HomeOur Gifted Songbook Writers | Out of the Ark Music

Our experienced writers work really hard to bring you quality, age-appropriate songs, full of life and good values and we’re really proud to introduce them to you. Scroll down to learn a little more about each of them, and click the ‘view products’ links to see what songbooks each writer has contributed to!

Mark and Helen Johnson
Mark and Helen Johnson are not only the founders of Out of the Ark but also its principal songwriters. Their vision and gifted writing have ‘helped put the singing back into assemblies’ and have taken the company from very humble beginnings to its current position as one of primary education’s favourite creators of musical resources. Mark and Helen’s ability to write songs with catchy melodies and memorable choruses that both children and adults adore, continues to be the cornerstone of their appeal. Mark and Helen live in West Sussex and have three children.
View products
Naomi Johnson
Naomi has been writing songs for over a decade. After graduating with a First-Class Honours degree in songwriting, Naomi has been writing commercially and collaboratively across a variety of genres, including nativities and musicals for Out of the Ark. She is passionate about the incredible impact that musical theatre can have on both young and old.
View products
Niki Davies
Niki Davies is one of Britain’s top music writers for young children. She is an early years education specialist and therefore understands how to appeal to the young through her music. Whilst having numerous works published, Niki is also in great demand for her teacher workshops and has written for many BBC radio and television programmes. Niki has two children and lives in Yorkshire.
View products
 
Mary Green and Julie Stanley
Mary and Julie have a successful writing partnership with several published works for Early Years, KS1 and KS2. Their productions have been widely performed as well as being broadcast on TV. Mary has been a regular outline writer for TV’s Play School with many of her poems and stories also being broadcast. Julie graduated from Trinity College of Music, before starting her teaching and composing career at Francis House School in Hertfordshire.
View products
Antony Copus
Antony studied at The Royal Academy of Music, and is a freelance musician and composer. As a horn player, Antony performed and recorded with most major UK orchestras, including the London Symphony, BBC Symphony and Royal Philharmonic orchestras, appearing with a wide range of artists from Tony Bennett to Pavarotti. As well as performing, Antony is an experienced teacher and spent several years as Director of Music at an independent school in Berkshire. He now works as Head of Education for Out of the Ark. Antony is married, has two children, two step-children and has more bees than he can count.
View products
Nikki Lewis
Nikki Lewis is the winning songwriter from our Search for a Songwriter competition (2006), with her entry Colours Of The World. Nikki is an advanced-skills teacher specialising in primary music and drama. She leads music and drama initiatives throughout Somerset supporting the work of teachers in primary schools. Nikki is also passionate about raising the profile of singing in schools and leading singing workshops for children across the primary age range.
View products
 
Rebecca Kincaid
Rebecca studied at Sussex University and The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and is a freelance musician and editor. Before having children she spent several years at BBC Worldwide as a books editor and has been teaching the piano and flute for 15 years. Alongside her teaching, she runs successful music groups for toddlers and loves to write songs for young children that capture their imagination and are fun to sing. Rebecca lives in Surrey with her husband and two children.
View products
Sue Langwade
Sue Langwade is a writer with many years' experience in primary education. She has collaborated with Mark and Helen on several projects and has published a book of short sketches entitled 'Brushstrokes'. Sue is married with two children, five dogs and lives in Surrey.
View products
Andy Harsant
Andy has been working in music production for nearly 40 years. He has been musical director for various touring bands, studio based record producer, and an arranger and composer throughout this time. He manages Out of the Ark’s recording studio and creates all their backing tracks and recordings. Andy lives on the coast in West Sussex with his wife, and has three grown-up children, two grandchildren and a dog called Dylan.
View products
 
