David Milsom, BMus(hons), MMus, PhD

Partner

Violin and Viola

David Milsom is a native of Sheffield. After beginning a degree in History at the university in 1992, he swiftly changed to become a music student, gaining a 1st class degree in 1995, an M.Mus (research) in 1996, and a Ph D in Historical Performing Practice in 2000, during which time he won academic and performance prizes at undergraduate level, and funding for his postgraduate research by the British Academy. Between 2000 and 2006, David gained a variety of smaller research awards, including a British Academy small grant to complete his first major monograph, Theory and Practice in Late Nineteenth-Century Violin Performance (Aldershot, 2003), an Edison Fellowship at the British Library in 2003 (for study of early sound recordings) and was made a Visiting Research Fellow at University of Leeds in 2005. From 2006-2009 he was a Research Fellow at University of Leeds, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, in which he engaged in a large and ground-breaking project to record nineteenth-century chamber repertoire in experimental historical styles. Award of a further research contract at Leeds (also funded by AHRC) was interrupted in January 2010 by his appointment as Lecturer at University of Huddersfield, where David now takes a full part in the activities there, including examining and teaching in the areas of music performance and musicology. David has published quite widely, and is currently engaged on several major pieces of scholarly writing which should come to fruition in the next few months. He gives regular recitals in a variety of contexts, most notably at present with colleagues from Leeds University, with whom he is undertaking a tour of UK Music Departments performing nineteenth-century chamber music in ‘historically informed’ ways.

Concurrent with this, David has been a prolific and dedicated violin and viola teacher in Sheffield, taking his first pupils in 1993. Since that time, well over one hundred pupils have taken his instruction. From 2001-2006 David also taught at Mount St Mary’s College and Barlborough Hall Schools in Derbyshire, and is keen to remember the importance of such ‘grassroots’ teaching and learning as more and more of his time is taken up with advanced students!

Having had to cut down significantly on the size of his instrumental teaching practice, David is now concentrating his teaching upon advanced students and adult pupils, in reflection of his professional seniority and experience. David hopes to bring his new activity in helping to design the entire undergraduate and postgraduate performance courses at Huddersfield to help shape and influence the activities of Milsom School of Music.

Ruth Milsom, BMus(hons)

Partner

Piano, Theory, Aural and Accompaniment

Ruth was born and grew up in Crawley, West Sussex and was fortunate enough to gain a place at the West Sussex Music Centre where she received excellent all-round music tuition. It is this educational experience, which encompassed instrumental lessons, ensembles and orchestras, theory and aural coaching and choral training (in the County Girls' Choir), that has inspired Ruth to develop a holistic approach in her own teaching methods.

Ruth has learned the violin to Grade 7 standard and enjoys playing in local orchestras and string ensembles, she also achieved Grade 8 on the organ in 1990.

Since graduating from Sheffield University, Ruth has taught piano for over sixteen years, nurturing an established and enviable reputation. She is also an experienced accompanist and works regularly in this capacity in ABRSM and Trinity-Guildhall exams, being in high demand by a number of local instrumental teachers.

The administration of the Milsom School on a day-to-day basis falls to Ruth, as well as the organisation of termly Workshop and Concert events.

Although piano lessons for children form the backbone of Ruth's teaching activities, she also specialises in Theory and Aural, and has worked with a number of adults who have returned to learning the piano and reached an advanced level of proficiency.

Ruth's favourite pastimes include walking, foreign languages and travel, choral singing, birdwatching, cooking proper food and putting the world to rights with friends.

Kay Nicholson

Flute

Kay joined our teaching staff in 2007. Having worked for some time as a care assistant in Sheffield, she is now increasingly pursuing her natural desire to teach her instrument as a practical outlet for her love of music.

Whilst still at school in Sheffield, Kay won a coveted place at the Royal Northern College of Music's Junior department in Manchester, where she studied flute and singing. She then took her instrumental studies further with a year's instruction at the Birmingham Conservatoire (now part of the Birmingham City University).

Kay is equally at home working with adults and children; her friendly manner is particularly helpful for nervous students, whilst her business-like approach to learning the flute results in steady progress and solid foundations.

George Parsons, BA (Oxon), ARCO, FRCO

Piano, Theory and Accompaniment

George's musical career began as a chorister at King's College, Cambridge. Whilst there, he studied the piano and violin and, later, started learning the organ with David Goode. After further organ study with his father, James Parsons, at Oundle School, George gained a DFEE Specialist Place at Wells Cathedral School. During his Sixth Form at Wells, he studied the organ with Rupert Gough and harpsichord with David Ponsford. He also held the post of Junior Organ Scholar at Wells Cathedral.

