Meet our Music staff

Meet the music department...

Mrs Nicola Sclater BA (Mus)

Director of Music 

Nicola attended The Lady Eleanor Holles School as a music scholar. She went on to study for a BA (Mus) and a PGCE at The University of Bristol. During this time Nicola played her violin and her saxophone in a variety of orchestras, jazz bands and a string ensembles, performing at venues such as The Royal Festival Hall and Eton College.

Over the last 20 years Nicola has had extensive experience both in the classroom and as an instrumental music teacher. Her roles include Head of Music, a teacher of Years 7 to 13 and a peripatetic violin, piano and music theory teacher. This varied experience has given her a valuable insight in to all aspects of a successful Music Department. 

Nicola moved to Dorset in 2008, where she now lives on a family farm with her husband and three boys. Nicola joined Hazlegrove in 2017 as a teacher of piano and music theory, and to provide classroom cover for the department. She has been involved in numerous extra-curricular groups and she has enjoyed being a part of the school’s concerts and services. 

As a teacher and a parent at the school Nicola is passionate about the quality of teaching within the music department. Her new role as Director of Music is an incredibly exciting opportunity to build on the school’s successes to date. She is looking forward to leading her team of highly qualified and committed music staff, and to developing all that the department has to offer.   

Mrs Isabel (Tiggy) Brearley

Oboe

Tiggy read Music and Italian at the University of Birmingham, during which time she played with the CBSO Youth Orchestra. On completion of her Undergraduate Degree Tiggy then moved onto the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where she completed a Masters Degree in Performance and Pedagogy. During her Masters she worked for Worcestershire Youth Music as an oboe, keyboard and ukulele teacher and played in side by side workshops with Welsh National Opera and Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Tiggy now works full time at King's Bruton where she is: Music Assistant, Resident Tutor in Priory House, sports coach, in charge of the Ten Tors Challenge and also runs the Navy section in the CCF.

Mrs Gina Cleverley

Flute

Georgina attended Blundell’s School in Devon as a music scholar during which time she performed as a soloist at the Queen Elizabeth Concert Hall. She then went on to study music at Southampton University where she gained her music degree, specialising in performance on the flute and voice as a second study. For 3 years she held the post of principal flute and piccolo for the University Symphony orchestra and won the Trinity College Valerie Hill prize for orchestral wind in 1990. She performed regularly in the Turner Simms Concert Hall.

As a graduate, Georgina gained experience teaching the flute in Surrey whilst studying for her LRSM diploma in flute teaching with Susan Milan and Christopher Hyde-Smith. From 1995 – 2000 Georgina performed with local orchestras and as a soloist in festivals and recitals. She continued to teach at Lord Wandsworth College, St Hilarys Prep school and Aldro.

In 2000 Georgina moved to Somerset where she now lives with her husband and 2 children. She has taught the flute at Hazlegrove for 10 years and has recently started teaching voice. She also teaches flute and singing in 4 primary schools in Wells and the Wells Blue School, where she also runs a flute ensemble. She is also established as a private teacher in Wells.

Georgina continues to play for orchestras in and around Somerset, including flute and piccolo in the pit for shows at Strode Theatre and Wells Little Theatre.

Mrs Amy Dickenson

Piano

Amy has enjoyed being a pianist from an early age and has taught piano since leaving university. She was one of the first generation of girl choristers at Salisbury Cathedral and went on to read music as a choral scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge. 

She enjoys improvising and composing at the piano and also enjoys playing the organ and accompanying. She has accompanied cellist Anup Kumar Biswas in concert. Highlights of her early career include performing the Schumann piano concerto and winning the National Ernest Read Young Composer Competition. Amy is also a professional solo and consort singer and enjoys an international career in opera and oratorio. She has performed as a soloist in the BBC Proms with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and recently in Versailles with The Gabrieli Consort.  She lives in Bruton and also teaches at Bryanston and Sandroyd.

Mrs Kate Gannon

Singing

Kate read Music at Nottingham University specialising in performance with voice and piano.  After further study in London she began her early career in the UK in opera, concert and oratorio.   She became holder of the Luisa Tetrazzini medal for coloratura singing  in 1999.  

Kate lived in Spain for many years singing in Barcelona, Seville, Oviedo, Andorra la Vella, Lyons, Clermont-Ferrand & Toulouse.     She also ran courses for singers and workshops in the International School in Palma de Mallorca.   

On return to the UK in 2012 with her husband and young son, Kate has performed in London venues -  St John’s Smith Square and St James’s Piccadilly and St George’s Brandon Hill in Bristol and returns to sing Mozart Mass in C minor in Spain at Easter.    She now teaches singing at Sherborne, Leweston, and Bryanston as well as Hazlegrove.

Mrs Cathryn Honey

Strings

Cathryn won an exhibition to study at the Royal College of Music in 1982 , gaining diplomas in both teaching and performing and winning two major prizes on graduating. Her first job was with the BBC RADIO ORCHESTRA after which she pursued a successful freelance career in London,  working with  (among others) the Philharmonia, English Chamber Orchestra, Birmingham Royal Ballet Sinfonia and London Festival Orchestra. She has also worked extensively in the West End  in shows such as Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and Oliver.