Margaret Carpenter
Margaret Carpenter, a teacher for over 20 years, has a joint passion for music and teaching. Writer of many popular musicals for primary schools, she continues to work with her children's choir, writing and recording new music. An extremely gifted composer, Margaret has developed a strong following for her musicals and nativity plays. Married to Richard, she lives in Yorkshire.
View products
Sha Armstrong
Sha began her professional music career as part of a successful band that toured extensively both here and abroad, releasing several records and performing on world renowned stages and on BBC1. After starting a family, she changed gear to work with younger children, entertaining and teaching them in numerous nurseries in SE England. Following this, she trained to become a secondary school music teacher, culminating in a role as Head of Music and then Head of Performing Arts in a large state school in Middlesex where her department won several awards for excellence from The Good Schools Guide. Sha is now the Director of Music at St James's Catholic Primary school, an outstanding state school in.
View products
Ann Beresford
Ann Beresford has a wealth of experience in teaching and writing music for all ages and stages of life. In particular, she loves working with pre-school children and their parents making music a mutually fun experience and developing physical, emotional and social skills. Ann is also a qualified Music Therapist working with children and adults in challenging circumstances. She lives in West Sussex with her husband Paddy and has two daughters and three grandsons.
View products
 
Paul Field
Paul Field has been working as a professional composer and musician for over 30 years, receiving many awards for his songwriting, including an Ivor Novello from the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters. His songs have been recorded by many artists, one of the most well known being the single The Millennium Prayer by Cliff Richard. Paul also writes for TV, film, theatre and advertising and has written and produced a number of albums of children's songs. Paul lives in London with his wife Ruth, and has two sons.
View products
Matthew Crossey
Matthew Crossey has worked in music publishing for nearly twenty years. Initially signed as a pop writer for a major publishing house, Matt later found himself working on the other side of the track, running marketing and creative departments for music book publishers.
View products
Ned Bennett
With numerous publications under his own name, and many works within collections, Ned Bennett is well known as a writer of educational music. As a music teacher he has over twenty years of experience behind him, and he is also a busy freelance jazz saxophonist in London. Having two children has enabled Ned to see at first hand the joy and importance of introducing music to children at a very early stage.
View products
 
Kelly Fort
Kelly produces original visual and musical material and has contributed her ideas to many popular television productions for over a decade. She has a passion for positively influencing the lives of children through her work.
View products
Sarah Baker
Sarah studied music at Birmingham University and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, specializing in piano performance and composition. She has worked for over twenty years as a pianist, choir leader and vocal coach in Birmingham primary schools and has written several musicals and song collections for young voices. She loves enabling children to enjoy music through singing and performance, and passionately believes in the unique qualities of the performing arts to develop self-confidence and positive attitudes in all who take part. She is currently the Vocal Composer in Residence for Services For Education Music Services and examines for ABRSM.
View products
Rob Stroh
Rob Studied at the Purcell School and Royal College of Music. Having spent several years working as a freelance french horn player with UK orchestras and in the West End, he now works as a composer, arranger and orchestrator, and produces his own instrumental cds. His music has been performed by many of Europe's leading orchestras and has featured in numerous films and productions. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and daughter - who is a big fan of Out of the Ark songs!
View products
 
Jeff Hammer
Jeff Hammer trained as a classical pianist and went on to work in music journalism and record company press offices before moving into the world of professional music, where he has since worked and toured extensively with many top artists. He has been involved in a wide range of recording, writing and TV projects and is also the author of a number of books on keyboard playing.
View products
Ann Bryant
Ann Bryant has over 25 years’ teaching experience specializing in music for 3 – 9 year olds. Her lessons captivate the children with an atmosphere of high energy contrasted with intense calm, creating moments of magic that are truly inspirational. Ann has written for BBC schools radio and TV programmes, and has published over 100 books comprising children's novels and picture books as well as primary music resources. Ann has two children and lives in Kent.
View products
Alison Hedger
Alison Hedger has spent her career making, writing and publishing children’s music and has become a highly respected figure in the field of music education. A happy understanding of children and an insight into their humour, means that her songs really appeal to young performers, whilst delighting teachers, families and friends alike.
View products
 
Ali McClure
Ali has many years’ experience teaching, writing and performing music. She runs workshops empowering teachers and early years practitioners to have fun and be successful in their music experiences with children. Ali also works with trainee teachers, lecturing for Kingston University. She believes that music is the key to so many areas of the curriculum and life and should be practical and accessible to everyone. Ali has recently written a book called Making It Better For Boys. Ali is married with three young sons who show her new ways to make music every day.
View products
Hannah Rhodes
Hannah Rhodes graduated from Birmingham University in 2008 having specialised in piano performance. She now works as a freelance singer, pianist and composer for theatre and directs choirs for Oxford Youth Choirs and St John Fisher School, Oxford. Hannah is the founder of Macamu, a collective of musicians and arts professionals performing and recording original songs for young children.
View products
Jane Carr
Jane Carr has a wealth of experience in the field of music education, having worked with several leading children’s book publishers creating audio content for a number of their main titles. An honours graduate in music from the University of Wales and a post graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, London, Jane is currently Education Director of ‘FUNtastic!’ a multi-platform music-led brand for young children.
View products
 
