Biography

Polly Ives is one of the UK’s leading music educationalists with a varied portfolio as a concert presenter, narrator, promoter, workshop leader, trainer and cellist. 

Polly believes that music should be accessible to everyone from birth and throughout people’s lives. Her career has focused on finding unique and creative ways to provide high-quality musical experiences for young children (particularly 0-8 year olds) and their wide and varied communities.  

She regularly produces and presents children’s concerts alongside many highly renowned orchestras, ensembles and soloists (including London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Mozart Players and Ensemble 360) and with the leading arts organisations and venues in the UK (including the Southbank Centre, Wigmore Hall, Sheffield Theatres and Royal Opera House).  She has worked with CBeebies, BBC Radio 3 and Scala Radio.

Polly has won numerous national awards with her work with Concerteenies and Music in the Round, including PRS Foundation, Royal Philharmonic Society and the David Bedford Music education award. She has previously led ground-breaking projects funded by Arts Council England, Youth Music, Garfield Weston and numerous South Yorkshire Trusts and Foundations and more.

She has led innovative music projects focussing on developing children’s speech and language skills, building children’s creativity and providing inclusive and accessible opportunities for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Her work with families, childcare providers, teachers and local communities focusses on shared experiences and connecting through music.

Polly has a unique reputation for commissioning and producing new ground-breaking works linked to children’s literature, including a successful 13 year partnership with composer Paul Rissmann. She has premiered music by Richard Chew and Luke Bedford and has worked alongside authors and illustrators including Julia Donaldson, Jason Chapman and Giles Andreae. She has devised her own creative music pieces alongside professional musicians, combining established classical compositions, improvisation and creative story-telling.

Polly aims to inspire and support others by leading conferences, training and mentorships through Music Hubs, universities, early years music networks and arts organisations. 

During the 2020 and 2021 Lockdowns, Polly has been motivated to support families and schools with home learning through music and encourage people to be creative for positive mental health and wellbeing.

She has created and presented online streamed concerts with Music in the Round and London Mozart Players, played garden gigs and concerts in residential care homes, and worked in partnership with the educational publishing house, Twinkl to produce musical learning resources. With her award-winning organisation Concerteenies, Polly has rapidly developed a new YouTube channel with Musical Activities to do at home, nursery or school. Polly has also produced Home Concerts and the pioneering 24-Hour Soundtrack, with the latter winning the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Inspiration Award for music-making that uplifted the nation during lockdown.