06 - Sarah Potts: Friendship, Sliding Doors and Brexit

Mark chats with fellow saxophonist Sarah, who regales him with tales of her musical odyssey, from humble beginnings tinkering with the recorder in Mexborough to blossoming into a sought-after professional sax player and dedicated educator. Much credit is owed to the nurturing embrace of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association, spearheaded by the ever-persuasive John Ellis, whose poaching skills are legendary. For Sarah, DYJA was more than just a musical training ground-it was where she found her cherished family and lifelong friends.
Together, Mark and Sarah reminisce about tours and exchanges in France and Germany, sharing anecdotes about serendipitous moments and the Jazz FM incident. Yet, amidst the laughter and nostalgia, Mark bemoans the current state of music education in the UK, lamenting the dwindling support and opportunities for young musicians. Sarah's insights, steeped in her experience as an educator, offer a beacon of hope, illuminating the transformative power of music in the lives of children and advocating for its indispensable place in education.

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Great episode. Sorry to hear about the current music education in England. It wasn't great when I went to school. 7 pupils out of 3000 took A level music at 6th form. School was very poorly funded in the music department, and I didn't learn much. DYJO was/is so important to me. If it wasn't for DYJO I probably wouldn't have got into college to study music.