Ali Dee
Ali has been working with early years and KS1-aged children for over 25 years. For the last ten years she has been writing songs for children and is passionate about making singing fun and meaningful for them, always seeking to inspire them through her music. Ali is married and has three daughters.
View products
Marco Frankland
Marco Frankland wrote his first song over 35 years ago and has written, arranged, recorded and performed his own material since then. The songs he writes for schools are largely to entertain and engage his young audience whilst developing their ukulele skills. He is a musician that believes in grassroots music development and is passionate about supporting his community. In 2010 he was a founding member of MADhurst, Midhurst’s annual Music, Arts and Drama Festival and founded the South Downs Ukulele Orchestra in 2013.
View products
Gaynor Boddy
Gaynor Boddy studied at Royal Holloway University of London, obtaining a degree in English Literature and Language. Prior to having children, she worked as a Children's Bookseller. She loves writing for children and has a firm belief in nurturing children's all-important imagination and creativity through stories and language. She lives in Surrey with her husband and two children.
View products
 
Siân Fawcett
Siân trained at Leeds Conservatoire where she earned a first-class honours degree in popular music studies, specialising in songwriting. She has a decade of experience as a music specialist in primary schools and early-years settings, including as a guitar teacher and a vocal coach. Alongside this, Siân has toured nationally in bands and performed as a solo artist at events across the UK. Commercial songwriting has included work for Fisher-Price, Mattel and Little Baby Bum. Siân now lives back in her hometown of Nottingham with her partner and her little dog Peggy.
View products
Paul Langwade
Paul has worked in post-production sound for film and television for over 40 years, designing soundtracks for Hollywood movies and TV drama. He has occasionally written songs for children’s TV and has written music and lyrics for several musicals including those for Out of the Ark. Paul continues to play guitar for theatrical performances across Surrey.
View products
Julian Winn
Julian studied violin and piano at the Royal College of Music with the late John Ludlow. His work in the West End includes Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Starlight Express, Grease and the current West End smash hit, Mamma Mia.

As a Musical Director, his work includes Grease (Cambridge Theatre, West End) and the UK National Tour of Doctor Dolittle. His music regularly features on BBC and ITV and his composition for full orchestra, Perpetuum Mobile, featured in the National Children’s Orchestra concert series in 2018. In the same year, Julian was invited to conduct and workshop this piece with the renowned violinist Nicola Benedetti, as part of the Benedetti Sessions at the Royal Welsh College of Music.

Julian now combines his roles as a teacher and an educational composer, collaborating with Sing Up and ESTA (the European String Teacher’s Association). In July 2024, he gained a Masters (Distinction) in Practical Music Teaching and his piece, A Canadian Tale, received its world première in Canada as part of the International Junior ESTA Conference.

He is delighted to be working as a new writer for Out of the Ark.
View products
 
Matthew Newman
Matthew Newman grew up in Staffordshire and graduated from Lancaster University with a degree in English and Music. He now lives in Yorkshire and works for a local homeless charity. He has written lots of fun songs for children and thoughtful songs for adults over the last twenty years that have been popular with many schools and churches. He was invited by a local school to write a new nativity musical for their youngest pupils, and enjoyed spending time working closely with the children and their teachers to develop the music and script for Christmas Counts.
View products
Stewart Henderson
For over 25 years, Stewart Henderson has been captivating and inspiring children through his performances and poetry-writing workshops in Primary Schools throughout the UK. A hallmark of his presence in the classroom is the ability to encourage children to express their thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears through poetry, in a supportive atmosphere... Yet, as the Waterstone's website describes Stewart's work and approach: 'Poetry has never been so much fun!'
View products
Natalie Hollinshed
Natalie is a Music and Performing Arts co-ordinator for primary schools. Working with infant children on a daily basis gives her clear insight into their musical capabilities and what makes them tick in general. A keen singer herself, she leads an adult ‘a cappella’ choir and also works with the Out of the Ark Choir on their various recording projects.
View products
 
Lin Marsh
Lin Marsh trained at Trinity College of Music and London University, later gaining an MA in Performance Arts at Middlesex University, and has worked extensively in music education across all sectors. As a composer she has written for BBC children’s programmes, both television and radio, and has a particular focus on music theatre. June 2014 saw the premiere of Wild Swans which was commissioned and performed by the Hallé orchestra and Children’s Chorus.