After leaving Wells, George spent a year furthering his organ studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam under Jacques van Oortmerssen and had the opportunity to play some of the most beautiful organs in Holland. Then, in 2000, he left Amsterdam to take up the post of Organ Scholar at The Queen's College, Oxford, where he also read for a degree in music. Whilst at Queen's, George became an Associate of the Royal College of Organists, winning all three of the top prizes in the exam.

On leaving Oxford in 2003, George spent four years working in church music ministry, first in London as Music Assistant at All Souls, Langham Place, and then in Sheffield where he has held the post of Music Coordinator at Christ Church, Fulwood. In October 2007 he starts research on an MPhil at Sheffield University, looking into the links between the faith and music of J.S. Bach.

In his spare time George enjoys running, reading and cooking for his friends!

Michelle Potter, BMus(hons), PGCE

Flute, Singing, Violin and Theory

Born in Hinckley, Leicestershire, in 1984, Michelle learnt violin from the age of 9 and took up the flute and saxophone in her late teens. Excelling in flute playing, she gave numerous concert performances, including for the Duke and Duchess of Rutland and HRH The Queen. She also played soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones with the John Cleveland Jazz Band, touring Paris in 2003.

Singing is another passion of Michelle's; she has sung lead vocals with several cover bands, wrote and sang for an originals soul/funk/jazz group and has sung under Sir Simon Rattle's baton in a performance of Verdi's Requiem.

Michelle studied music (including violin, with David Milsom) at Sheffield University, graduating in 2006. During her time as a music student, she led the 2nd violins in both the University Symphony Orchestra and the Pisgah Ensemble. She was also on the organising committee for the Sheffield University Summer Music Festival in 2006. Her organisational skills are also put to good use as Secretary of the Sheffield Symphony Orchestra, in which she co-leads the 2nd violin section.

In June 2007 Michelle gained a PGCE qualification from Huddersfield University and has been teaching music for nearly a year at All Saints' Catholic High School, Sheffield. She has recently been appointed Subject Leader for Music at the school. As an enthusiast for raising standards of music teaching, Michelle is now undertaking a postgraduate MA degree in music education.

Michelle began instrumental teaching in 2004; she now offers tuition in violin, flute, saxophone and singing; her enthusiastic and to-the-point teaching style appeals to adult and child pupils alike.

Michelle's particular musical interests lie in large orchestral works and 20th-Century flute compositions. Her other hobbies include painting (mainly in acrylics) and gardening.

Lucy Revis

Cello

Lucy began studying the cello at the age of eight. After joining her local music service and gaining a scholarship, she was given great opportunities to travel Europe frequently and perform in the UK's finest concert halls including the Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Festival Hall.

Lucy has entered and won many local, national and worldwide competitions and festivals, not only on her cello, but also playing her saxophone and clarinet in various ensembles and as a soloist.

Lucy's interests do not only lie within the sphere of classical music, but with popular music too, as she often writes and records string music for popular acts in her home town.

Lucy is now working towards a music degree at the University of Sheffield, where she continues to perform and studies with cello teacher Jennifer Round.

Peter Taylor, BSc, PgDip (vocal studies)

Associate

Singing (all styles; specialist in Musical Theatre)

Peter was born in Solihull and has sung from an early age. His education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Geosciences from Sheffield University and a Post-Graduate Diploma in vocal studies from the Birmingham Conservatoire.

During his time as a student in Sheffield, Peter was a choral scholar at St. John's, Ranmoor and chairman of the University Singers' Society, from which he formed Socii Cantorum, the Society's chamber choir. Since returning to Sheffield after his studies in Birmingham, he has taken up the role of Musical Director of the Society's main chorus. He has also extended his strong interest in choral singing, conducting and training as director of the Hallam Choral Society.

Peter has worked extensively as a baritone soloist with various choirs, as well as giving solo recitals and appearing in several operatic roles.

Peter's present work includes singing tuition at SLP College, Leeds, where he is Head of Music. Whilst primarily classically trained, Peter is developing a specialism in vocal training for Musical Theatre, aiming to apply the best classical principals of technique and interpretation to this field.

The task of engaging and training the next generation in choral and vocal music is one which Peter pursues with passion. He is pioneering a programme of Singing Workshops with the Milsom School, aimed at encouraging and developing this most vital of skills in pupils and parents of all ages and abilities.

