Annie Pye, lecturer in the psychology of music at Manchester University joins us in this episode, where we unravel the nuances of prenatal and newborn musical development. Delving into the age-old tradition of singing to babies and children, we explore the profound impact it has on their cognitive and emotional growth.

We deep dive into the intricacies of voice perception in babies, shedding light on how infants tune into the unique cadences that surround them. We also examine the age-old question: Does exposing children to Mozart’s compositions truly enhance their intelligence?

Our exploration extends to the fascinating realm of pitch perception, demystifying why some individuals find it challenging to sing in tune. Uncover the secrets of perfect pitch and understand the mechanisms that underlie this remarkable ability. As we navigate through the tapestry of musical development, we shine a spotlight on temporal perception, exploring how children interpret rhythm and timing.

Venturing into the emotional landscape of infancy, Annie discusses the development of emotional responses to music, showcasing the power of melodies to evoke profound feelings in the youngest listeners. Our exploration also touches upon the phenomenon of spontaneous singing in children, highlighting the natural inclination for self-expression through song.

The joys and challenges of parenthood take centre stage as we examine the delicate balance between nature and nurture in shaping a child’s musical aptitude.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or a curious soul intrigued by the harmonious interplay between music and child development, this episode promises a rich tapestry of knowledge and insights.

Links to followup after:

Northern Network for Empirical Music Research

Email Annie: annie.pye@manchester.ac.uk

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.

Carol Jarvis is a highly sought-after trombonist, keyboardist, arranger, orchestrator, and VoiceOver artist.

Throughout her extensive career, she’s performed with renowned artists like Sting, Queen, Muse, Taylor Swift, and Amy Winehouse, among many others.

She’s performed with esteemed orchestras like the London Symphony Orchestra and contributed to numerous soundtracks for films, commercials, and chart-topping pop tracks. Alongside her musical accomplishments, Carol has been a trombone professor at leading music conservatoires for over sixteen years, delivering masterclasses worldwide at including at the Juilliard School in New York, Lucerne Conservatoire in Switzerland, University of California in Los Angeles, Rice University in Houston, Mexico City University, Lima Conservatoire in Peru and at the Jazz Institute in Graz, Austria.

Additionally, Carol has held prestigious roles in trombone societies and festivals, becoming the first female President of the International Trombone Association in 2023.

At 26, Carol faced stage 2a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Her treatment journey started with ABVD chemotherapy, a tough schedule knocking her back every other week for six months, all the while continuing for work as a touring musician.

After exhausting all treatment avenues, Carol signed up for multiple clinical trials which finally put her in metabolic remission. After receiving a bone-marrow transplant, it took over two years for her blood type to match her donor’s and for her body to start producing blood on its own.

She’s now been cancer free for 12 years. Listen to Carol’s incredible survival story, as well is exploring her astounding career in music. 

Follow Carol on ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠Twitter⁠⁠ find out more on her ⁠website⁠, and listen to her podcast on ⁠Spotify ⁠for her full cancer story, told in her own words.

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.

Wayne Hemingway, renowned designer and co-founder of fashion label Red or Dead, embarked on a fascinating journey from the world of fashion to becoming a pioneering figure in the realm of placemaking.

Wayne’s initial success with Red or Dead catapulted him into the limelight of the fashion industry. However, his passion for design extended beyond clothing; it encompassed a deep-rooted interest in shaping spaces and communities.

The shift from fashion to placemaking was propelled by a desire to create meaningful and impactful change in urban landscapes. He recognised the power of design in shaping human experiences and sought to channel his creative energy into projects that would transform communities. Collaborating closely with locals, he created sustainable environments that celebrated the area’s identity.

In this episode, we delve into Wayne’s career, exploring how his design prowess transcended fashion. From reimagining the uniforms for Transport for London to revolutionising urban spaces in Gateshead, join us as we unravel the fusion of creativity and community in Hemingway’s transformative projects. 

Learn more about HemingwayDesign on their website. 

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.

100x Faster Simulation than the State of the Art…

Step into the world of Treble Technologies, where sound meets innovation. Join us as we chat with founder, Dr. Finnur Pind, as they explore their journey from idea, to revolutionising sound simulation.

• Discover how Dr. Finnur Pind and Jesper Pedersen turned their passion for sound into Treble Technologies, crafting cutting-edge tools for architects and designers.

• Explore Treble’s Acoustic Simulation Software that turns complex acoustic modelling into a simple, click-of-a-button experience. See how it’s transforming decision-making in design.

• Unleashing Possibilities with Treble SDK: Dive into the limitless potential of the Treble SDK, a gateway to endless sound simulation applications, limited only by imagination.

• Decoding Wave-Based Modeling: Get a sneak peek into the science behind wave-based modelling, the tech driving Treble’s real-time auditory experiences.

• Explore Treble Technologies’ rise to recognition and the accolades earned for their groundbreaking sound simulation tech.

• Learn about the challenges faced by Treble in the startup world and how they navigated through the highs and lows.

• Discover how architects are using Treble’s tech to create better acoustic environments and the perks it brings to their designs.

This episode unveils the secrets behind reshaping the way we hear the world.

Learn more about Treble Technologies and their products on their website.

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.

In episode 13, we speak with Alberto Favaro of Studio Seilern Architects about the design and construction process of the G.W.A. Performing Arts Centre at Wellington College, London.

Inspired by Grecian amphitheatres and surrounded by forest, this circular structure clad in charred-timber, houses a 2,580 square metre auditorium with two-tier seating for over 900 persons, and equipped with the highest acoustic, audio-visual and stage lighting specification at its core.

