Scott Caizley
{{Short description|British music educator, pianist and academic.}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Scott Caizley
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Scott Andrew Caizley
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|09|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Leeds, West Yorkshire
| nationality = British
| other_names =
| alma_mater = University of Cambridge
University College London
King's College London
| occupation = Music Educator
Pianist
Researcher
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
Scott Caizley FRSA (born September 1993) is a British music educator, pianist and academic.
Background and education
Caizley was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire. He was raised on a council estate and attended a state-school.{{Cite web|date=2018-03-15|title=The 23-year-old fighting to open up classical music to poorer children|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/classical-piano-music-scott-caizley-working-class-135402|access-date=2022-01-19|website=inews.co.uk|language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-03-15 |title=A young working-class pianist fights the British system |url=https://slippedisc.com/2018/03/a-young-working-class-pianist-fights-the-british-system/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Slipped Disc |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=_The Big 'C' Word - Class and Classical Music : precarioustexts.com |url=https://precarioustexts.com/index.php/project/the-big-c-word---class-and-classical-music/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=precarioustexts.com}} In an interview, Scott said he has dedicated his life to ensuring young people from similar backgrounds to himself "face less obstacles when accessing quality music education".{{Cite web|title=Meet the pianist from a Leeds estate helping young classical musicians from working class backgrounds|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/people/meet-the-pianist-from-a-leeds-estate-helping-young-classical-musicians-from-working-class-backgrounds-3525240|access-date=2022-01-19|website=www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk|language=en}} Scott completed his undergraduate degree at UCL where he graduated with a first-class honours degree whilst supervised by Professor Claire Maxwell. After UCL, Scott pursued his master's degree at the University of Cambridge{{Cite web |title=Homerton College Annual Review 2019 by Homerton College - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/homerton/docs/homerton_2019_ar_final_web |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=issuu.com |language=en}} where he was supervised by Professor Pamela Burnard before researching for his PhD at King's College London with Dr Ruth Adams.{{Cite web |title=Scott Caizley - Biography - Research Portal, King's College, London |url=https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/scott-caizley(7196bcf6-275b-40d4-ad51-ac87e0a4b14c)/biography.html |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=kclpure.kcl.ac.uk}} He is also the cousin of English footballer Kevin Caizley.
Career
Scott currently lives in London and is founder and director of Bravo Maestros.{{Cite web|title=Diversity in Classical Music|url=https://www.bravomaestros.org/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=Bravo Maestros!|language=en}} He is noted for his research on the inequalities within the classical music industry.{{Cite web |title=Meet the pianist from a Leeds estate helping young classical musicians from working class backgrounds |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/people/meet-the-pianist-from-a-leeds-estate-helping-young-classical-musicians-from-working-class-backgrounds-3525240 |access-date=2022-01-19 |website=www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-03-15 |title=The 23-year-old fighting to open up classical music to poorer children |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/classical-piano-music-scott-caizley-working-class-135402 |access-date=2022-01-19 |website=inews.co.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Pianist fights to take the class divide out of classical music |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/arts-and-culture/pianist-fights-take-class-divide-out-classical-music-323204 |access-date=2022-01-19 |website=www.yorkshirepost.co.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kapital |first=Urban |date=2020-07-17 |title=UK royal schools of music exam board must address the colonial legacy |url=https://www.urbankapital.com/post/uk-royal-schools-of-music-exam-board-must-address-the-colonial-legacy |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Urban Kapital News |language=en}} He has publicly commented on the lack of state-school students in UK music conservatoires{{Cite web |date=2019-05-22 |title=The Conservatoire Crisis: suggestions from Oxbridge |url=https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2019/05/22/the-conservatoire-crisis-is-oxbridge-a-model-for-widening-participation/ |access-date=2022-01-19 |website=HEPI |language=en-GB}} and links his arguments to the wider class issues in the classical music sector. In 2020, Scott's research on the lack of racial diversity in UK music conservatoires and the ABRSM was featured in the media.