MEET THE MUSIC PLACE STAFF

Owner/Manager
After studying at Hull University, Lucy toured Britain with her band before turning to music education full time. She had a great time learning music growing up and wanted to set up a music school that was creative and fun. Lucy is constantly inspired by the level of talent, commitment and enthusiasm of the pupils here.

Assistant Manager
Jo studied at the RNCM and now works as a freelance performer, arranger and teacher. In 2011, she set up Music Place Supports, a charitable outreach programme taking music out into the community.  Outside of music, Jo has been a volunteer for Childline and the NSPCC since 2008.

Singing Teacher
Since studying in Hull, Alison has worked as a singer and singing teacher.  She has performed internationally with numerous bands and in addition to her Music Place teaching she also works at William Hulme Grammar School and Lymm High School.  She specialises in preparing students for Trinity singing exams.

Woodwind Teacher
Originally from Devon, Andy moved up north to study Band Musicianship at Salford University and has been based in Manchester ever since.  He is a founding member of the great Manchester bands, ‘Cabbage Alley’ and ‘Baked A La Ska’ and performs throughout the country.  He also works as a tutor for the Wigan Youth Swing Band and the Cheshire Youth MFL Jazz Band.

Woodwind/Piano
Ben is a graduate from the Royal Northern College of Music with 1st Class Hons, studying saxophone, flute and clarinet. During his time there, he was involved in numerous projects including the RNCM Big Band, and running his own recording session with the Ben Jackson Octet. Alongside this, he won consecutive prizes for the Principal’s Award for Improvisation’. Since graduating, Ben has spent his time performing across the country in jazz, pop, and fusion bands, alongside teaching a wide variety of instruments, ages and standards. He also performs both jazz and classical piano music regularly. 

Singing/Choirs
Since graduating from Salford University with a BA Hons, Clare has worked as a professional musician and tutor of voice and piano for over ten years.  She leads the Altrincham based ‘Vibrant Voices’ choir for stroke survivors and people living with dementia and works with the Alzheimer’s Society leading sessions for ‘Singing for the Brain’ throughout the north west.

Guitar
Darren studied at the RNCM, achieving a professional performance diploma and graduate diploma. He has performed classical solo, ensemble and concerto concerts as well as a variety of other genres on electric guitar. He has over 25 years of teaching experience in classical, rock and pop. He also coaches and arranges a variety of music for a county level electric guitar ensemble.

Violin/Piano
Holly-Rayne studied at the RNCM and now performs in orchestras, quartets and trios as well as being a busy teacher. She has also lead outreach projects in Manchester to inspire children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into further education, in Sheffield on behalf of the Sheffield Children’s Hospital and been involved in many more such as ‘Music in Action’ in Jersey and ‘In Harmony’.

Guitar/Bass
Huw moved to Manchester from South Wales in 1991 to study pop music and recording at Salford University.  As well as working at the Music Place, he also teaches for Music for Life in Cheshire and at LIPA.  As a freelance bass player he continues to perform throughout the country and also plays with fellow Music Place tutor, Paul, in the Paul Farr trio.

Guitar
A recent graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music’s Popular Music course, James regularly performs across the U.K. and has recorded with some of Manchester’s most exciting new artists including Paige Kennedy, Cold Comforts and Ollie West & The Wildflowers. James has also performed with The Bang On A Can All-Stars and Bill Laurance of Snarky Puppy.

Piano
Joel is a piano teacher who is now studying for a Masters of Music in Piano at the RNCM, after having spent a year as the Postgraduate Musician at The King’s School in Macclesfield. As a soloist he was invited to perform in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace in 2018. Away from music, Joel loves cricket, hiking and Spikeball!

Piano
Jonni studied at Salford University on the Popular Music course and has worked as a professional musician and teacher since then. He has toured and performed throughout the country and in addition to his Music Place teaching, he also teaches at the RNCM on the Popular Music course and at Salford University.

Singing
Katherine is a Welsh soprano, who made her professional opera debut at Buxton International Festival. She graduated from the University of Manchester with a First-Class Honours degree where she studied voice and received the Procter-Gregg Prize for best third year recital. Previously, Katherine studied voice, violin, and French horn as part of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama’s Junior advanced course. As well as opera, she has also performed a wealth of musical theatre repertoire. During her time at the musical theatre school ‘The Stage Centre’ she achieved distinctions in LAMDA’s Solo and Ensemble Musical Theatre Performance exams. As a singing teacher, Katherine has taught students ranging from beginner to grade 8 standard in the classical and musical theatre styles. She is truly delighted to take on more students at The Music Place!

