| Mr J Atkins Brass, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Atkins mainly teaches in North Kirklees. You can also find him online teaching the Musica Kirklees Theory Group on Monday evenings! | ||||
| Mr G Brown Brass, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Brown conducts Musica Youth Brass on a Tuesday evening, as well as conducting at Musica Holme Valley on a Saturday morning. He also plays lower brass in many bands across the local area. | ||||
| Mr N Dolling PRINCIPAL Brass and Ensemble Teacher Mr Dolling plays all brass instruments, but loves to play the tuba. He has been an avid player since he was 13 and has played all over Europe in many prestigious venues (even in a water taxi!). He appreciates a ‘wide range of styles and pieces’, and loves composing, arranging, conducting, and teaching to share his passion and ‘open doors’ for musicians of all ages. | ||||
| Mr D Johns Brass, Keyboard, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Johns plays all brass instruments with his favourite being the trumpet. He also plays the piano and ukulele. He began his musical journey at 5 years old with the violin – he fell out with the violin but kept loving music! He has since performed all over Europe in Big Bands at school in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany simultaneously! He loves ‘spending time behind mixing desks in music studios’ and ‘bringing joy into classrooms!’ | ||||
| Mr A Kingham AREA MANAGER - SHELLEY Brass, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Kingham conducts Musica Youth Jazz. He also can be found at Musica Shelley every Saturday morning. He mostly plays the trumpet, but enjoys all brass instruments. He loves to both play and listen to jazz music. | ||||
| Mr C Lennon Brass, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Lennon’s favourite instrument to play is the soprano cornet. He started playing the trumpet when he was 10 years old – he was inspired by a group of brass players that came into his primary school and let him have a go on their instruments! He started playing the trumpet because ‘the sound of the brass instruments really drew [him] in’, and he continued playing because he loves the ‘sense of camaraderie you get from playing in a band or group’. His (and his grandad’s) favourite piece to play is Flowerdale written by Philip Sparke – a great one to listen to for any brass enthusiasts! Mr Lennon has also played as a professional; for example, he played after Sir Paul McCartney on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury! | ||||
| Mr S Mansfield Brass and Ensemble Teacher Mr Mansfield plays all lower brass instruments but his favourite is the bass trombone. He started playing when he was 8 at junior school. He ‘enjoys being part of a team, either teaching or performing, and achieving the highest standards. It’s also great fun!’. He likes to play all styles of music, but he recommends young players to listen to Mahler’s 7th Symphony for some orchestral inspiration. He has played in all manner of venues, and in places from Berlin to Huddersfield! | ||||
| Mr J Wightman Brass Teacher Mr Wightman has a wealth of classroom experience as he was a class teacher before he joined us here at Musica Kirklees. He is a very familiar face at Musica Colne Valley on a Friday evening. | ||||
| Mr M Crone Guitar and Ensemble Teacher Mr Crone runs Musica Rock School on a Wednesday evening in addition to teaching acoustic and electric guitar across Kirklees. He loves to play and listen to rock music, and is a specialist in the electric guitar. | ||||
| Ms G Eady AREA MANAGER - HOLME VALLEY Guitar, Ukulele and Ensemble Teacher Ms Eady plays the guitar and ukulele – she says ‘Guitar will always be my favourite as it feels like you have a whole orchestra to yourself’. Her favourite thing about music is that ‘Music can be enjoyed at every ability level and there is no better feeling than bringing musicians together for shared experiences in any setting.’ She enjoys classical and folk guitar music and likes to play outdoors, often composing her own music while on holiday! As a teacher for Musica Kirklees, she has organised many events, such as an evening at Huddersfield Town Hall with Musica Youth Orchestra, Massed Musica Guitars and WCET ukulele groups with renowned guitarist Craig Ogden! | ||||
| Miss S Edwards Guitar and Ensemble Teacher Miss Edwards plays classical guitar. She started when Santa dropped off a guitar for Christmas after her asking for one for many years! She loves the ‘versatility of the guitar and being able to play many different styles of music on the different types of guitar’. Her favourite piece to play is Joaquin Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto D’Aranjuez’ – if you are a budding guitarist, go and give it a listen for some inspiration! She ‘loves inspiring young children to develop a lifelong love of music through teaching guitar’. | ||||