Peter's non-musical interests include fine food and drink, comedy film and tv, and bringing up his young beagle, Fitzroy.

Gavin Usher, BMus(hons)

Violin

Gavin was born in Sheffield and studied at Notre Dame High School. He started violin at 6 and was playing in ensembles by the age of 9. Gavin joined Sheffield Youth Orchestra when he was thirteen and went on to lead the orchestra for 3 years as well as performing solo works with the orchestra including The Lark Ascending. Other ensembles he performed in included the Senior Orchestra and Advanced String Orchestra at Sheffield Music Services and also the City of Sheffield Youth Orchestra and Sheffield Symphony Orchestra. This led to many prestigious performances including performing Swan Lake with the Royal Russian Ballet as well as awards in The Music for Youth competition.

After taking a gap year, Gavin went on to study music at the University of Hull, graduating in 2008. During his time at university he was in demand for various ensembles. He led the University Symphony Orchestra, played an active role in the university’s Early Music Ensemble where he learned to play and enjoy the Baroque violin, and was required to play in numerous student led ensembles. In his final year he was leading his own string quartet, playing in a piano trio and directing his own string ensemble which was un-conducted and aimed to improve players’ key ensemble skills.

He also studied conducting, learning under the direction of the conducting lecturer Lee Tsang, as well as taking part in masterclasses with Adrian Brown and Ronald Corp amongst others. He found a natural flare for conducting and quickly progressed to a high standard. This led to the opportunity of being music director for the university’s Gilbert and Sullivan society for two years running which included the production of both Iolanthe and Pirates of Penzance which received excellent reviews and awards. He also had the opportunity to conduct the University Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. His university study culminated in a first in both solo performance and ensemble performance.

Gavin now balances a busy career as a freelance violinist, conductor/music director and teacher. He performs regularly with many groups including Opera 74, the Northern Wagner Orchestra and Hull Bach Choir. As a music director he is currently working with Ellesmere Operatic as well as being invited back to Hull University to fulfil the role on their Opera Company’s production of Hansel and Gretel. He is also associated with Hessle Sinfonia as a guest conductor.

Gavin is particularly interested in the psychology of performance as well as promoting children’s exposure to classical music and changing modern stereotypical perceptions of it. Aside from music he enjoys walking and the outdoors, theatre and cooking.

Robert Webb, MA (Cantab)

Associate

Piano, Organ, Singing, Theory and Accompaniment, Conducting,
Adult Theory & Music Appreciation

Robert was born and brought up in Guisborough, North Yorkshire. As a young boy he began singing with the Church Choir at St Nicholas Church, where he was trained by Richard Bendelow. He learned to play the organ and was organ scholar there. He was educated at Selwyn College, Cambridge where he held a choral exhibition and read law. During his time at University he was active in the Selwyn College music scene, and was also organ scholar and subsequently assistant organist at the University Church of St Mary the Great.

He left Cambridge to go to Law School in Chester where he sang as a lay-clerk in the cathedral under Roger Fisher. Robert returned to Cambridge to complete his law training and, following qualification as a solicitor worked for several years for a Cambridge Law firm. He was also Director of Music at Trumpington Church, Director of the Cambridge Granta Singers and St Ives Choral Society.

In 1996 Robert decided that a life in law was not for him, and moved to Oxfordshire to make a living out of music. For a while he fulfilled a life-long ambition to work as a motorcycle courier while building up his work in and around Oxford. During his first few years in Oxford, he was Director of Music at the Church of Ss Mary and John, Cowley Road, Conductor of the Oxford Welsh Male Voice Choir and of the Lord Williams Festival Chorus in Thame.

In early 2000 Robert became Director of Music at the churches of St Mary and St Leonard in Wallingford, and also Conductor of Henley Choral Society. In 2001 he took up the post of Director of the Cathedral Singers of Christchurch Cathedral, Oxford. From 2003-2010 Robert was Director of Music at St John's Church, Ranmoor.

Robert is currently Director of the Sterndale Singers and accompanist to the University Singers' Society.

Robert has written a number of works for children and amateur singers including the Wallingford Cantata, which was staged for the millennium celebrations. Until recently Robert played a key role at SLP College near Leeds, where he coached students preparing for the Trinity College Professional Diploma in Musical Theatre; Robert decided to leave this role in order to devote more time to his teaching practice in Sheffield.

When not involved in musical pursuits, Robert enjoys relaxing with a good vintage wine and (in fine weather) biking round the local countryside.