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Photo (l-r): UCL Audio Storytelling MA students Chantal Romain, Libby Liburd and Naomi Bloomstein. Libby's photo is courtesy of Kasia Burke.听

Meet the students

Libby Liburd听

Originally trained as an actor, Libby has spent the last 24 years in the theatre industry, diversifying her skill set to include writing, project management, producing and more. Libby is also a mum and raised her son whilst building her theatre career. Alongside her part-time MA study, Libby works as Head of Programmes for HighRise Theatre and as a freelance producer/consultant for independent arts organisations and artists.听

Libby鈥檚 degree project 鈥楩ight Fair鈥� is a raw and moving audio piece diving into the challenges faced by British women in boxing. It was awarded the BBC Charles Parker Prize and was this month. It was also nominated for the Whicker Podcast Pitch award 2024 and presented at the Sheffield Documentary Festival. 听

Chantal Romain

Following her undergraduate degree in Life and Health Sciences, Chantal decided to explore more creative pursuits in acting, writing and directing, which she had always enjoyed from a young age. This enabled her to express herself more creatively and led her to take the first step in a new audio career,听and apply for the UCL Audio Storytelling MA.

Chantal鈥檚 audio piece 鈥楻E:Connection鈥� is a vivid and personal听piece exploring the changing relationship between grandfather and granddaughter against the changing East London landscape. It was nominated for the 2024 BBC Charles Parker Prize and .

Naomi Bloomstein

Following a BA in Drama and Education, Naomi worked in the TV industry for many years. After having children, she decided to start her own community business to support families with money-saving ideas. However, this took up a lot of time and Naomi knew she wanted to try something different. She always had an interest in radio and podcasting and decided to pursue a new career path in Audio Storytelling.听

Naomi鈥檚 degree project 鈥楾he National Language of Nowhere鈥� is a creative audio documentary, employing both dialogue and music to explore the existential threat to the Yiddish language. It was awarded the BBC Charles Parker Prize and听was this month.
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Why did you decide to pursue an audio career?

Chantal (pictured): Before applying for the course, I had written and performed my own writing at various venues in London. Things got serious when I was selected to have my play performed at a theatre. The budget听for props was, in most cases, non-existent听and so sound and music were听a vital part in telling the story. This made me curious about how I could create an experience using only sound.

I then volunteered to be a producer and scriptwriter for a podcast and, a few months later, someone in the group sent me a link to the Audio Storytelling course. I was hesitant at first because I never saw myself being back in education, but, looking back, it was perfect timing.

Libby: Storytelling is my thing. I've written, produced and performed 4 plays of my own - they鈥檙e all based on my lived experience and stories that are relevant to me and the communities that I work with. I was really looking for other ways that I could tell those stories. I love how immediate and accessible audio is, when I have a story I want to make I can just do it (whether people listen to it or not!).听

The other reason is I love podcasts. I love documentaries and real human stories.听

Naomi: I knew I wanted to do something new, and I was all set to start a new counselling course. However, I had also been experimenting with making and editing my own small audio project.听

There鈥檚 something incredibly intimate and connecting that is particularly unique to audio, and I think it can get to the heart of a story in a way visuals can鈥檛 always do. It was something I had always wanted to get into and then someone told me about The Podcast Show in London.

I thought I鈥檒l just go along and see what it鈥檚 like and I met a couple of women there who did a MA in radio broadcasting. I really had no idea you could do such a specific creative degree. I went home and googled it and the UCL Audio Storytelling MA came up. I had a Zoom call with Athar (Ahmad - the course leader) to find out more and he said why not apply. So, I did and here I am!
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Why study audio storytelling?

Libby: The world of podcasting is so wide. You can get 2 people on a sofa having a chat for an hour, scripted fictional drama, one offs or a full series - there鈥檚 something for everyone. I'm interested in the craft of telling real, autobiographical stories and producing a product that really hooks the listener, and that people can trust. It takes time and skill to really understand what you want to say, how you want to say it and the ethical considerations around that as well.听

The anthropological and social research and theory that underscores that MA provides this rigorous approach to the art of storytelling, and it鈥檚 a process that is worth studying. Some might say it's a flooded market, but I don't think so because there鈥檚 infinite stories in the world and infinite ways to tell them. I absolutely love the MA; it鈥檚 opened a whole new world for me.

Chantal: I have been extremely lucky to be with a cohort from different professional backgrounds. We have all connected and someone would always have the answer to any questions. The peer learning aspect of the MA has been crucial to my audio practice. 听
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What have been your biggest lessons?