As a voice specialist, Lin runs workshops and courses throughout the country and abroad, and she is currently working as a World Voice Trainer for the British Council in Lebanon and Cyprus.
View products
Noel and Tricia Richards
Since the mid 1980s, Noel and Tricia Richards have been known as writers of contemporary Christian worship songs, which have found their way into regular use in churches throughout the UK and beyond. Perhaps their best known composition is 'All Heaven Declares'. They currently have 17 songs that feature in the UK CCLI top 500, Church Copyright listing. In 2010, they relocated to Palma de Mallorca, Spain and so began a new direction for their music and songwriting.
View products
Maree Simpson
Maree was runner-up in our Search for a Songwriter competition (2006) with her song Colourful Hair. The standard was so high that we just had to include it! Maree gained a B Ed Music degree in 1999 and later completed a Diploma in Jazz. Currently, she teaches music at two primary schools in the Shetland Isles.
View products
 
Danielle Marsh
Danielle grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne and completed her undergraduate degree in history at Cambridge University. She gained a postgraduate certificate followed by a diploma in education from Durham University and then taught history at several secondary schools. In 2014, now with four children, the family moved to Kent where Danielle took up a position at the University of Kent as a postgraduate research coordinator in the school of English. Danielle and Lin have enjoyed collaborating on several musicals; The Angel Who Nearly Missed It All is their first joint nativity to be published.
View products
Becky Frith
Becky Frith is a singer/songwriter and has written many songs that are used by churches and schools around the world. She has recorded four albums and her songs have been used in various compilations and projects. She plays piano/keyboard and guitar and enjoys composing and creating in her home studio. Becky has worked with an international missions organisation since 1995. This work has seen her travel to, and live in, many countries around the world. She now lives in West Sussex.
View products
 