| Mr E Ellis Guitar, WCET, and Ensemble Teacher Mr Ellis plays all sorts of plucked string instruments, including ukulele, classical, acoustic and electric guitar, and electric bass. | ||||
| Miss C Hartley Guitar, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Ms Hartley plays all types of guitar, specialising in Classical Guitar. She also plays ukulele and a bit of violin. She jumped at the chance to join in with her Year 5 Guitar Ensemble, and has never stopped playing. She was a member of Musica Batley for 11 years, and now is the junior and senior guitar group leader. She has ‘met so many incredible people over the years through [her] involvement with Musica Kirklees’. She has played in pit bands, at national festivals, and in many other events. She appreciates all genres of music, but favours guitar fingerpicking arrangements, pop, and rock as she can recreate them herself! | ||||
| Mr K Rivett Guitar, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Rivett plays the guitar, and has played since he was 13. He particularly loves to help others to ‘feel the joy of music’. He loves Bach, Spanish Romantic Guitar and Flamenco music. Mr Rivett met Prince Philip at one of his concerts, and has trekked through the outback playing music with over 40 of his students! He has also played at the Royal Albert Hall. He ‘just loves being at the music centre and being part of a lovely team’. | ||||
| Mrs J Robinson Guitar, Woodwind and WCET Teacher Mrs Robinson plays classical guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, recorder, bassoon and clarinet, with her favourite being the classical guitar. She fell in love with music as a Girl Guide in Wakefield, with whom she is now a committed volunteer for the Girlguiding Community. She first tried the guitar at a summer camp accompanying camp fire songs, and then began her classical training. From there, she was the first ever Classical Guitar candidate at Wakefield Trinity College examination centre! | ||||
| Miss H Roulson Guitar and WCET Teacher Miss Roulson plays the classical and acoustic guitar as well as the ukulele. | ||||
| Mr M Scriven Guitar and Ensemble Teacher Mr Scriven plays the acoustic and electric guitar, as well as the electric bass. He can be found at Musica Soul Band on a Tuesday evening, giving guidance to aspiring guitar and bass players. | ||||
| Mr T Vasdaris Guitar and Ensemble Teacher Mr Vasdaris plays the classical guitar. He has been playing since he was 9 years old, and has loved to play ever since. He loves improvisation, teaching, and composing. ‘There is no such thing as bad music’ according to Mr Vasdaris – he loves Flamenco, Latin jazz and Gypsy jazz particularly. | ||||
| Mrs C Clegg Percussion, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Clegg plays all percussion instruments. She has lots of experience playing and competing as a percussionist with brass bands, such as with Hepworth Brass Band. She can be found at Musica Shelley on a Saturday morning conducting Percussion Ensemble and helping all of our percussionsists. | ||||
| Mr M Delaney Percussion, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Delaney conducts Musica Soul Band and Musica African Drumming. He has experience in big band settings as well as recording some original songs (which he has released on several streaming platforms). In Soul Band, he encourages his pupils to choose their own music and perform their music from memory, giving them a taste of the real world of soul music. | ||||
| Miss L Emms Percussion and WCET Teacher Miss Emms plays percussion and piano. She first started on the piano at 6, followed by the flute, and then took up percussion in high school. She had lessons with some ‘lovely teachers’ from Musica Kirklees when she was learning! Miss Emms enjoys ‘introducing people to percussion instruments they have never seen or heard before’. She loves the variety of percussion instruments that are available, such as timpani, marimba and drum kit. Miss Emms spent 3 years playing with the Band of the Royal New Zealand Navy in Auckland, NZ. As part of this, she played for the King of Tonga on his birthday! | ||||
| Mr T Merry Percussion, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Merry plays anything in the percussion family, and also dabbles in bass guitar. He started when he was 7 through Musica Kirklees lessons. He was drawn to the drums when our lovely recital team did a performance in his school. He calls sitting behind a drum kit his ‘comfort zone’ – he loves playing on his own, in a band, or recording at the studio. He loves seeing the ‘spark of enjoyment’ in his students, and likes them to ‘take ownership of their own playing’. He plays all genres as a percussionist. He has even played on Blue Peter with Kirklees Percussion Ensemble (in the same episode as Lewis Hamilton!). | ||||
