Charles Price
Head of Academic Music
Charles was appointed Head of Academic Music at Loughborough Schools Music in 2021. He has helped grow numbers of pupils choosing Music across the schools, overseen the introduction of a Music Technology pathway at GCSE, and encouraged many pupils to study music at university and conservatoire. He can often be found demonstrating how easy it is to write a great song; explaining the importance of a fantastic melody and encouraging everyone to sing! He is always exploring new ways of improving pupils’ improvisatory skills and looks to share his love for jazz and groove music at every opportunity.
Charles has worked with music education projects including the National Children’s Orchestras, the Yorkshire Young Sinfonia, Sistema Europe, and the Ingenium Academy, where he was the school’s Head of Pastoral Care for three years. He co-founded the record label and live jazz promotion company Jazz Plus Productions in 2015 in order to help showcase young jazz musicians to audiences around the UK. The company has partnered with the EFG London Jazz Festival and Love Supreme Jazz Festival in their programming and promotion and has several digital releases including the contemporary Big Band album from Jazz Plus Ensemble.
Charles received his formative musical education at Kingswood School, Bath, where he was a Music and Drama scholar. It was here that he discovered the thrill of ensemble playing. He then read Music at Durham University and Universität Bern, Switzerland. He played trumpet with brass ensembles, orchestras, and Big Bands, playing in venues including Durham Cathedral, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Manchester Jazz Festival, Casino Bern and small alpine villages. Despite his time in Switzerland, Charles cannot yodel nor play the Alphorn.
A keen singer, Charles often stands in front of one of the foundation’s senior schools, doing hymn practice, and ensuring that everyone starts their day with a smile on their face, either through the joy of singing or laughing at him! He was particularly proud when his hymn practices were ‘universally approved’ in a staff and pupil survey.
Outside of teaching, Charles is an Army Reserve musician and has performed at key military and diplomatic events around the world, including the unique Ceremony of the Keys in Gibraltar. He furthers his creativity through sketching and cooking, and tries to support the England cricket team, hike up mountains and go to Evensong (but not all at the same time).