Glyn Oxley

Glyn is an inspirational cello teacher and conductor.   He is the Musical Director for Gloucester Academy of Music and Conductor of the Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra.   He also teaches on the National Children’s Orchestra residential courses.  

Wes Duggan

Widely recognised as an inspirational clarinet and saxophone teacher and leader of wind ensembles and groups.   He studied at the Royal Academy and the Guildhall and has toured throughout Europe.   He has also made recordings for TV, radio and EMI records.

The Carducci Quartet

We are very privileged to have members of the Carducci Quartet teaching on our Advanced Strings course.   It provides a fantastic opportunity for our students to work and learn with international quartet prize winners.

For more information on the Carducci Quartet please see HERE.

Caroline Lumsden

Caroline Lumsden trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as a violinist and singer and then as a class teacher.   She was the founder and first director of the Gloucester Academy of Music and with husband, Alan of the Beauchamp House Holiday Courses and the Musicland publishing company.

Although she has worked with all ages and stages and has pupils at all the principal UK Conservatories, Caroline's main love is working with young pupils.   She has many publications to her name and is constantly developing new material to help pupils learn easily through having fun with Pirates, Witches, Wizards, Imaginary Animals, Dinosaurs amongst others!

She divides her time equally between Trinity College of Music Junior Stringtime Programme for 3-11 year olds, which she directs; running chamber music courses in both France and England; composing; teacher training; working with the under 6s through her ScutterBug Language through Music Programme and supporting her 4 grown up children, all musicians or actors themselves.

2008 sees the completion of her Right@Sight sight-reading series for Edition Peters and a new group-teaching series.

John Jenkins

John Jenkins began his musical career as a chorister at Bristol Cathedral.   He later read music at Durham University where he was organ scholar of University College and conductor of the University Chamber Choir.   As assistant organist at Bristol Cathedral from 1977 to 1981 he made several recordings, television and radio broadcasts.   From 1982 to 1991 he combined full-time teaching in Staffordshire with the conductorship of the Derwent Singers and regular engagements as organist and continuo player.

John’s choral work with young people has embraced the music courses of a number of institutions - the Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools, the National Children’s Orchestra, Gloucester Academy of Music, the Cambridge School of Music and the Royal School of Church Music.   John was appointed organist of Sherborne Girls in 1992, becoming Director of Music in 1996.   As well as directing the school’s four choirs, he is also joint conductor of the Sherborne Schools’ Symphony Orchestra and Sherborne School Choral Society.   Since 2008 he has been guest conductor of the Variations Ensemble Vocal et Orchestre in the Dordogne region of France.

Elly Rickelton

Elly was born in Gloucestershire and was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain as a flautist.   Whilst still at school, she studied at the Royal Academy of Music, having both flute and piano lessons there.   Afterwards she studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama as a joint first study flautist and pianist, before graduating and becoming a prizewinner as a flautist.

After graduation, Elly became a full time member of staff at Sherborne School for Girls in Dorset, where she remained for over 3 years.   After this followed many years of travel to India and the beginning of a strong affection for anything Indian.

Elly currently teaches the flute at Malvern College, Cheltenham College and Chosen Hill School, and leads a busy life as an orchestral flautist, accompanist and performer.   She is also one half of The Something Blue Duo, providing background music for weddings, parties and other functions.

Amelia Jones

Amelia is studying for a Masters at the Royal Academy of Music with Erich Gruenberg, having previously studied at the Royal College of Music with Yossi Zivoni.   She is co-leader of the Orchestra of the Swan and enjoys a wide range of freelance work as a violinist.

Kathelyne Van Bouwel

As the daughter of Jan Van Bouwel, director and choir-conductor of the Belgian national radio choir, I was spoon-fed music like candy and kept a sweet tooth ever after.

I'm a big fan of sparkling performances with professional as well as amateur ensembles.   In brief, I've played with many orchestras in Europe, ranging from the European Youth and World Orchestras (which admittedly were a while ago), to National and Radio Orchestras and leading the 2nd violins of St Paul's Symphony Orchestra in Antwerp whilst also having fun playing folk tunes in the local pubs.   My goal is to pass on the value of musical quality and passion to the young, younger and not so young with a sense of humor and a youthful approach.