| Mr P Needham Voice, Percussion and Ensemble Teacher Mr Needham leads Holme Valley Pop Choir and African Drumming. He is the principal of Wakefield Music Service, so he has a wealth of experience teaching and performing as a musician. | ||||
| Mr H Stobart Percussion and WCET Teacher Mr Stobart is an amazing percussionist – he plays instruments such as xylophone, timpani, and drum kit. He first started playing at 7, and hasn’t stopped since! He loves playing with other musicians, and is a big fan of jazz music. | ||||
| Mrs L Thompson Percussion, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Ms Thompson plays drum kit and percussion. She started playing when she was 5, with percussion lessons through Musica Kirklees in her primary school. She loves ‘teaching and inspiring the next generation of musicians’. As a drummer, she can take part in many different types of ensemble, but particularly likes Motown. Her favourite musical moment is performing at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival on the Pyramid stage. She met Stormzy, Paloma Faith, and musicians performing with Diana Ross and Herbie Hancock! | ||||
| Mr M Zakers Percussion Teacher Mr Zakers is a steel pans specialist, as well as playing other percussion instruments. He performs at carnivals (such as Leeds Carnival) and functions with bands and on his own, bringing joy to all who hear his music! | ||||
| Mrs S Bennett Voice, Keyboard and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Bennett is a soprano singer, and she also plays the piano. She first started singing in primary school, and joined her first choir at age 7. Singing is a big part of her Welsh culture. Her favourite musical to watch and sing is Les Miserables, as she loves its ‘storytelling through song’. Mrs Bennett loves that ‘singing is accessible for everyone’, and enjoys ‘enabling groups to develop their skills and confidence by singing together.’ The strangest place that she has ever conducted a choir in was for Cliff Richards’ performance of the Millennium Prayer on BBC Songs Of Praise in Millennium stadium in Cardiff!
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| Mrs J Dolling Keyboard and Piano Teacher Mrs Dolling plays the piano, keyboard, and cello, but piano is her favourite. She learnt to play at 6 years old as her mum was her piano teacher! One of her favourite pieces to play is Suite de Danzas Criollas by Ginastera – ‘it’s a very creative and crazy piano piece that’s great fun to play’. To any aspiring pianists – go and have a listen! She has performed in many great venues in the UK with her favourite being in the Royal Festival Hall in London on their Steinway piano. She says, ‘Sign up to learn the piano – it’s such a rewarding instrument to play.’. | ||||
| Mrs J Frith Keyboard, Voice and WCET Teacher Mrs Frith plays piano and sings, as well as dabbling in violin, ukulele, and recorder. She started playing after her parents bought her neighbour’s piano when she was 5. She says she was ‘inspired and encouraged enormously by teachers’, which is what she now does in her lessons! She has performed at the Royal Albert Hall with a professional orchestra, which was a ‘wonderful experience’. Mrs Frith loves ‘playing / performing in ensembles and choirs’. Furthermore, she says she loves seeing children ‘become inspired and keen to learn how to read music and perform’, which is why she loves being part of Musica Kirklees! | ||||
| Mrs R Garside Keyboard Teacher Mrs Garside plays the piano. She is mainly based in the Holme Valley and Colne Valley area for her teaching. | ||||
| Mr D Johns Brass, Keyboard, WCET and Ensemble teacher Mr Johns plays all brass instruments with his favourite being the trumpet. He also plays the piano and ukulele. He began his musical journey at 5 years old with the violin – he fell out with the violin but kept loving music! He has since performed all over Europe in Big Bands at school in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany simultaneously! He loves ‘spending time behind mixing desks in music studios’ and ‘bringing joy into classrooms!’. | ||||
| Mr L Kelly Keyboard and Piano Teacher Mr Kelly has played the piano since he was 8, when he tried to recreate film and TV music after hearing them. He really enjoys composing (writing his own music) – ‘there is something very satisfying about composing’ says Mr Kelly. He sees it as a ‘musical jigsaw’! Mr Kelly also loves to teach and perform, both of which he finds very rewarding. He loves to improvise, which is a huge part of jazz music. ‘Being able to construct melodies on the fly … with other like-minded musicians’ brings Mr Kelly a lot of joy. | ||||