{{Cite web |date=2020-07-15 |title=UK royal schools of music exam board urged to address colonial legacy |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/15/uk-royal-schools-of-music-exam-board-urged-to-address-colonial-legacy |access-date=2022-01-19 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=ABRSM must include more black and BAME composers in exam syllabus, music leaders urge |url=https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/abrsm-urged-include-black-bame-composers-exam-syllabus/ |access-date=2022-01-19 |website=Classic FM |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Holder |first=Nate |date=2020-07-16 |title=On the ABRSM and the legacy of Colonialism |url=https://www.nateholdermusic.com/post/on-the-abrsm-and-the-legacy-of-colonialism |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Nate Holder Music |language=en}} He remains the first person in the UK media to publicly advocate and research on the widening participation agendas of UK music conservatoires for state-schooled students.{{cite web |last=Middlesex University |date=8 February 2022 |title=UK Classical Music Conference |url=https://classicalmusicbusiness.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Conference-Brochure-2019.pdf |access-date=8 February 2022 |website=Classical Music Business}}{{Cite web |date=2019-06-11 |title=The Conservatoire Crisis: suggestions from Oxbridge |url=https://www.mia.org.uk/2019/06/the-conservatoire-crisis-suggestions-from-oxbridge/ |access-date=2022-02-08 |website=Music Industries Association |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Kapital |first=Urban |date=2020-07-17 |title=UK royal schools of music exam board must address the colonial legacy |url=https://www.urbankapital.com/post/uk-royal-schools-of-music-exam-board-must-address-the-colonial-legacy |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=Urban Kapital News |language=en}}
In 2022 he launched the 100 Maestros initiative which "recognises 100 classical musicians from diverse backgrounds each year".{{Cite web |title=Bravo Maestros launches nominations for 100 Maestros initiative |url=https://www.classical-music.uk/news/article/bravo-maestros-launches-nominations-for-100-maestros-initiative |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=Classical Music |language=en}} He was named the 'Leeds Piano Man' by the Yorkshire Evening Post in 2018 and has had his work on music education referenced in research across Europe, Australia and North America.{{Cite journal |last1=Rivas |first1=Javier |last2=Sparey |first2=Rhys |last3=Davies |first3=Jonathan |last4=Gleason-Mercier |first4=Caroline |last5=Hughes |first5=Sarah |last6=Knights |first6=Susannah |last7=Cavett |first7=Esther |date=2021-11-01 |title=Voices from Southwark: Reflections on a collaborative music teaching project in London in the age of COVID-19 |url=https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/intellect/ijcm/2021/00000014/f0020002/art00005 |journal=International Journal of Community Music |volume=14 |issue=2–3 |pages=169–189 |doi=10.1386/ijcm_00043_1|s2cid=246416371 }}{{Cite journal |last=Rivas |first=Javier |date=2021-01-02 |title=A view from below: some thoughts on musicology and EDI work as acts of care |journal=Ethnomusicology Forum |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=63–81 |doi=10.1080/17411912.2021.1938624 |s2cid=236163220 |issn=1741-1912|doi-access=free }}{{Cite thesis |title=She's Still Sounding: Working Towards Inclusion of Gender, Race, and Intersectionality in Piano Curriculum |url=http://ruor.uottawa.ca/handle/10393/42176 |publisher=Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa |date=2021-05-20 |degree=Thesis |language=en |first=Olivia |last=Adams}}{{Cite web |last=Comunian |first=Roberta |title=SpringerBriefs in Regional Science The Economics of Talent |url=https://ouci.dntb.gov.ua/en/works/7nZWRqm7/ |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=ouci.dntb.gov.ua |language=uk-UA}} In 2019, Scott appeared on the BBC Two topical comedy show The Ranganation.{{Cite web |title=BBC Two - The Ranganation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005bq9 |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} He currently serves as a Trustee for the UK charity Open Up Music{{Cite web |title=Patrons and Trustees |url=https://www.openupmusic.org/patrons-and-trustees |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Open Up Music |language=en}} and also as a Governor at The Courtyard School{{Cite web |title=St Mary Magdalene Academy: the Courtyard - GOV.UK |url=https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/139418#school-governance |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=get-information-schools.service.gov.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Governors - The Courtyard - St Mary Magdalene Academy |url=https://smmathecourtyard.org/key-information/governors/ |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=smmathecourtyard.org}} in Islington. In the 2022 London local elections he was a candidate for the Liberal Democrats for the Bayswater area in the 2022 Westminster City Council election.{{Cite web |title=Westminster local election: The 9 candidates in Bayswater |url=https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/local.westminster.bayswater.2022-05-05/bayswater/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Who Can I Vote For? by Democracy Club |language=en}}