Having joined Making Music as Development Officer for Yorkshire in April 2007, Stuart is now the Regional Manager for the West region, encompassing the West Midlands and North West of England. This challenging role draws on his diverse experience of voluntary and professional music (and the wider arts) within the context of community development and cohesion. Stuart says, ‘I relish the opportunity to develop and work with a team of volunteers in delivering support and services to our members across this extensive region.’ He will also continue as Transition Manager, for the Yorkshire & North East region until the end of November 2011.
Stuart studied at Bretton Hall College, West Yorkshire, during the late 1970s and has been teaching trumpet, piano and music theory to both children and adults for more than thirty years. He is an advocate for life-long learning; particularly his own! As a performer, he has sung in amateur staged musicals, choirs and madrigal groups as well as playing trumpet/cornet in a jazz band, brass bands, wind band and various sizes of orchestra. His conducting experience has been mainly with school orchestras and choirs, but has extended to the job of Musical Director (and sometimes composer) for a number of staged productions, often directing from the keyboard.
Stuart has more recently been involved in the jazz scene, working with promoters to develop modern and contemporary jazz through festivals, education programmes and great gigs!