| Mr S Kitchen Keyboard and Piano Teacher Mr Kitchen plays the piano, clarinet, saxophone, and flute. He first started on the keyboard and recorder when he was 10 years old, and soon after joined his local music centre. He enjoys ‘teaching [his] students and watching them progress on their musical journeys.’ He is a big fan of musical theatre as the Musical Director of many local productions, but is a fan of classical, jazz and pop as well. | ||||
| Ms J Mellor Keyboard and Piano Teacher Ms Mellor has played the piano since she was 6, as her grandmother had a piano and encouraged her to have lessons. She has enjoyed playing with other musicians ‘from an early age… both in piano duet partnerships and as an accompanist.’. She is a big fan of Mozart, and feels that she has gained ‘pleasure and satisfaction’ from ‘encouraging pupils to form partnerships with their musical friends and play music together’. While she was studying at university, she played alongside the comedy drag act Hinge and Bracket! | ||||
| Mrs C Middleton Keyboard Teacher Mrs Middleton plays the piano. She has an abundance of classroom experience, as she is a classroom teacher as well as teaching for Musica Kirklees. | ||||
| Mrs L Pearson Keyboard and Piano Teacher Mrs Pearson plays the piano, keyboard and violin. She has a very musical family, but has always been fascinated with the piano and started lessons at 9. Mrs Pearson loves performing and accompanying choirs and soloists, as well as enjoying the satisfaction you get from teaching. As a pianist, she has a wide repertoire and loves to find new ideas to try out. She particularly enjoys to play music from the romantic period. Her favourite pieces to play are Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto and The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins. | ||||
| Miss L Shaw Upper Strings, Keyboard and WCET Teacher Miss Shaw plays the violin, viola and piano – she says viola is definitely her favourite. Playing and teaching are the things she enjoys most about music. | ||||
| Miss J Taylor Woodwind, Keyboard, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Miss Taylor plays saxophone, flute, clarinet, recorder, and piano (with her favourite being sax). She has played piano since she was 6, and has picked up her woodwind skills along the way! She loves ‘how music brings people together to express their creativity’. She enjoys arranging and performing with her sax quartet when she isn’t teaching for Musica Kirklees! | ||||
| Miss S Tse Keyboard and WCET Teacher Miss Tse teaches piano and keyboard at schools across Kirklees. | ||||
| Miss I Williamson Lower String, Keyboard and Ensemble Teacher Ms Williamson plays the keyboard and cello. Ms Williamson started playing the cello in Year 3, and liked it so much that she hasn’t stopped! She didn’t even know what a cello was when she started playing – don’t be discouraged if you don’t know either! She loves ‘bringing people together’ through music, by teaching, performing, or writing music. She says ‘There’s always a great sense of community and belonging’. Baroque music is her favourite style to play on cello as there are ‘lots of very satisfying basslines’, but she also loves to improvise. | ||||
| Miss A Berry Upper String, Keyboard, and Ensemble Teacher Miss Berry conducts Musica Mirfield Junior Strings on a Friday evening. She also teaches upper strings and keyboard at schools across Kirklees. | ||||
| Miss K Chappell Upper String, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Miss Chappell teaches at schools in the Shelley pyramid, as well as conducting the string groups on a Saturday morning at Musica Shelley. | ||||
| Mrs C Kelly Upper String, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Kelly plays violin and viola, and has played since she was 7 years old. She says she does the ‘best job in the world every day – making music’. She loves working with children and adults. She is a member of the Yorkshire String Quartet, where she plays anything from pop to Bollywood to Disney favourites. She has had many wonderful opportunities through her musical career, including meeting renowned classical violinist Nicola Benedetti. | ||||
| Mr B Lawrence Voice, Upper String, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Lawrence is an Early Childhood Music specialist, so he runs our Mini Musica groups at Musica Holme Valley. He loves encouraging toddlers and young children to use music as a tool for development. His groups are fun for both parents and children! | ||||
