Meet the Team

I have spent my career working in Music Education and I was Director of Music at St Mary’s College in Hull prior to joining the team at North Lincolnshire Music. I have taught GCSE, A Level and Vocational Music courses and have a particular interest in Composition and developing the next generation of young composers.

As a musician, I regularly work as an MD and keyboard player for local musical theatre groups, and I am a member of the East Riding Concert Orchestra and direct the music at my local church.

Jo is the first point of contact for staff, schools, teachers and parents.

I am an alumni of North Lincolnshire Music, singer and woodwind player and enjoyed a rich musical upbringing, including, singing with Scunthorpe Co-Operative Junior Choir, undertaking my ABRSM Grades, performing in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and starring as ‘Annie’ in the musical production Annie.

My undergraduate and postgraduate years were underpinned by a variety of performing and composition experiences, including, touring with theatre show ‘Thank ABBA for the Music’, performing in assorted function ensembles and as a soloist across the UK, Europe and the UAE, and orchestration work performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra at the 2019 BBC Proms. Outside of performing, I have lectured in the subjects of music, musicology, music technology, composition, gender studies, philosophy and sociology at further and higher education level. A proud type 1 diabetic, I am a champion for diversity and equality within the professional music sphere and works towards creating a culture where music is accessible to all members of society. I regularly perform with my own function band, ‘Big Phat Phunction’, a rock, soul and Motown ensemble formed in my years as an undergraduate at conservatoire.

I first became interested in the clarinet after hearing a group of local music teachers playing in a concert at my school. I went on to study at the Royal College of Music in London and then, in addition to playing in concerts in and around London, became the administrator and manager of the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra (the UK’s foremost pre-professional training orchestra).

As a freelance orchestral ‘fixer’ I also provided musicians for concerts, festivals and events at all the major venues in London as well as for foreign tours. I then worked abroad for 15 years, first as an orchestral player in Argentina and then as a clarinet tutor and Head of the Music Foundation Course at the former Jamaica School of Music within Edna Manley College, Jamaica as well as coaching players in the Jamaica Defence Force and Military bands. I’ve played for many concerts, opera and ballet and as a soloist in various different countries and have adjudicated music festivals abroad.

Since returning to the UK I’ve taught mainly within the Humber region and at the University of Hull. I’ve worked with North Lincolnshire Music for 18 years, teaching clarinet, saxophone and flute. I currently play with several freelance orchestras and I’m a member of 3 chamber groups. I have a teaching diploma, an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in music. I believe that playing and teaching a musical instrument is a lifechanging experience and, in addition to the immense personal enrichment, it can be a ticket to visiting the most amazing places and meeting many incredible and fascinating people.

When I’m not teaching, most of my time playing is split between playing baroque violin and electronic music. I have played with local artists for a variety of gigs and records improvising over their electronic tracks using loop pedals. The two are quite contrasting but I love the challenge that baroque music brings, it forces me to work hard on dexterity and precision playing, but in contrast I love the freedom of improv and working with electronic music in this way, but also the way the two forms of electronic and classical can come together to create something totally new.

I started playing the violin at 8 years old. I progressed through the Music Service having lessons with the wonderful peripatetic music teachers. I have fond memories of being in the Scunthorpe Youth Orchestras and made long lasting friendships. I continued to play locally in shows, choral societies and symphony orchestras whilst undergoing my Nurse Training.

I enjoyed being part of a string quartet, playing with the Lindsey Chamber Orchestra along with choral and show orchestras. I joined North Lincolnshire Service as a teacher in 2008.

My advice to future musicians is never stop playing, even if you go down a different career path you can still play.

I have worked in Music Education for the last 30 years across North Lincolnshire and have come to this role after two years with Lincolnshire Music Service. I am an instrumental teacher who specialises in Guitar, Bass and Drums as well as a keen interest in Inclusion, SEND and Neurodivergent Students.

