New post just out: "Troubleshooters" How fixing the many small frustrations - that make up most of our interactions with the state - can give people faith in goverment's ability to make things work. And help create a different Whitehall culture. (£/free trial) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...

Theatre #5. Incredible performance of All My Sons. Just wow.

Theatre #4 courtesy of NT Live, one of my favourite innovations. Great performances by Martin Freeman and Jack Lowden, and you get a great view for £20 from the comfort of your local cinema

Theatre #3 Some much needed new year humour from Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. Mischief theatre are just brilliant!

Theatre #2 - The minimalist staging of The Forsyte Saga at the RSC allows the story (and acting) to shine. Loved both parts of this (had managed to miss all previous TV adaptations, so the story was genuinely new to me).

Already finished 2 TV series. V much enjoyed the Stranger Things finale - agree that the epilogue was disproportionately lengthy, but I was crying 😢 by the end. Satisfying ending imo.

Starting this year's support/ enjoyment of the arts with an awesome performance of Fiddler on the Roof, a musical I have actually managed not to see before now (no, not even the film). High quality all round.

This one is interesting...

New post just out: "Who might replace Starmer?" With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over. Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference? (£/free trial) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...

New post out: "The worst social policy ever" Today we have a guest post from @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social on the abomination that is the two-child limit and why Labour need to scrap it ASAP. Lots of data but also powerful testimony. (Free to read) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...

The first line made me laugh out loud, the rest was the usual tone of insightful and somewhat depressing (I have family being educated in Russia)

Sending @samfr.bsky.social lots of get well soon wishes, following his latest attempt to become one of his own NHS statistics. As ever, hugely insightful piece, although I think everyone would prefer you not to have to write from firsthand experience!

Are you listening? We're on BBC Radio 3 right now, with our season opening concert recorded last week! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

This week we performed The Dream of Gerontius as the CBSO's season opener - here's my tribute to Simon Halsey who steps down as Chorus Director after 43 years! elunedmansell.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/i...

Great day at #rED25 - sessions from @beckyfrancis.bsky.social, @daisychristo.bsky.social, @chrisfountain.bsky.social and @dougobrien.bsky.social. It is always a delight seeing educators sharing their knowledge (on a Saturday no less) - brings such energy to the start of term.

My latest, exploring with numbers how the millennial household budget is basically incomprehensible to retired boomers.

New post just out: "Britain isn't broken" We have our problems but the doomerism is getting out of hand. I look at the real picture on crime, migration, social cohesion and the economy - rather than the dsyoptian fantasies of the radical right. (£/free trial) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/b...

Never done a concert that started at 9.45pm before! Singing under the sea in Monaco with the Prince in attendance. Now making our way back home...

Paul McCartney's music in Monaco! Turns out Nice is indeed nice, so we're having a wonderful time exploring, while prepping for Sunday's concert in the evenings

*NEW POST* The Enduring Persistence of Neuromyths in Education A new study surveying over 3,000 Spanish teachers provides one of the most detailed snapshots to date. Fantastic work from @juanfernandez.bsky.social @ferreromar.bsky.social and colleagues open.substack.com/pub/carlhend...

🎉 We'd like to say the biggest thank you to each and everyone who has joined us this week 🎶   To our #SFEensembles - you have done us and yourselves immensely proud! ❤️   Any donations to support our ensembles are hugely appreciated 👉 tinyurl.com/y8xd6pnd   #ACEsupported

Tough topics, made teachable: introducing our new online safety resources: https://oaknat.uk/3THU1RU 💻 Covering vital topics from incel ideology to influencer culture, sensitively, clearly, and safely 💻 Reflect the latest RSHE statutory guidance  💻 Age-appropriate, from KS1 to KS4

Absolutely loved seeing the fabulous ensembles perform last night. We heard Mozart on the steel pans, Backstreet Boys from the training winds and Star Wars from the Symphony Orchestra! Incredible focus from the children, impressive organisation by the staff. Particularly fab primary massed choir 🎶

