Making Music is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee, overseen by a volunteer board of directors. Nine of these directors are elected from the member groups of Making Music, and up to three more can be co-opted. The directors are also the trustees of the charity.
Rhiannon Harrison, Chair
Rhiannon is a freelance musician, and their time is split between performing on trombone, teaching brass, and conducting the Worsley Concert Band. Rhiannon's main passion is musical theatre, and they spend most of their time in pits, accompanying both amateur and professional productions.
Dorothy Wilson MBE FRSA, Vice-Chair
Formerly CEO and Artistic Director of MAC Birmingham and member of Arts Council England’s National Council and Chair of its West Midlands Council, Dorothy now runs her own consultancy practice. She is a singer, voice coach, violist and violinist. She is also Chair of The Redditch Orchestra and a playing/singing member of several Making Music member orchestras and choirs.
Pete Burchill, Treasurer
Pete has a wealth of experience working in and with the charitable sector. He jointly runs Singing In, a community music business based in Sheffield. Pete sings bass in Romulus Singers, a chamber choir in Altrincham (Greater Manchester).
Andy Devine
Andy manages Finance and IT for Teesside Music Society, a promoter group based in rural North Yorkshire. Before retiring early, Andy worked for a global IT consultancy in service and project management. Andy is a very active leisure-time musician playing the organ, playing saxophone in big bands and double bass in Saint Cecilia Orchestra, Cleveland Philharmonic and Orchestra North East and, when time permits, singing in or accompanying choirs.
Rob Guest
Rob has organised music festivals and worked on education projects across the North East, working with Sage Gateshead, Gala Theatre in Durham, Middlesbrough Theatre, as well as on large outdoor events like Durham’s Brass Festival and Middlesbrough Music Live.
Dr Edward-Rhys Harry
Edward is a proud Welsh speaker, composer, author and conductor of various choral groups, including the Making Music member groups Harlow Chorus, London Welsh Chorale, London Welsh Male Voice Choir and The Harry Ensemble. Edward was also the artistic director of Llangollen International Musical Festival, which brought him in contact with musicians from all over the world.
Nick James
Nick James has been a committee member for the Rhondda Symphony Orchestra in Wales for many years in a variety of roles, including publicity, IT and finance. He also has a wealth of experience in the business software and corporate world. Nick is passionate about giving people the chance to play and perform music in their community.
Paul McKinley
Paul is Library Manager and Programming Associate of the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, a role which provides ample opportunity to work with not just the Orchestra’s professional musicians, but many amateur and community-based groups across Northern Ireland. A lapsed horn player, Paul’s hope is that he might, once again, be able to play well enough so that he’ll be allowed to be heard in public!
Kathy McLeish
Kathy is Music Director of Godalming Community Gospel Choir and a member of Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir. She has been in, and run, numerous choirs and music groups for over 20 years and is passionate about singing being accessible and enjoyed by all. She works as the Governance and People Management Officer at the Institute for Human Rights and Business.
Andrew Rixon
Andrew retired from the IT industry and provides assistance on implementation projects. He is a member of Crystal Palace Brass Band and North London Sinfonia. He also occasionally plays with Pangbourne Silver Band in Berkshire.
Valerie Taylor
Valerie directs the award-wining women’s a cappella choir, Vocal Dimension, based in Redhill, Surrey. She is also a music judge with an international women’s singing organisation and travels regularly to judge competitions all over the world. By day, Valerie is a lawyer specialising in data protection and privacy.
Catherine Travers
Catherine has belonged to over 15 choirs and orchestras of wildly varying shapes and sizes over the last two decades. She is passionate about how music-making at every level and of every kind lifts the spirit, forges connections and enriches life. Currently, she sings with the London Philharmonic Choir and plays flute with the St Neots Sinfonia. Beyond music, she works in publishing, with a particular focus on online learning.
Neil Weir
Neil Weir is Chair of the music education and inclusion charity, Love Music, based in Edinburgh. He sings with and is a trustee of the Edinburgh Bach Choir. Neil is also involved in the theatre world and is currently Chair of Grid Iron Theatre Company and a Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.