I learned to play the clarinet, then saxophone with tuition from what is now North Lincolnshire Music with lessons in school and taking part in the Music Centre in different ensembles including choir, orchestra, concert band and swing band. I enjoy playing and listening to traditional music, particularly Scottish, and play in a ceilidh band in the local area.

I started working for North Lincolnshire Music in 2007. I predominantly teach the flute, but I also teach the recorder, clarinet and piano. I play in the Lincolnshire Chamber Orchestra and Lincoln Symphony Orchestra. I also enjoy singing and recently recorded some choral music that will be used in the film Angels in the Asylum, which is being released hopefully later this year.

After leaving John Leggott College I studied music at the University of Hull, focusing on psychology of music performance and theory of music.

I began to play the piano at the age of seven, and the bassoon at the age of 10. I had instrumental tuition for the bassoon throughout my secondary school and college life from North Lincolnshire Music. Outside of teaching, I am Musical Director for some musical theatre productions in the local area.

I studied Music at the University of York, completing the three-year degree by performing a final recital.

I started learning the cello when I was 8 years old and attended the North Lincolnshire music centre for about 10 years. Outside of work I play in several ensembles including the Lindsey Chamber Orchestra and a string quartet, as well as in various one-off concerts and for musical theatre productions.

I grew up having peri lessons here in North Lincolnshire in Singing, Violin and French Horn, and have always loved music!

Every Saturday as a child I played in the North Lincolnshire bands and Orchestras, and I also sang in the swing band and Youth Choir too. I went on to study music at Leeds University and then did a PGCE in Secondary Music and taught classroom music for several years before joining the Music Service.

I have performed at several prestigious events when I was younger including Royal Birthday concerts, I remember especially the Queen Mother’s 100th Birthday celebration, there were so many people there and a great atmosphere. I sang in the choir at the opening of the Millennium Dome (Now the O2) in 2000 which was an amazing concert to be part of.

I sang with the Scunthorpe Cooperative Junior Choir as a Child and took part in the ‘Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year’ Competition a couple of times which was televised. I am going on tour to Germany this year with the choir as a Chaperone as my daughter currently sings in the choir, looking forward to some great performances.

I attended secondary schools in Lincoln and Farnham during which time I was fortunate enough to perform in a choir at the Royal Albert Hall singing Handel’s Messiah and performing at the Royal Festival Hall as a member of the Surrey County Youth Orchestra on bassoon. After A levels in Music and Art I went on to study music at Newark College of Music.

I have been an instrument teacher of brass, woodwind, piano and percussion for over 30 years and have been a tutor for North Lincs Music since 2009. During this time I also spent ten years teaching classroom music in a primary school where I regularly led a 70 strong choir in the annual Young Voices Concerts at Sheffield Arena. Since my teens I have been a regular performer in pit orchestras and as a cast member for many local theatre companies as well as being a member of various brass bands being lucky enough to perform both brass and percussion in many fabulous concert halls and venues around the country and abroad.

I’m originally from Yorkshire and have played guitar from a young age. I have been with North Lincolnshire Music for 20 years. I play and teach all styles of guitar including Classical, Flamenco, Jazz, Rock and Traditional music. I particularly like playing Gypsy Jazz music. After university I worked with various arts organisations on community music and drama projects. I was also a lecturer at a city college. I co-founded a community music organisation called Humber sound in which I project managed and delivered youth music projects across the Humber regions.

As a composer I’ve written music for multi-arts firework events and for the theatre. As a performer I’ve played and delivered workshops at music festivals and venues around the country. I’m also a founder of the award winning Folklincs, an organisation promoting traditional music in North Lincolnshire.

I’ve loved singing from a young age and joined the Scunthorpe Co-Operative Junior Choir at 12, gaining incredible performance opportunities over the years.

After studying Music at John Leggott College, I went on to complete both my undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Hull, specialising first in performance and later in music education. During my time there, I was an active member of several ensembles, particularly the university’s Big Band Society, where I played tenor saxophone. I also spent seven years performing alto saxophone with the local ska band Special Bru, playing gigs across the country.