 
Mark and Helen Johnson
Mark and Helen Johnson are not only the founders of Out of the Ark but also its principal songwriters. Their vision and gifted writing have ‘helped put the singing back into assemblies’ and have taken the company from very humble beginnings to its current position as one of primary education’s favourite creators of musical resources. Mark and Helen’s ability to write songs with catchy melodies and memorable choruses that both children and adults adore, continues to be the cornerstone of their appeal. Mark and Helen live in West Sussex and have three children.
View products
Naomi Johnson
Naomi has been writing songs for over a decade. After graduating with a First-Class Honours degree in songwriting, Naomi has been writing commercially and collaboratively across a variety of genres, including nativities and musicals for Out of the Ark. She is passionate about the incredible impact that musical theatre can have on both young and old.
View products
Niki Davies
Niki Davies is one of Britain’s top music writers for young children. She is an early years education specialist and therefore understands how to appeal to the young through her music. Whilst having numerous works published, Niki is also in great demand for her teacher workshops and has written for many BBC radio and television programmes. Niki has two children and lives in Yorkshire.
View products
Mary Green and Julie Stanley
Mary and Julie have a successful writing partnership with several published works for Early Years, KS1 and KS2. Their productions have been widely performed as well as being broadcast on TV. Mary has been a regular outline writer for TV’s Play School with many of her poems and stories also being broadcast. Julie graduated from Trinity College of Music, before starting her teaching and composing career at Francis House School in Hertfordshire.
View products
Antony Copus
Antony studied at The Royal Academy of Music, and is a freelance musician and composer. As a horn player, Antony performed and recorded with most major UK orchestras, including the London Symphony, BBC Symphony and Royal Philharmonic orchestras, appearing with a wide range of artists from Tony Bennett to Pavarotti. As well as performing, Antony is an experienced teacher and spent several years as Director of Music at an independent school in Berkshire. He now works as Head of Education for Out of the Ark. Antony is married, has two children, two step-children and has more bees than he can count.
View products
Nikki Lewis
Nikki Lewis is the winning songwriter from our Search for a Songwriter competition (2006), with her entry Colours Of The World. Nikki is an advanced-skills teacher specialising in primary music and drama. She leads music and drama initiatives throughout Somerset supporting the work of teachers in primary schools. Nikki is also passionate about raising the profile of singing in schools and leading singing workshops for children across the primary age range.
View products
Rebecca Kincaid
Rebecca studied at Sussex University and The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and is a freelance musician and editor. Before having children she spent several years at BBC Worldwide as a books editor and has been teaching the piano and flute for 15 years. Alongside her teaching, she runs successful music groups for toddlers and loves to write songs for young children that capture their imagination and are fun to sing. Rebecca lives in Surrey with her husband and two children.
View products
Sue Langwade
Sue Langwade is a writer with many years' experience in primary education. She has collaborated with Mark and Helen on several projects and has published a book of short sketches entitled 'Brushstrokes'. Sue is married with two children, five dogs and lives in Surrey.
View products
Andy Harsant
Andy has been working in music production for nearly 40 years. He has been musical director for various touring bands, studio based record producer, and an arranger and composer throughout this time. He manages Out of the Ark’s recording studio and creates all their backing tracks and recordings. Andy lives on the coast in West Sussex with his wife, and has three grown-up children, two grandchildren and a dog called Dylan.
View products
Margaret Carpenter
Margaret Carpenter, a teacher for over 20 years, has a joint passion for music and teaching. Writer of many popular musicals for primary schools, she continues to work with her children's choir, writing and recording new music. An extremely gifted composer, Margaret has developed a strong following for her musicals and nativity plays. Married to Richard, she lives in Yorkshire.
View products
Sha Armstrong
Sha began her professional music career as part of a successful band that toured extensively both here and abroad, releasing several records and performing on world renowned stages and on BBC1. After starting a family, she changed gear to work with younger children, entertaining and teaching them in numerous nurseries in SE England. Following this, she trained to become a secondary school music teacher, culminating in a role as Head of Music and then Head of Performing Arts in a large state school in Middlesex where her department won several awards for excellence from The Good Schools Guide. Sha is now the Director of Music at St James's Catholic Primary school, an outstanding state school in.
View products
Ann Beresford
Ann Beresford has a wealth of experience in teaching and writing music for all ages and stages of life. In particular, she loves working with pre-school children and their parents making music a mutually fun experience and developing physical, emotional and social skills. Ann is also a qualified Music Therapist working with children and adults in challenging circumstances. She lives in West Sussex with her husband Paddy and has two daughters and three grandsons.
View products
Paul Field
Paul Field has been working as a professional composer and musician for over 30 years, receiving many awards for his songwriting, including an Ivor Novello from the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters. His songs have been recorded by many artists, one of the most well known being the single The Millennium Prayer by Cliff Richard. Paul also writes for TV, film, theatre and advertising and has written and produced a number of albums of children's songs. Paul lives in London with his wife Ruth, and has two sons.
View products
Matthew Crossey
Matthew Crossey has worked in music publishing for nearly twenty years. Initially signed as a pop writer for a major publishing house, Matt later found himself working on the other side of the track, running marketing and creative departments for music book publishers.
View products
Ned Bennett