Besides a full-time job as a violin & viola teacher in Belgium, I also organize music/circus/mountain-hiking courses in Italy where students, just like they do on the Beauchamp courses, learn to play, sport and communicate in groups as well as perform enthusiastically.

I got to know Caroline Lumsden as an adjudicator at the British School of Brussels in the years that I was teaching there.   My students never got such good grades!   Needless to say, we "got on like a house on fire" and she invited me to teach on the Beauchamp courses.   That was over a decade ago and since then I have been bringing some of my students each year from Belgium.

Steven McDade

Stephen trained at the Royal Academy of Music studying violin under Clarence Myerscough and tuba under Patrick Harrild and John Fletcher.   He later studied conducting with Peter Stark as well as ‘Tension in the Art of Performance’ with Kato Havas and the Colourstrings Method under Géza Szilvay.

Stephen has been an active freelance violinist, playing with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and in many West End musicals, as well as solo and chamber music performances.   Recent performances include the Bruch Violin Concerto No.l, unaccompanied Bach in Gloucester Cathedral and Malcolm Arnold’s Double Violin Concerto performed in London with his sister, Annmarie McDade.

Stephen currently plays on a Nigel Harris violin, which was commissioned in 1990.   Before taking up his current position as Head of Strings at Malvern College, Worcestershire Stephen held the post of String Co-Coordinator for The Berkshire Young Musician’s Trust and was Head of Strings at Dean Close School, Cheltenham.   His work involves violin teaching from beginner through to diploma as well as coaching chamber groups and conducting.

Responsibilities outside of music include Assistant Housemaster and President of Common Room.   Stephen has a long-standing involvement with the National Children’s Orchestra as both violin tutor and conductor, and was the principal conductor of ENCORE for ten years.

Juliet Tomlinson

Juliet studied cello, piano and viola da gamba at The Royal Academy of Music in London and since then has had a busy career as soloist, chamber and orchestral musician and as a sought-after teacher.   She regularly plays for the Welsh National Opera and teaches at the King’s School, Gloucester, Dean Close School, Cheltenham and at the Gloucester Academy of Music.

Juliet runs the chamber ensemble Any String Goes (www.anystringgoes.com).   They have recorded with Jethro Tull and play regularly for celebrities including Sir Jacky Stewart and Princess Anne.   Juliet has appeared on many recordings and featured as the legendary cellist Beatrice Harrison in a documentary for ITV.

Kate Allott

Kate Allott initially trained as a viola player, touring with some of Britain's top early music ensembles.   As she became increasingly interested in the development of young string players, her teaching of violin and viola has expanded to dominate her career.

She currently teaches on Junior Trinity’s String Time Programme and in recent years has specialised in whole class teaching, notably in Bromley, Tower Hamlets, the Red Rooster Project and the Centre for Young Musicians.   She also coaches on string courses in France and the UK.

Kate has created a string training programme at James Wolfe Primary School in Greenwich, transforming music provision at the school so that one quarter of pupils, including those from the hearing impaired unit, now play the violin.

Kate is also active in the field of teacher training, working with undergraduates at Trinity College of Music and on the Open University's Key Stage 2 programme.   She was involved in the setup of Bromley Youth Music Trust's new wider opportunities scheme and has supported the development of new teachers in Tower Hamlets.

Andy Prouse

Andy grew up spending much of his time at Beauchamp Music Group (as it originally was) and playing for numerous County Music Groups, including as principal horn in the County Youth Orchestra.   He has since gained a BA(Hons) at London University and now teaches brass and music theory for the County Music Service as well as helping to run their termly 'music theory' weekends.

Andy has worked with the National Childrens' Orchestra and has played - and continues to play - with numerous orchestras locally and nationally, including taking part in several European tours.

Pauline Jones

Pauline is a graduate of Birmingham Conservatoire of Music: 1st study double bass, 2nd study piano, gaining a BMus (hons) degree.   She studied double bass under Duncan McTier and Chi Chi Nwanku and has performed under many illustrious conductors and composers including Pierre Boulez, Mark Elder, Steve Reich and Sir Simon Rattle.

