called Bowes/Berg/Allen—basically, I spread jazz like it’s confetti.
In the theatre scene, I've worked with the likes of Louis Spence and Les Dennis, toured nationally with Anton Benson Productions, and serve as Musical Director at the award-winning NETheatre in York. I call some very talented actors my “colleagues”—so don’t tell them I said sometimes I outshine the script.
When I’m not on stage, I compose—recently writing for Northern Opera Group’s children’s show Book of Eternity—and arrange for clients across the UK and beyond. If musical storytelling paid the bills, I’d never stop.
I also teach: saxophone, clarinet, voice, music theory, composition—and I coach on performance anxiety, audition preparation, deep listening, and producing gigs. Think of me as part music nerd, part therapist, part life coach—all with a well-tuned ear.