With numerous publications under his own name, and many works within collections, Ned Bennett is well known as a writer of educational music. As a music teacher he has over twenty years of experience behind him, and he is also a busy freelance jazz saxophonist in London. Having two children has enabled Ned to see at first hand the joy and importance of introducing music to children at a very early stage.
View products
Kelly Fort
Kelly produces original visual and musical material and has contributed her ideas to many popular television productions for over a decade. She has a passion for positively influencing the lives of children through her work.
View products
Sarah Baker
Sarah studied music at Birmingham University and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, specializing in piano performance and composition. She has worked for over twenty years as a pianist, choir leader and vocal coach in Birmingham primary schools and has written several musicals and song collections for young voices. She loves enabling children to enjoy music through singing and performance, and passionately believes in the unique qualities of the performing arts to develop self-confidence and positive attitudes in all who take part. She is currently the Vocal Composer in Residence for Services For Education Music Services and examines for ABRSM.
View products
Rob Stroh
Rob Studied at the Purcell School and Royal College of Music. Having spent several years working as a freelance french horn player with UK orchestras and in the West End, he now works as a composer, arranger and orchestrator, and produces his own instrumental cds. His music has been performed by many of Europe's leading orchestras and has featured in numerous films and productions. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and daughter - who is a big fan of Out of the Ark songs!
View products
Jeff Hammer
Jeff Hammer trained as a classical pianist and went on to work in music journalism and record company press offices before moving into the world of professional music, where he has since worked and toured extensively with many top artists. He has been involved in a wide range of recording, writing and TV projects and is also the author of a number of books on keyboard playing.
View products
Ann Bryant
Ann Bryant has over 25 years’ teaching experience specializing in music for 3 – 9 year olds. Her lessons captivate the children with an atmosphere of high energy contrasted with intense calm, creating moments of magic that are truly inspirational. Ann has written for BBC schools radio and TV programmes, and has published over 100 books comprising children's novels and picture books as well as primary music resources. Ann has two children and lives in Kent.
View products
Alison Hedger
Alison Hedger has spent her career making, writing and publishing children’s music and has become a highly respected figure in the field of music education. A happy understanding of children and an insight into their humour, means that her songs really appeal to young performers, whilst delighting teachers, families and friends alike.
View products
Ali McClure
Ali has many years’ experience teaching, writing and performing music. She runs workshops empowering teachers and early years practitioners to have fun and be successful in their music experiences with children. Ali also works with trainee teachers, lecturing for Kingston University. She believes that music is the key to so many areas of the curriculum and life and should be practical and accessible to everyone. Ali has recently written a book called Making It Better For Boys. Ali is married with three young sons who show her new ways to make music every day.
View products
Hannah Rhodes
Hannah Rhodes graduated from Birmingham University in 2008 having specialised in piano performance. She now works as a freelance singer, pianist and composer for theatre and directs choirs for Oxford Youth Choirs and St John Fisher School, Oxford. Hannah is the founder of Macamu, a collective of musicians and arts professionals performing and recording original songs for young children.
View products
Jane Carr
Jane Carr has a wealth of experience in the field of music education, having worked with several leading children’s book publishers creating audio content for a number of their main titles. An honours graduate in music from the University of Wales and a post graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, London, Jane is currently Education Director of ‘FUNtastic!’ a multi-platform music-led brand for young children.
View products
Ali Dee
Ali has been working with early years and KS1-aged children for over 25 years. For the last ten years she has been writing songs for children and is passionate about making singing fun and meaningful for them, always seeking to inspire them through her music. Ali is married and has three daughters.
View products
Marco Frankland
Marco Frankland wrote his first song over 35 years ago and has written, arranged, recorded and performed his own material since then. The songs he writes for schools are largely to entertain and engage his young audience whilst developing their ukulele skills. He is a musician that believes in grassroots music development and is passionate about supporting his community. In 2010 he was a founding member of MADhurst, Midhurst’s annual Music, Arts and Drama Festival and founded the South Downs Ukulele Orchestra in 2013.
View products
Gaynor Boddy
Gaynor Boddy studied at Royal Holloway University of London, obtaining a degree in English Literature and Language. Prior to having children, she worked as a Children's Bookseller. She loves writing for children and has a firm belief in nurturing children's all-important imagination and creativity through stories and language. She lives in Surrey with her husband and two children.
View products
Siân Fawcett
Siân trained at Leeds Conservatoire where she earned a first-class honours degree in popular music studies, specialising in songwriting. She has a decade of experience as a music specialist in primary schools and early-years settings, including as a guitar teacher and a vocal coach. Alongside this, Siân has toured nationally in bands and performed as a solo artist at events across the UK. Commercial songwriting has included work for Fisher-Price, Mattel and Little Baby Bum. Siân now lives back in her hometown of Nottingham with her partner and her little dog Peggy.
View products
Paul Langwade
Paul has worked in post-production sound for film and television for over 40 years, designing soundtracks for Hollywood movies and TV drama. He has occasionally written songs for children’s TV and has written music and lyrics for several musicals including those for Out of the Ark. Paul continues to play guitar for theatrical performances across Surrey.
View products
Julian Winn
Julian studied violin and piano at the Royal College of Music with the late John Ludlow. His work in the West End includes Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Starlight Express, Grease and the current West End smash hit, Mamma Mia.

