Stephen Allen

Abbey Junior School, in 1978, provided Stephen's introduction to SYM as a young budding violinist.

Bristnall Hall High School however won him over to brass playing in 1983 and by 1985 Stephen had taken his place in the Sandwell Youth band on baritone. Stephen fondly recalls concerts tours with the band to Sweden, Vienna and the USA in 1990.

Stephen now works in the world of finance. Music is however still a huge part of his life and in September 2003 he was appointed as the Musical Director of the Warley Male Choir. We wish Stephen well with his continued music-making.

Margaret Cookhorn

Margaret Cookhorn commenced her music making in a Sandwell school and in the mid 70's was a valued member of the Sandwell Youth Orchestra. Margaret recently returned to take part in a project involving pupils from St Gregory's RC Primary, St Mary's RC Primary and Stuart Bathurst RC High School. And did she thrill our young musicians with her bassoon playing!

This is what Margaret had to say about her musical journey to date.

"I began learning the bassoon at Shireland High School and attended Causeway Green Music Centre on Saturday mornings and Sandwell Youth Orchestra on Wednesday evenings. In enjoyed the orchestral concerts in West Bromwich Town Hall and particularly the weekend courses at Ingestre Hall.

After A levels, I chose Music College rather than university because I really wanted to play, so I went to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on a four-year course. Towards the end of my first year I started having lessons on the contrabassoon and by the middle of my third year I was offered work by Opera North and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra which was fantastic experience.

At the end of my degree course, the contrabassoon position in the CBSO came up and to cut a long story short I was offered the position.

I really enjoy playing and I've played with other orchestras in the UK (even with the London Symphony!!) and have visited many countries.

Besides playing, I teach at the Birmingham Conservatoire and am involved with educational programmes with the CBSO."

Cat Deeley

Catherine Deeley was born in Sandwell in 1976. Both she and her brother Max attended Grove Vale Primary School. They were both involved with Sandwell Youth Music; Cat played the clarinet and Max the cello. Working her way up through the Music Centre groups Kate played in the Sandwell Youth Orchestra and Concert Band. She still has fond memories of touring abroad with both groups.

After participating in a regional BBC competition called The Clothes Show at age 14, the rest is history as they say! She had the looks to get her to the final rounds of the competition, and was spotted by an agent from Storm modelling agency. Kate was signed to Storm right away, and the agency tried to convince the then-student to put a hold on school and take on modelling full-time, but the studious “Cat” was not convinced. She stayed in school and earned herself 9 GCSE A grades and 4 A-level passes, and as luck would have it, the modelling world was still waiting. She now lives in Hollywood and says, "It ay arf posh ere!"

Ian Gibbs

Ian Gibbs had his first brass lesson at Devonshire Junior School in 1971! Smethwick Hall Boys' school and West Park College rounded off Ian's early education.

From 1976 through until 1981 he was a valued member of the Sandwell Youth Band playing tenor horn. He commenced his studies at the Birmingham Conservatoire in 1981.

Ian returned to the SYM team in 1985 and now teaches brass himself in the Smethwick area. He was also appointed as the Sandwell Youth Band Director in September 2000. The band under his direction is a busy and successful group and in the Summer of 2003 undertook its most recent concert tour in Austria.

Tracy Holloway

From SYM and West Bromwich to the West End Stage

Tracy blew her first notes on a battered old Baritone at Wednesbury Oak Primary School back in 1974, taught by Dick Hallam.

But such a lot has happened since those days. Tracy took up the trombone in 1980, was a member of the Sandwell Youth Orchestra and hasn't looked back since.

She is now a most successful freelance musician in demand as a trombonist and at present playing in the West End theatres in Lion King. She is seen here with members of the cast.

Ann Reeves (nee Hollins)

Ann Reeves (nee Hollins) started her brass playing in 1976 at Hollyhedge Primary with John Hynd as her cornet teacher. Even before moving to Manor High School she had taken her place on 3 rd cornet in the Sandwell Youth Band. By 1986 she had progressed to principal cornet in the band.

And where is she now?

Ann is a valued member of the SYM team, and is actually back at Hollyhedge teaching brass, and is also director of the Training Concert Band.

On the left you see Ann as a very proud member of the world famous Desford Colliery Band

Lynda Sayce

Lynda Sayce is now one of the UK’s leading lutenists. Whilst at school she played the flute, but at West Park Sixth Form College in Smethwick she taught herself to play the classical guitar and passed Grade 8 within a year! Studying music at Oxford University she became interested in the flute and continued her study of this instrument at the Royal College of Music. She holds a Ph.D for her published research on the history of the theorbo (bass lute) and has edited many music publications.

She performs regularly with leading period instrument ensembles, appearing on more than 100 CD recordings, and she has broadcast throughout Europe, the USA, Japan and South America.

Lynda says of her time in Sandwell:

"I have very fond memories of both the Music Centre and the Sandwell Youth Orchestra. I'll never forget the sound of massed grade 1 violins, as the junior orchestra tuned up, or the day when I was promoted from the intermediate orchestra to the senior one. Some pieces I met for the first time in Sandwell are still firm favourites. I heard Rimsky-Korsakoff's' 'Capriccio Espagnol' on the radio recently, and it brought back lots of memories! That was the most exhilarating piece I remember playing and we were lucky in that we had players who could manage the solos. Another fond memory which always comes back whenever I hear the piece is of rehearsing Brahms' St Anthony Variations at Ingestre on one of those fantastic residential courses."

Steve Webb MP

Steve Webb MP Attended Dartmouth High School from 1976 to 1983. Whilst at school he played the oboe and was a member of the Sandwell Youth Orchestra.

At the age of 21 he left Hertford College, Oxford and began work in London with the Institute for Fiscal Studies specialising in researching into poverty, taxes and benefits -interests. For several years he held the position of Professor of Social Policy at Bath University then in 1997 was elected as Libdem MP for the Northavon constituency near Bristol.

Steve became the Liberal Democrats' lead spokesman on Health, then in 2006 he was appointed to head the group that will write the party’s next General Election manifesto.