Pauline performs professionally as a freelance player with numerous orchestras, opera companies and choral societies in the West Midlands and the South West.   She started her teaching career in 1996 as a peripatetic instrumental teacher and has taught for various county music services and schools including Gloucestershire Music Service, Pates Grammar School and Demark Road High School for Girls.   Several pupils have been members of the National Youth Orchestra and have successfully applied for the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music.   Pauline teaches double bass for Gloucester Academy of Music.

After completing a P.G.C.E in 1996 Pauline has taught KS3, GCSE and A level music at Balcarras School, Cheltenham and Newent Community School.

Peter Martin (Course Director / Bass Tutor)

Peter Martin is a professional musician based in Gloucestershire.   He has played with two leading national big-bands; the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra and now performs with a wide variety of ensembles as well as teaching in a number of different roles across the county.

Peter has been fortunate to perform with famous artists including Lilian Bote (The Ambassador of New Orleans), Soweto Kinch, Bonnie Tyler, Charlotte Church, Keith Tippett and Julian Lloyd-Webber.

He has performed in over 2000 performances in his professional career to date including several Royal performances (including St. James’ Palace, Prince Charles’ Highgrove Estate), many highly prestigious events, a large number of musicals, numerous festivals as well as being flown annually to Azerbaijan to perform for the Royal British Legion for Rememberance weekend.   Peter also had the privilege of arranging, performing and co-producing a cover version of "I have a dream" by ABBA for a charity album for SANDS.   This was recorded at the famous Rockfield studios and sold several hundred thousands of copies nationally, reaching #34 in the iTunes downloads charts in 2010.

His commitments as a musician range from "The Goodfellas" jazz trio and function band, the Crescendo Big Band, freelance session work and the Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra.   He has been a lead tutor on the Cheltenham Rock School course and various other jazz / rock courses.   Peter has directed the Gloucestershire Youth Jazz Orchestra for Gloucestershire Music Services since September 2006 who have received national awards for their services to jazz, as well as performing several world jazz premieres, performing in the Cheltenham Jazz Festival every year and opening the Olympic Torch relay in Cheltenham.   Highlights for 2012-2013 will be playing in the Royal Albert Hall, performing with Rick Wakeman and the Jazz Course 2013.

Andy Hague (Trumpet Tutor)

Andy is a prolific composer and arranger - although his own groups feature him on trumpet he also plays drums to an equal extent, and has performed with many big names in this capacity.

Key career points include - attended Banff Summer School [1988] with tutors such as Dave Holland & Kenny Wheeler - recorded four broadcasts for the BBC's Jazz Notes programme, and three CD's as band-leader - many appearances as a session musician including the albums by Portishead and their Live in New York video - organised two tours with support from Jazz Services, and appeared at festivals such as Edinburgh, Brecon & Glastonbury - received composition commissions from Bristol Brass Consort, South West Jazz, & Jazz at the Albert - theatre work including Blues Brother, Soul Sister [Bristol Old Vic production starring Kwame Kwei Amah & Ruby Turner] & Hold On [national tour starring Peter Straker & Ruby Turner] - played on the soundtrack of the motion picture "A Good Woman" starring Helen Hunt & Scarlett Johannson. Education work - Andy has tutored for Bristol Jazz Workshops for several years, directs a community big-band for Bristol Music Service, and has acted as an external examiner for the Welsh College of Music & Drama.

Richard Hamer (Saxophone / Clarinet Tutor)

Richard started his playing with bands on the Mecca dance hall circuit and summer seasons on holiday camps and theatres, later gaining a place at Leeds College of Music in 1978.   Soon after he played in a house band in a Manchester residency backed many visiting cabaret artists, The Supremes, the Drifters, Martha Reeves, Three Degrees, Lenny Henry and many more.   He later moved to Cardiff in the mid 80’s to gain a teaching qualification, and has based his career there since that time.   From a S. Wales base, he has been fortunate to combine full time woodwind teaching with occasional appearances with some leading jazz figures, including Stan Tracey, Bobby Shew, Peter King, Loren Schonberg, Scott Hamilton, Lew Tabackin among others.   He is a member of the Steve Waterman Jazz Orchestra.