Guitar
Kirk has worked as a professional singer/songwriter and acoustic guitarist for twenty years.  As part of the ‘Safires’ he toured India and performed at the Riff Festival in Jodhpur. His debut album, a collaboration with pianist John Ellis, was released in 2014 with an album launch at Manchester’s Band on the Wall. His career highlight so far was supporting and playing with his hero and legendary guitarist Bert Jansch.

Singing
Lois studied at the Manchester School of Music and is extremely experienced as both a jazz singer and a session singer.  She regularly performs throughout the country with band, ‘Frisco Crabbe’ and is also part of a writing team, with fellow Music Place tutors, John Dagnall and Neil Fairclough (Queen + Adam Lambert).  You can find Lois here at the Music Place six days every week!

Woodwind
Mark studied at the RNCM and completed a masters degree in Arizona where he played piccolo with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra.  As a flautist, he toured nationwide with a West End Show and now he also teaches at Urmston Grammar School, William Hulme Grammar School and Wellington High School.

Woodwind
Michael studied at the RNCM and Leeds College of Music and as a freelance musician, he has recently performed live on BBC Radio 3 and has played as part of a jazz collective at the London Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam.  In addition to his teaching he also runs the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra and is a guest lecturer at King’s College, London.

Guitar/Bass
Paolo was born in Italy and moved to Manchester to study Popular Music and Recording at Salford University.  As a guitarist, his music has been played on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 by Craig Charles and he has performed at venues throughout the UK including Kendal Calling, Manchester Jazz Festival, Band on the Wall and The Blues Kitchen in London.

Guitar
Paul studied Pop Music and Recording at Salford University and has since been playing and teaching in the North West music scene for over 15 years. He has worked as a session guitarist, touring and recording with artists such as Tom Jones, Jamelia, Lily Allen, Errol Brown and Connor Reeves.

Choir Accompanist
Richard has been working as a pianist for 25 years in which time he has played with jazz musicians Richard Iles, Bobby Wellins and Mark Nightingale. He has toured worldwide with Casablanca Steps and Dominic Halpin and the Honey B’s including supporting Tony Bennett and his quartet in Halifax, Canada. He has taught in various institutions including LIPA, Manchester University and Chetham’s Piano Summer School. He accompanies our two Music Place choirs as well as our Vibrant Voices Choir (for people living with dementia).

Woodwind
Sam graduated from the RNCM with a 1st class degree in saxophone, and now works as a freelance saxophonist playing regularly at venues such as The Thirsty Scholar, Fuel-Cafe Bar and the Yard. During his time at college, Sam was a member of the RNCM Big Band, performing with artists such as Nikki Iles and Josephine Davies. He recently composed an EP of original music which was recorded live at the Yard in Manchester with his jazz quartet. Outside of music he loves running, swimming, football, rugby and musical theatre.

Piano/Bassoon
Sarah received a BMus from Edinburgh Napier University before completing her MMus at the Royal Northern College of Music. She is an experienced musician and teaches bassoon, piano and music theory. She has also assisted in the RNCM Children’s Opera project and completed a placement with LIME Music for Health in Manchester Children’s Hospital, working with the young patients there.

Drums
A native of Manchester, Steve has been a professional musician all his working life.  He was an active session musician for many years, recording for and performing on radio and television.  He has also accompanied many leading jazz artists including Art Farmer, Bobby Shew and Jim Mullen.  As well as teaching at the Music Place, Steve also teaches drums at Salford University.

Iain began his professional career with the BBC Radio Orchestra and BBC Big Band, where he stayed for eight years before becoming a freelance player on the London music scene. He has played as a member of UK jazz groups led by Mike Walker, Julian Arguelles, Alan Barnes and Dave Newton, as well as leading his own bands. As a session player, Iain has appeared on many albums with artists as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Primal Scream and the Spice Girls.  He currently teaches improvisation at Chetham’s School of Music and the RNCM.

Originally from Salford, Mike is an internationally respected guitarist and teacher. Mike has performed and recorded with many of the leading jazz musicians of today, including Kenny Wheeler, Mike Gibbs, George Russell, Vince Mendoza and John Taylor. Mike has performed extensively throughout the UK and Europe with the Impossible Gentlemen and released an album ‘Ropes’ in 2018, featuring a 22 piece string orchestra and jazz quintet.