As a Musical Director, his work includes Grease (Cambridge Theatre, West End) and the UK National Tour of Doctor Dolittle. His music regularly features on BBC and ITV and his composition for full orchestra, Perpetuum Mobile, featured in the National Children’s Orchestra concert series in 2018. In the same year, Julian was invited to conduct and workshop this piece with the renowned violinist Nicola Benedetti, as part of the Benedetti Sessions at the Royal Welsh College of Music.

Julian now combines his roles as a teacher and an educational composer, collaborating with Sing Up and ESTA (the European String Teacher’s Association). In July 2024, he gained a Masters (Distinction) in Practical Music Teaching and his piece, A Canadian Tale, received its world première in Canada as part of the International Junior ESTA Conference.

He is delighted to be working as a new writer for Out of the Ark.
View products
Matthew Newman
Matthew Newman grew up in Staffordshire and graduated from Lancaster University with a degree in English and Music. He now lives in Yorkshire and works for a local homeless charity. He has written lots of fun songs for children and thoughtful songs for adults over the last twenty years that have been popular with many schools and churches. He was invited by a local school to write a new nativity musical for their youngest pupils, and enjoyed spending time working closely with the children and their teachers to develop the music and script for Christmas Counts.
View products
Stewart Henderson
For over 25 years, Stewart Henderson has been captivating and inspiring children through his performances and poetry-writing workshops in Primary Schools throughout the UK. A hallmark of his presence in the classroom is the ability to encourage children to express their thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears through poetry, in a supportive atmosphere... Yet, as the Waterstone's website describes Stewart's work and approach: 'Poetry has never been so much fun!'
View products
Natalie Hollinshed
Natalie is a Music and Performing Arts co-ordinator for primary schools. Working with infant children on a daily basis gives her clear insight into their musical capabilities and what makes them tick in general. A keen singer herself, she leads an adult ‘a cappella’ choir and also works with the Out of the Ark Choir on their various recording projects.
View products
Lin Marsh
Lin Marsh trained at Trinity College of Music and London University, later gaining an MA in Performance Arts at Middlesex University, and has worked extensively in music education across all sectors. As a composer she has written for BBC children’s programmes, both television and radio, and has a particular focus on music theatre. June 2014 saw the premiere of Wild Swans which was commissioned and performed by the Hallé orchestra and Children’s Chorus.

As a voice specialist, Lin runs workshops and courses throughout the country and abroad, and she is currently working as a World Voice Trainer for the British Council in Lebanon and Cyprus.
View products
Noel and Tricia Richards
Since the mid 1980s, Noel and Tricia Richards have been known as writers of contemporary Christian worship songs, which have found their way into regular use in churches throughout the UK and beyond. Perhaps their best known composition is 'All Heaven Declares'. They currently have 17 songs that feature in the UK CCLI top 500, Church Copyright listing. In 2010, they relocated to Palma de Mallorca, Spain and so began a new direction for their music and songwriting.
View products
Maree Simpson
Maree was runner-up in our Search for a Songwriter competition (2006) with her song Colourful Hair. The standard was so high that we just had to include it! Maree gained a B Ed Music degree in 1999 and later completed a Diploma in Jazz. Currently, she teaches music at two primary schools in the Shetland Isles.
View products
Danielle Marsh
Danielle grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne and completed her undergraduate degree in history at Cambridge University. She gained a postgraduate certificate followed by a diploma in education from Durham University and then taught history at several secondary schools. In 2014, now with four children, the family moved to Kent where Danielle took up a position at the University of Kent as a postgraduate research coordinator in the school of English. Danielle and Lin have enjoyed collaborating on several musicals; The Angel Who Nearly Missed It All is their first joint nativity to be published.
View products
Becky Frith
Becky Frith is a singer/songwriter and has written many songs that are used by churches and schools around the world. She has recorded four albums and her songs have been used in various compilations and projects. She plays piano/keyboard and guitar and enjoys composing and creating in her home studio. Becky has worked with an international missions organisation since 1995. This work has seen her travel to, and live in, many countries around the world. She now lives in West Sussex.
View products