| Mr W Mace Lower String, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Mace plays the cello and the double bass. He started playing cello in primary school. He has grown to favour orchestral music, and even composes for students and ensembles. Mr Mace loves feeling ‘immersed’ in music whilst performing and composing. One of his favourite musical memories is playing Mahler 8 in Bridgewater Hall, and he has also played in a string quartet at the summit of Ben Lomand for a friend’s birthday! He has also recorded a contemporary album on iTunes called ‘Borderlands’ with Monty Adkins – check it out for some lower strings inspiration! | ||||
| Miss L Shaw Upper String, Keyboard and WCET Teacher Miss Shaw plays the violin, viola and piano – she says viola is definitely her favourite. Playing and teaching are the things she enjoys most about music. | ||||
| Mr P Simons AREA MANAGER - COLNE VALLEY Upper String, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Simons plays a wide range of instruments, including violin, viola, keyboard and ocarina. He has been playing the violin since he was 4. He loves playing in groups rather than alone, as it’s a great way to learn and make friends. He really enjoys conducting and composing, and ‘getting the best out of the people [he] works with.’ His favourite genre to listen to is actually rock, with him being a massive Queen fan! However, he enjoys to play Baroque music as ‘you can really explore the phrasing’ and ‘feel the music!’. He has been featured as a musician on Classic FM. Mr Simons advocates for the mental health benefits of music, and how much joy everyone can get out of giving it a go. | ||||
| Mrs N Sixsmith Upper String and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Sixsmith loves to play the violin, which she has been playing since she was 8 years old. She loves the ‘community feel’ that playing in an ensemble brings; this includes her work with the Musica Shelley string ensembles. She says ‘It’s great to see people coming from all walks of life enjoying making music together’. Mrs Sixsmith likes a range of styles and pieces, but sometimes likes to ‘chill and play film music or musicals’. As a member of the Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra, she has gone on tour to China and played in the Shanghai Symphony Hall, as well as playing in operas and in alliance with the BBC! | ||||
| Miss I Williamson Lower String, Keyboard and Ensemble Teacher Ms Williamson plays the keyboard and cello. Ms Williamson started playing the cello in Year 3, and liked it so much that she hasn’t stopped! She didn’t even know what a cello was when she started playing – don’t be discouraged if you don’t know either! She loves ‘bringing people together’ through music, by teaching, performing, or writing music. She says ‘There’s always a great sense of community and belonging’. Baroque music is her favourite style to play on cello as there are ‘lots of very satisfying basslines’, but she also loves to improvise. | ||||
| Mrs J Worboys-Hodgson Lower String and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Worboys-Hodgson plays the cello, double bass, piano, guitar and recorder. She first started on the recorder when she was 6 (helped by her dad). Her mum used to make her practise in the bathroom as she would not put it down! As a musician, she loves to perform, especially at weddings and with the staff orchestra at Christmas. However, she also loves teaching – she gets a ‘real buzz when a student masters something they have been struggling to learn, and seeing [her students] become accomplished musicians is a fantastic feeling.’ Mrs Worboys-Hodgson loves ‘heart-wrenching’ music, such as Elgar and Dvorak’s Cello Concertos, Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata, and Mahler’s 5th Symphony. | ||||
| Mrs N Bell AREA MANAGER - MIRFIELD Woodwind, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Bell plays flute, clarinet, saxophone and piano. She first started on the flute in Year 5 after being inspired by one of her teachers playing in assembly. She was ‘captivated by the sound she made’ and ‘just thought ‘I want to do that!’’ – she has been playing ever since. Mrs Bell loves ‘the buzz of playing in an ensemble’ and ‘knowing your part of the jigsaw fits with 40 other players and makes this immense sound!’. She enjoys ‘passing on her passion for music’, and feels privileged to be able to see her pupils improve and learn to love music as much as she does. Her favourite piece is the chamber orchestra piece ‘Appalachian Spring’ by Aaron Copland. | ||||
| Mr J Curgenven Woodwind and WCET Teacher Mr Curgenven plays the clarinet, saxophone, and flute. He first started playing at 6 years old in a Whole Class recorder ensemble, that then developed into a passion for woodwind, leading to him performing on top of a moving bus for Cork Jazz Festival! He loves ‘anything to do with improvising’, as it allows him to ‘express [himself] in a way that would be impossible in any other way’. In addition, he loves jazz music, either written by the jazz greats or himself! | ||||