Naomi: I learnt a lot about the craft of storytelling from all angles 鈥� the practical, technical, theoretical, but also the personal. For me, the personal development that comes along with being creative and learning something new has been just as important as the study itself.

Libby: 听A key thing for me was interviewing technique. On the MA, we鈥檝e really learned how to structure interviews within a more journalistic framework. I've made huge mistakes which I've learned from - I think my first interview went on for an hour and a half. Cutting that down was not fun! I have also never edited anything before in my life, so learning to edit and match my editing style with my storytelling style has been massive for me.听

Chantal: What's great about the course is that you have great optional modules. I did the Documentary Filmmaking module and had the chance to film dance groups, Dynamic Legends and 876ix. The logistics of being a first-time solo filmmaker and producing and editing a 10-minute film within a couple of months was challenging. However, being able to connect with dancers and see the dedication and work they put into their craft, and what dance means to them, really stayed with me.听

What have been the highlights for you during your study?听

Libby听(pictured): Winning the Charles Parker Prize! I was astounded by that win听For the first ever feature I made to get shortlisted, and then to win, meant the world to me.

It was a very personal story for me. It's about me being a female boxer in a male dominated space, and it's about being a single mum and having my kiddie with me when he was little, and all the challenges that female boxers have faced.听

Naomi: Meeting everyone on the course. They are a brilliant and very funny bunch of people with lots of things to say, which I have loved! I have a lot of self-doubt and fear of putting myself out there, but it鈥檚 been such a supportive environment, which has been created by the other students and by Athar.听

Chantal: I was nominated for a Charles Parker Award and my work was selected for the Open City Documentary Festival. This was the first long-form audio piece I had solely created for public audiences. I was so proud to to see my piece resonate with others.听

What would your advice be for anyone interested in a similar path?

Naomi: When I first got offered a place, there was a part of me that was like: 鈥淲hat did I think I was going to do, become a podcast producer? Really??鈥� It felt very risky and uncertain, but it was definitely the thing I was most passionate about. I followed my heart over my head and that would probably be my advice. Once you start something, there鈥檚 a momentum with that and as you learn your confidence builds. Take the first little steps and you鈥檒l be surprised what happens. 听

Libby: Embrace the journey for everything that it is and be open to learning and feedback. It can be very hard. I remember in the 2nd week of the course, we had to make a soundscape and it was played out loud in the class -听I didn't like mine at all. But you have to be prepared for that; to not like something and to be able to identify why you don't like it. That鈥檚 how you improve and get better. Don鈥檛 be afraid to ask silly questions and make mistakes.听
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What does the future look like?

Chantal: I see this last year as my episode 1- like the opening chapter. I do have a few things lined up to keep this journey going, but one thing I鈥檝e learnt is to keep the audience wanting more! So, I鈥檓 going to leave you on a cliffhanger, and I鈥檒l check in with you when episode 2 is complete.

Naomi (pictured): I鈥檓 part-time so I still have another year. My piece 鈥楾he National Language of Nowhere' has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4听as part of the New Storytellers series so that鈥檚 exciting.听

I definitely feel so much has changed in a year in terms of my level of experience. The MA has enabled me to work on so many different projects and I feel much more capable and confident to make the stories I want to make. Having said that, I am very aware of how tough the industry is, but I really feel like I can give it a go now.听

Libby: 听I have another year of the MA because I鈥檓 part-time, so I鈥檓 happy to get more time to learn and develop my skills. 鈥楩ight Fair鈥� has now been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and I鈥檓 also pitching it forward as a series.听

I鈥檝e also just been awarded one of five commissions from 宅男视频 Trellis programme. I am working with UCL researcher Jos茅 Izcue Gana on a new project with east London residents like myself who have experienced housing insecurity. We鈥檒l be creating an audio drama experience that will tell the real stories of those that bear the brunt of the housing crisis in east London and explore the impact of regeneration and housing insecurity on wellbeing. It will be shown at the Trellis Exhibition at UCL East in Spring 2025.
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Libby Liburd, Chantal Romain and Naomi Bloomstein are the first cohort of students from the UCL Audio Storytelling for Radio and Podcast MA, part of the School for the Creative and Cultural Industries at the UCL East campus in Stratford.听

This practice-based MA focuses on the art of audio storytelling and the crafted audio feature, drawing on resources from the global audio community. Students have in depth contact with leading practitioners throughout, culminating in a graduate project mentored by industry professionals. Scroll through the links below to find out more and stream their audio pieces!
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Explore further

• Find out more about Audio Storytelling for Radio and Podcast MA