We discuss:

• How Studio Seilern won the contract
• The design approach and challenges of building a theatre in a forest
• The forest’s influence on the theatre aesthetics
• Sustainability aspirations of the project
• How the singular purpose of the theatre affected the design process
• Putting a helicopter on stage
• How to control acoustics in a circular theatre

Find out more about the venue on the Wellington College website and visit Studio Seilern Architects website here.

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome aboard the only net zero theatre in the world!

Moored up in the historic docks of Canary Wharf, Theatreship will contribute to the exciting new development of the area, while reflecting and preserving local history.

This space will support and celebrate a range of art forms: from western orchestral music to Bengali cinema; from classics of queer theatre to local contemporary art; from academic lectures to theatrical workshops for kids. Globally recognised artists will perform alongside local and underrepresented creatives, drawing new people to the area and engaging the existing community.

Marc catches up with Inigo Lapwood, an expert in restoration and repair of historic steel ships and discusses:

• Where did the ship come from?
• How will it be converted into a Theatre?
• Why is the history of the area so important?
• How do you control the acoustics within a giant metal tube?
• Creating the world’s first net-zero theatre (not just at sea!)

To learn more about Theatreship, check out ⁠their website⁠ and follow their progress on⁠ Instagram⁠ or on ⁠Facebook⁠.

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.

Tapio Lokki is professor at Aalto University in Finland.

His passion is to understand how rooms modify the sound that we hear.

To pursue the encompassing understanding of room acoustics, his research team is investigating auralization, spatial sound reproduction, binaural technology, and novel objective and subjective evaluation methods, as well as physically-based room acoustics modelling methods.

Particularly, the interest has been in concert halls, in which the team has developed: 

• new measurement techniques
• analysis methods for spatial impulse responses
• sensory evaluation methods to understand the perceptual differences between concert halls.

In this episode, Tapio talks to us about:

• What makes a great concert hall.
• What is reverberation.
• How he and his team measure reflections using 45 Loudspeakers. 
• Measuring musical emotion in the finger tips and using it in the study of concert hall acoustics. 
• The difference between Vineyard and Shoebox concert halls.
• Future of concert hall acoustics.
• How wood fibre pulp is used as a net-zero sound absorber

We also listen to some of Tapio’s recordings to compare the acoustics of the Berlin Concert House, Vienna Musikverein, Helsinki Musiikkitalo, and the Berliner Philharmonie.

To know more about Tapio’s research, follow this link. 

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠.

or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.

In Episode 10 of the High Point podcast, Vanessa Toulmin and Paul Anderton, members of Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust, take us through the history and plans of renovating of ‘The Albert Hall of the North’ which has hosted concerts from Elgar, Julie Andrews, The Who, and the Rolling Stones.

In its heyday, Morecambe Winter Gardens was a sparkling example of the entertainment venues that were the essence of British seaside towns. With lavish interiors and striking features, the original complex combined swimming baths, an aquarium, the winter gardens and restaurants. After a decline in British seaside holidays, by 1982 the whole complex was closed to the public.

The only part that still remains is the theatre, which dates back to 1897. With help from DCMS’s Culture Recovery Fund, the Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust and the dedicated group of volunteers are a step closer to achieving their aim: to fully restore and reopen the glorious Grade II building, so it can be at the heart of Morecambe once again.

With Vanessa and Paul, we discuss:

• The Legal issues the Trust encountered when taking ownership of the building. 
• How covid affected the renovation process.
• Renovating a historical venue to accommodate modern equipment.
• Historical Performances.
• Raising £4.5 Million.
• How the Theatres Trust advised and continues to support them.
• The importance of building a community of Morecambe.

Find out more about Morecambe Winter Gardens on their website here.

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠.

or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.

We meet with Sophie, Michelle and Steve from the Burnley Empire Trust to discuss the massive renovation project of one of Britain’s most unique theatres.

Once complete, The Empire will be a new centre of activity for local cultural and creative communities as well as a space for learning, socialising and collaboration for everyone.

This is not just about restoring beautiful architecture; this is about building a new space that through its work will support local businesses and people and bring prosperity to Burnley, both in economic and social terms.

 You’ll hear:

• The History of Burnley Empire Theatre
• Creation of Burnley Empire Trust
• Hoewthey were able to buy the building
• Acquiring ‘charitable’ status
• The renovation
• Engaging the local community in the project
• Collaborating with other organisations such as the Theatre’s Trust
• How they’ve applied for funding
• Working with Manchester School of Architecture
• Their future goals
• Memories of the project so far
• Advice for others looking to do something similar

Learn more on the Burnley Empire Trust website, or follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠.

or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.

From the Hoddinott Hall at the Wales Millennium centre in Cardiff Bay, Lisa Tregale joins us to talk about her career history and what led her to becoming Director of the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales.

We also discuss:

● Growing up in the Devon town of Newton Abbot, and why she chose to learn the Saxophone as a child.

● How an unconventional degree program at York University inspired her to pursue a career in arts management.

● Helping to rebuild Devon communities through the arts during the Foot and Mouth crisis.

● Founding the South West Music School and why she’s so passionate that musical education be accessible to ALL children.

● How musical intervention can be used to treat acute illness, and the importance of implementing it into child development.

● Musical education challenges in the UK.

● What her role entails and the inner workings of the BBC NOW.

● Lisa’s personal experiences with the challenges that women face in the music industry.

● Her ongoing charity work with The Aloud Charity, Dartington International Summer School Foundation, Association Of British Orchestras, and Open Up Music.

For more episodes of the High Point podcast, follow⁠⁠⁠ this link⁠⁠⁠.

or ⁠⁠⁠this one for Youtube⁠⁠⁠.