| Mrs J Isaacs INCLUSION OFFICER + AREA MANAGER - BATLEY Woodwind, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Isaacs plays the clarinet, saxophone and flute, She has been playing since she was 11 years old (when she got thrown out of Recorder Club for not being able to read music!). Her first job in music was to climb a tree and play ‘cuckoo sounds’ on her clarinet as part of a sound walk! She likes playing chamber music, as she loves the musical conversation created between players when playing in smaller groups. She loves teaching, as she ‘loves to see the impact it has on [her] pupil’s day. Music is fun, accessible, and enjoyed by everyone.’ | ||||
| Mrs L Kingham Woodwind and WCET Teacher Mrs Kingham plays the flute as her main instrument, but also plays the clarinet, saxophone, recorder and piano. She feels it is a privilege to teach and to ‘see the sense of joy and achievement’ when her pupils learn and improve. She also loves to play for her own enjoyment as she loves the ‘creative, emotive expression’ of music. One of her all time favourite pieces is Francis Poulenc’s Sonata for Flute and Piano – she loves its ‘expression and power’. She has performed up and down the country in concert bands, choirs and orchestras, with her most memorable performance being at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Funnily enough, she went on an orchestra tour to France in Sixth Form and played with her husband-to-be, Mr Kingham (one of our brass teachers!). | ||||
| Mrs T Mansfield Woodwind and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Mansfield plays all the instruments in the woodwind family, with her favourites being the oboe and bassoon. She started on the recorder at 5, then the clarinet at 9, followed by the oboe at 15 (due to an oboe shortage in her school orchestra!). Mrs Mansfield finds playing in an orchestra ‘satisfying and enjoyable’, and loves making friends through her music and performing. She is proud of all her pupils, and loves when their love of music continues into their adult lives. She gets a ‘great buzz’ from conducting the wind bands at Musica Shelley, and loves how rewarding it is to see her pupils’ musical development. Mrs Mansfield particularly loved her tour of China with Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra – a true testament to the fun musicians have! | ||||
| Mrs R O'Sullivan Woodwind, Keyboard, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mrs O'Sullivan plays all woodwind instruments, with her favourite being the oboe. You can find Mrs O'Sullivan at Musica Youth Orchestra on a Wednesday evening, or at Musica Colne Valley on a Friday evening. | ||||
| Miss J Taylor Woodwind, Keyboard, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Miss Taylor plays saxophone, flute, clarinet, recorder, and piano (with her favourite being sax). She has played piano since she was 6, and has picked up her woodwind skills along the way! She loves ‘how music brings people together to express their creativity’. She enjoys arranging and performing with her sax quartet when she isn’t teaching for Musica Kirklees! | ||||
| Mrs J Robinson Guitar, Woodwind and WCET Teacher Mrs Robinson plays classical guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, recorder, bassoon and clarinet, with her favourite being the classical guitar. She fell in love with music as a Girl Guide in Wakefield, with whom she is now a committed volunteer for the Girlguiding Community. She first tried the guitar at a summer camp accompanying camp fire songs, and then began her classical training. From there, she was the first ever Classical Guitar candidate at Wakefield Trinity College examination centre! | ||||
| Mrs S Ball Voice and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Ball sings and plays the keyboard and piano. She started to play the piano when she was 6, and she also played the recorder and oboe when she was at school. Mrs Ball loves the ‘enjoyment music brings to people’, and how it ‘instantly makes you feel better’. As she is classically trained, she loves music from Purcell and Mozart, but she also really loves musical theatre (especially Les Miserables). | ||||
| Mrs S Bennett Voice, Keyboard and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Bennett is a soprano singer, and she also plays the piano. She first started singing in primary school, and joined her first choir at age 7. Singing is a big part of her Welsh culture. Her favourite musical to watch and sing is Les Miserables, as she loves its ‘storytelling through song’. Mrs Bennett loves that ‘singing is accessible for everyone’, and enjoys ‘enabling groups to develop their skills and confidence by singing together.’ The strangest place that she has ever conducted a choir in was for Cliff Richards’ performance of the Millennium Prayer on BBC Songs Of Praise in Millennium stadium in Cardiff!