Join our team as a Brass Instrumental Teacher 💡 We are currently in need of enthusiastic and dedicated full or part-time Brass Teachers with strong experience in Whole Class teaching to join our vibrant music community 👉 buff.ly/yAOae08  #Hiring

Huge audience appreciation for Marriage Material at Birningham Rep this afternoon. Also learnt some new words courtesy of the chap next to me 🤣 Brilliant BSL interpretation as well

As members of @thecbso.bsky.social we are slightly unconvinced by this line! #choir #McCartney

It's 30 degrees outside, so obviously have spent the day sweltering in our rehearsal hall learning this for our upcoming tour! Not often we get to sing some McCartney.

Thanks for the reminder @janemunday.bsky.social. Every summer, I repost this article DROWNING DOES NOT LOOK LIKE DROWNING. To date, I know of FOUR kids who were saved after someone who'd clicked on the link learnt how to spot actual drowning. Take time to read and pass on. slate.com/technology/2...

Another fascinating post, trying to get at the heart of how you can actually make a difference while trying to run a country!

Reading all the responses is an excellent way to start the day. Also, we have a winner: Whoever is running the passport office should clearly be knighted and put in charge of running the country.

Wow! 😮 youtu.be/iO24SGs4B_k?...

🚨Just 2% of the population - under 800,000 people sustained the whole of England's blood supply over the past 12 months The NHS has put out an urgent call for 200,000 donors to come forward Book an appointment or register today ❤️🙏👇 blood.co.uk

Hello Elgar, my old friend... Starting rehearsals for next season! #Choir

Spent the day with Eimar Noone and the CBSO performing music from epic video games. Hugely appreciative audience, including plenty of people who had never seen a live orchestra before, just fabulous to see them there.

New post just out: "What would a Reform government be like?" It's time to take the prospect seriously + stop treating them like mere insurgents against the establishment. It's giving them a free pass to attack without ever having to defend. (£/ free trial) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...

New post just out: Today we have a guest post from Ilan Gur, the CEO of the UK's new Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA). "Three technologies that can change the world" (Free to read) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...

Special Bluesky offer just for today. Sign up for an annual subscription and I'll send you a signed copy of my book "Failed State". Just DM me your address after signing up.

In suddenly pretending to be an alto... Composers, just no. Not in choral music. Top D is unacceptable. Otherwise, super fun music!

A Brief History of Men Today Are Too Feminine and Women Too Masculine 🧵

New post just out: "Terminal Decline" My review of a dramatic set of elections and what it means for all of the parties. (£/free trial) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...

A bacon roll, a sea view and political analysis by @samfr.bsky.social feel like a good start to my Saturday morning

Very excited for the next CBSO Chorus project - video games! Even I've heard of most of these... Already shaping up to be epic, join us, the CBSO, and conductor Eimear Noone for an evening of brilliant music on Sunday 25 May.

It's that time of year when @samfr.bsky.social flexes his extraordinary predictive muscles. Want to find out what's likely to happen at the local elections? Read it here first.

It's concert week! Very much looking forward to tomorrow's performance of Poulenc's Stabat Mater with the CBSO and Kazuki. The piece was new to me, but I've grown to love it.

It's new schedule day! Very excited to see what the CBSO has planned for us (and no, I can't share yet!).

Some more letters after my name! Can't believe I've finished studying with the OU (although never say never right 😬). Very proud to have collected my MEd today #OUFamily

A fab day... #ELO

Very much looking forward to welcoming hundreds of movers & shakers from the classical music scene to @royalbirmcons.bsky.social tonight for the @royalphilsoc.bsky.social Awards, only the 2nd time they’ve been held outside London. Good luck to all nominees! @mybcu.bsky.social

Today's rehearsal involved cursing composers who love enharmonics. Just why... 🤦‍♀️

We have segued from Haydn to ELO for next week's concert. Had a blast learning some of these tunes this afternoon.