After the birth of her second son in 1998 Cathryn decided to pursue a more family friendly career in teaching and has held teaching positions in various State and Independant Schools in Buckinghamshire and the West Country.

Cathryn continues to play in London and does both orchestral and chamber music concerts in and around her hometown of Totnes also.

Cathryn has been teaching at Hazlegrove  since 2011.

Mr Simon Jones

Brass

Simon graduated with First Class Honours Degree and has performed with numerous orchestras including; Birmingham Bach orchestras, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, English Baroque Ensemble and Moscow City Ballet Orchestra. Commercially, Simon has toured and made recordings for Royal Shakespeare Company, Paul Young, The Divine Comedy, The Temptations and Barry Manilow. His recording credits include; League of Gentleman and Shooting Fish.

Simon is a professor at Wells Cathedral School and coaches regularly at National Children’s Orchestra, National Children’s Wind Orchestra, Gloucester Academy of Music and IAPS Training Concert Band.

Mr Phil Lambton

Clarinet and Saxophone

Phil Lambton was born and lived in Reading and at the age of 17 joined the Royal Marine Band Service at the RM School of Music, Deal in Kent. After completing 2 years 8 months training Phil joined his first band.

He then commenced a variety of engagements. These took him to many wonderful and varied places around the world, from the Canadian Exhibition in Toronto to the Botanical Gardens in Antigua, performing at a secondary school in Singapore and to Massed Bands at the Edinburgh Tattoo.

Later in his career, Phil took charge of three Royal Naval Volunteer Bands. Phil worked at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, HMS Rooke Gibraltar where he lived with his family for two years, and finally RNAS Yeovilton. It is here that he met Stephanie, who joined the Band playing Alto sax. Stephanie and Phil married in 2002. They have five children between them and nine grandchildren…….at the last count!

After a military career spanning 30 years, Phil retired in 2004, when he joined King’s Bruton as a member of the peripatetic music staff. Shortly afterwards he also starting teaching at Downside, where it was discovered he also played viola as well as his clarinet and saxophone! Phil joined Hazlegrove music department last year.

Now living on the Isle of Wight with Stephanie and their dog Monty, Phil still loves playing, conducting and teaching as much as he did when it all started a long time ago!

Mrs Alicia Little

Soprano

Alicia studied music at Royal Holloway, London University and went on to teach at Badminton School in Bristol for ten years where she became Head of Junior Music.  During this time she performed as a soloist in numerous operas and oratorios including The Magic Flute, The Coronation of Poppea, The Creation, Vivaldi Gloria, The Beggars Opera, Dixit Dominus, Beethoven Mass in C, Samson and Carmina Burana.

Recent performances include Pergolasi Stabat Mater, Faure Requiem, Handel Messiah, Rutter's Magnificat, Haydn Harmonie Mass, Mozart Solemn Vespers, Allegri Miserere, Handel Dixit Dominus and Acis and Galatea.

Future engagements include The Creation, Handel Saul and 1610 Vespers by Monteverdi.  Alicia also sings with Bath Camerata and other local chamber choirs.

She also runs a successful teaching practice and works closely with Rosa Mannion, a professor of singing at the Royal College of Music.

Mr Stephen Marquiss

Piano

Stephen Marquiss is a piano teacher, composer and founder/creator of Piano Portals http://pianoportals.com/ an energising and effective approach to piano technique which serves as a comprehensive, holistic alternative to technical exercises. Stephen has performed internationally as soloist and accompanist and has taught piano at Hazlegrove since 2003. Stephen has concurrently enjoyed freelance careers first as founder/Musical Director of Frome Symphony and facilitator of community events and educational workshops, then as an early years specialist, teaching Pre-Prep Music at Hazlegrove for over a decade. Since developing both Piano Portals and his own compositional piano style, Stephen has refocused on piano, and performs and teaches widely, gives piano clinics and helps adults to play fluently and expressively, overcome blocks and avoid technique-related injury.    

Mrs Lynne Moore

Piano

Lynne lives locally with husband, Ade, and two sons, James and Josh. She feels she has returned to her roots, where she began her music studies at Bruton School for Girls. Lynne worked as a freelance musician, teaching flute and piano before joining the staff of Hazlegrove full-time in 2010. 

Lynne has a love for musical theatre also. She became the Musical Director for the Yeovil Youth Theatre at 18 and led her first show from the piano on the Octagon Theatre stage. 

After studying music at Bath College, Lynne returned to Somerset and pursued her interest in the theatre.  In 1993 Lynne became the Musical Director for Yeovil Operatic Society, which she continued for 15 years.  She was a founder member of ‘Yeovil Musical Comedy Society’ and ‘Shogun Productions’, the latter formed primarily to perform Sondheim shows and worked on Old Time Music Hall for 21 years, as well as some professional accompanying. She has led Summer Schools, performed in almost every theatre in the South West and performed over 160 productions.