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| Mr S Bradnum Voice and Ensemble Teacher Mr Bradnum loves to sing, and also plays the French Horn. He loves to perform, conduct and arrange as a musician. He has performed and conducted in many prestigious venues such as the Birmingham Symphony Hall. Some of his arrangements include his version of the Irish Blessing, which is played all over the world! He loves to engage with his students, and makes sure everyone has fun and learns something valuable. | ||||
| Mrs J Frith Keyboard, Voice and WCET Teacher Mrs Frith plays piano and sings, as well as dabbling in violin, ukulele, and recorder. She started playing after her parents bought her neighbour’s piano when she was 5. She says she was ‘inspired and encouraged enormously by teachers’, which is what she now does in her lessons! She has performed at the Royal Albert Hall with a professional orchestra, which was a ‘wonderful experience’. Mrs Frith loves ‘playing / performing in ensembles and choirs’. Furthermore, she says she loves seeing children ‘become inspired and keen to learn how to read music and perform’, which is why she loves being part of Musica Kirklees! | ||||
| Mr B Lawrence Voice, Upper String, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mr Lawrence is an Early Childhood Music specialist, so he runs our Mini Musica groups at Musica Holme Valley. He loves encouraging toddlers and young children to use music as a tool for development. His groups are fun for both parents and children! | ||||
| Mr T Meredith Voice and Ensemble Teacher The earliest evidence that Thom was going to be a singer is a very embarrassing recording made as a 3 year old! He sang in choirs and youth opera companies while at school as well as studying violin, piano and tuba. Thom then held Head of Music posts in both special and main-stream schools in Yorkshire before joining the staff of Musica Kirklees as Assistant Principal in 1999 and becoming Principal from 2004 - 2023. His passion for singing and all things musical means that he is kept very busy conducting, choirs and orchestras, leading workshops and teaching singing. Thom also performs as a baritone soloist with any spare time being spent with cars, DIY and perusing his love of Disney!
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| Mr C Murray Voice and Keyboard Teacher Mr Murray teaches voice at schools across Kirklees. He also leads school choirs across the local area for Musica Kirklees. | ||||
| Mr P Needham Voice, Percussion and Ensemble Teacher Mr Needham leads Holme Valley Pop Choir and African Drumming. He is the principal of Wakefield Music Service, so he has a wealth of experience teaching and performing as a musician. | ||||
| Mrs T Waller Voice, WCET and Ensemble Teacher Mrs Waller is a singer and a woodwind player – she plays a number of different recorders and the clarinet, but she loves singing the most. She started singing in her church choir when she was 6, and began playing the recorder shortly after in her primary school. Mrs Waller loves teaching because ‘it’s a great feeling when you can share your knowledge … and see your pupils progress’. She also loves the joy and pleasure that music gives her pupils. She loves to sing Baroque music, with her favourite composer being Henry Purcell. | ||||
