Musical Directors

Stephen studied music at Huddersfield University gaining a 2 1 before completing his Post Graduate Certificate of Teaching at Leeds University.

Stephen started singing with Halifax Young Singers where the director, Lynn Hudson saw the potential in him at about 16 years old and trained him to initially take sectionals before finally giving him the opportunity to conduct Rutter’s Requiem before he left. He was put forward to be part of the very first Young Conductors Apprenticeship Scheme run by the Associated Board of Choral Directors. Stephen’s application was successful and he became one of 6 students to undergo a years training with some of the most prestigious choral leaders and directors.  His main mentor was David Lawrence who later founded ‘Young Voices’ which encourages singing in schools and gives school children the opportunity to sing in the biggest stadiums in the country. He also took conducting Masterclasses with Bob Chilcott, Mike Brewer, Alan Simmons. 

As well as being the co-director of Ilkley Youth Choir, Stephen is also the co-director of Ilkley Stage Singers and the Assistant Director of Bradford and Airedale Youth Choir.

At Huddersfield Stephen studied Choral conducting with Dr Simon Lindley and performed in the chamber choir ‘St Paul’s Singers’ under the direction of Kevin Kyle. The Choir went on two successful tours and won their class at the prestigious Mrs Sunderland Competition and then best Choir in the Competition overall.

Stephen has taught singing at Moorfield since 2013 and has had great success with the school choir, who have performed annually at the Wharfedale festival and also the Skipton Music Festival in more recent years.

Stephen has worked as a singing teacher for various Stagecoach Schools since 2002 including the Stagecoach North East Regional choir who performed three times at Birmingham Symphony Hall under his direction. He also conducted the Huddersfield Choral Society Youth Choir in the 2002/03 season. Stephen teaches Singing for Musica Kirklees in the Shelley and Holmfirth areas.

During Stephen’s final year at Huddersfield University, he was awarded a National award, The Harry Mortimer Memorial Trust Award Brass Student of the Year for the encouragement of Brass Band Music in the United Kingdom.  He later became a part-time lecturer at Huddersfield University and created and expanded the syllabus for the ‘Arranging for Brass Band’ to include ‘Scoring and Arranging for Symphonic Wind Orchestra’.  Stephen’s Brass Band arrangement of the Irish Blessing is played all over the world and many of his arrangements have been featured at the annual ‘Brass In Concert’ competition at the Sage in Gateshead.

Stephen is a brass peripatetic music teacher at Dixons City Academy, North Halifax Grammar School, and Rastrick High School. He also works with Musica Jazz (Musica Kirklee’s Jazz Orchestra) who recently performed at the ‘Music for Youth Schools Proms’ at the Royal Albert Hall.  Stephen also conducts the Concert Band ‘Hot Aire!’ which celebrated its 30^th Anniversary in June 2019.