Meet the team

Oliver Crooke

Oliver joined Hackney Music Service during its formation in 2000. Prior to this, he trained as a classical musician and worked as a professional bassist, playing and recording in punk, rock, jazz and African bands, having grown up in Africa. He is responsible for ICT Music development in Hackney, event production, including the annual festival, and manages the peripatetic tutors teaching in Hackney schools. 

During his performing career in the 1980s and 90s, Oliver taught bass and music technology in most of Hackney's secondary schools, ran three large scale community music programmes on estates in the borough, and founded music departments in HMP Holloway and Pentonville. Oliver’s interest in teaching music was sparked at age 19 when Joe Strummer from The Clash asked him to explain major scales whilst touring with the band. Since then, Oliver has taught many musicians who have worked professionally with major artists across genres.