He has played in numerous theatre orchestras, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and has played on many TV and radio broadcasts and recordings, and for several years was musical director of the Welsh Jazz Orchestra.

He founded and directed “Jazz News” the S. Glam youth Jazz Orchestra, which made festival and TV appearances, and visited New York, France and Malta on concert tours.   He currently directs the Big Band at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and leads a quartet, quintet, and a nine piece latin band.   Several of Dick’s compositions have been included on the new Trinity/Guildhall exam syllabus.   In 2010, Richard set up a new company, South Wales Woodwind Ltd., to offer sales and high quality repairs/servicing of saxes, woodwind and accessories. (www.woodwindsalesandrepairs.com)

Catherine Sykes

Catherine Sykes grew up to the accompaniment of York Light.   Her mother Sue Sykes is the main rehearsal pianist for York Light, supporting the society over many years.   Catherine appeared in York Light Opera Society’s Songs from the Shows 92 as well as the concert at the Rock Church in 2002.

In 1994 Catherine embarked on a three year course at Leeds College of Music.   It was here that Catherine began studying Jazz.   She joined The Duke Ellington Repertory Orchestra, put her own trio together and began gigging in and around Leeds.

After Leeds, Catherine completed a one year course at Wakefield College and left with a LGSM Diploma in performance.   Since completing her studies, Catherine has performed all over the country with her own trio and various big bands.   She has recorded an album with Dave Newton (piano), Andy Hamill (bass) and Steve Brown (drums).   Now based in London, she has performed on ITV and has been featured on Humphrey Lyttleton’s "Best of Jazz" on Radio 2.   She tours extensively in Europe with The Glenn Miller Memorial Orchestra and is currently also singing with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra around the UK and abroad.

Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor spent most of the 1990’s making a living as a jazz pianist and composer, working with musicians such as Andy Sheppard, Iain Ballamy and Pee Wee Ellis, performing his own music at jazz festivals around the UK and studying composition (the integration of Jazz with African rhythmic structures) at Middlesex University.

Writing commissions included two collaborations with award-winning choreographer Yael Flexer and Birmingham Jazz New Technology Commission combining live improvisation with dance music and sampling.   In 1998 he formed Tango Siempre, the UK’s leading Argentinean Tango ensemble, recording several albums of his own music and playing every kind of venue imaginable from concert halls in Europe to tiny village halls on remote Scottish islands.

His music combines tango with jazz, electronica and contemporary classical music and he has collaborated with saxophonist Gilad Atzmon, Will Gregory (Goldfrapp), London Mozart Players and banoneonist Victor Vallena (Gotan Project).   At any one time he can be found teaching jazz at the Guildhall School in London, examining for ABRSM, recording contemporary saxophone and piano CDs, touring with Matthew Bourne's 'Edward Scissorhands', giving a solo jazz recital alongside virtuoso jazz pianist Uri Caine or playing funk with Fred Wesley’s band around Europe.

Richard Jones (Guitar Tutor)

Richard Jones has played in many Jazz club residencies and festivals, including the Brecon Jazz Festival, the Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall, the Bath Festival, Glastonbury Festival, the National Experimentica Festival, alongside artists such as Damon Brown, Guy Barker, Hiromi, and Soweto Kinch.

He studied with Keith Tippett at the R.W.C.M.D, and performed with the Keith Tippett Big Band.   Has has also been a recipient of a P.R.S Foundation award for unsigned artists, as he co-runs a music event called 'The Quarter' which programs artists involved in emerging areas of new music.

Richard Ashton (Drum Kit / Percussion Tutor)

Born and bred in Gloucester, Richard took up drums at the age of 13.   Soon he was performing around the county with various local jazz and rock ensembles.   After completing his A-levels he was accepted to study on the Jazz Degree course at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where he was trained by Peter Fairclough, Clarke Tracey, Martin France and Elliot Bennett.   Training involved extensive study of Jazz, Blues and Cuban/Brazilian music.   Richard graduated with honours in July 2005.   Since then he has been performing, touring and recording throughout the UK with many groups and artists from The Welsh Jazz Composers Orchestra to Keith Tippett.