Lynne runs recorder and percussion clubs in the pre-prep and teaches theory here at Hazlegrove, enjoying the challenge of helping the children gain their Grade 5 before leaving us, many as music scholars.  

Mr James Rippingale

Classical Guitar

James won the prize for Classical Guitar and graduated with First Class Honours from Leeds College of Music. He has studied with Luigi Palumbo and Simon Dinnigan and has become well known among musicians and audiences for his innovative, exciting programmes and sensitive music playing. James teaches Classical Guitar at Wells Cathedral School and plays classical guitar recitals regularly across the UK featuring music from Tibet, Japan, Europe and America. James also plays the Lute and makes his own transcriptions of the Scarlatti Keyboard Sonatas for Classical Guitar.

Mr Will Rogers

Electric Guitar and Bass

Will studied music at the University of Central Lancashire. It was here that he formed the folk-pop trio Ivan Campo with whom he has been writing and performing for the past 17 years. He has performed at countless festivals and venues across Europe as well as on live television and radio. Will has also written and recorded music for E4 and Manchester International Festival. Before coming to Hazlegrove in Spring 2020, Will lived and worked in Manchester, where he taught Rock and Pop Guitar and directed ensembles and bands for Trafford Music Service. 

Mr Arturo Serna

Cello

Venezuelan/British cellist Arturo Serna started his musical studies at el System in Venezuela. he did further studies at the Conservatoires of Perpignan and Toulouse in France, conservatoire of Geneva in Switzerland and England at the Trinity College of Music of London. Arturo Serna has performed at the Royal Festival Hall, Cadogan Hall, 100Club and Fort Macleod International Festival in Alberta, Canada. Victoria Hall in Geneva, Halle les Grains in Toulouse amongst other venues. He has performed as soloist and chamber musician in Venezuela, USA, Spain, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Czech Republic and Poland. He has enjoyed freelancing with Orchestras such as BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra de la Suisse Romande, Orchestre du Chambre de Toulouse and was member of the Simon Bolivar symphony Orchestra. 

Arturo Serna has been prize winner in numerous competitions such as the I Latin-American Cello Competition Carlos Prieto, Oxford Music Festival Competition, the Concordia Foundation Award and the Cavatina Chamber Music Competition. He was awarded during his studies in Europe the Eversley Charitable Trust, the Montague Cleeve Scholar, the Bratton Scholar, Carigest Foundation for Young Talents. In 2010, Arturo was selected to be part of the Foyle Future Firsts Apprenticeship Scheme of the London Philharmonic Orchestra for the 2010-2011 season. 

Mr Peadar Townsend

Percussion and Music Technology/Composition

Peadar Townsend is an accomplished musician, teacher and composer. He began studying violin at the age of four. He later augmented his performance skills in the areas of percussion and piano. In 1993 he graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England with honours, as well as a Professional Performance Diploma with distinction in 1997.

While living in England, Peadar played with many of the country’s top orchestras,  including the Halle Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic and the Liverpool Philharmonic. Living in Ireland since 1999, Paedar has performed with all the major orchestras in Ireland, including the NSO and RTE Concert Orchestras and the Irish Chamber Orchestra as well as numerous contemporary groups.  He recently performed as an orchestral member at the Wexford Opera Festival and Anna Livia Dublin International Opera Festival.

As well as classical music, Peadar has an enviable resumé of mainstream shows and studio work.  He has played on the U.K. tours of ‘Riverdance,’ ‘Miss Saigon,’ ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘Les Miserables,’ while his studio credits include albums with ‘The Corrs’, ‘Westlife,’ ‘Aslan’ and ‘Tommy Fleming’.

This rising star in Irish composition has also been commissioned for a wide range of new works including works for Wind Trio, Trombone Quintet, Solo Trumpet, and Choir and Orchestra. His specially commissioned work ‘Joy of Youth’ was performed by the combined Dublin Youth Orchestras as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations in the National Concert Hall, Dublin in January 2007.

Mrs Kirsty Whatley

Harp

Kirsty Whatley studied in Manchester and Switzerland, and works internationally as a concert and recording artist. She has appeared on BBC radio and television, and live on radio overseas. During her studies in Switzerland, she specialised in harps of the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and with these appears on recordings such as the Taverner Consort’s L’Orfeo and their Gramophone-Award-winning Western Wynd; Alamire’s The Anne Boleyn Songbook; Fretwork’s In Chains of Gold and I Fagiolini’s Leonardo: Shaping the Invisible, amongst many others. She has performed with groups such as The BBC Singers, Moscow City Ballet, London Handel Orchestra, English Touring Opera, Ensemble Leones, I Fagiolini, Alamire, Taverner Consort, and Courtiers of Grace. Recently, Kirsty returned to her contemporary harp roots, working with singer Katharine Hawnt on a new song cycle by S.K. Twiselton, which they premiered in July 2019 as part of a programme entitled Songs of Albion.