Judy Nicol - Senior Musical Director; Director, Concert Band
Although
she had played the Eb Horn at the age of thirteen, Judy didn't take
music seriously until taking up the saxophone at seventeen, followed
by clarinet and flute. She attained Grade 8 in all three instruments
within five years and went on to gain diplomas from the London College
of Music and from Trinity College, London.
She has performed with numerous big bands including the Midlands Big Band and the original Radio Leicester Big Band (and has the LP to prove it!). She has also worked with Nottingham Symphonic Winds and with the Bardi Wind Orchestra. In 1990, she formed the appropriately named Judy Nicol Big Band, with whom she still performs. The band has toured Germany several times and has performed for the Ted Heath Appreciation Society.
Judy has taught woodwind and brass for thirty years, privately and in schools. During this time, she has run several ensembles for her pupils, including two saxophone ensembles, and has helped raise several thousand pounds for Macmillan Cancer Relief in the process. Eleven years ago, she formed a wind band, there being no local bands open to inexperienced players at that time. Charnwood Concert Band was born, later to become Bands and opened to the wider community. The rest, as they say, is history.
Sally McHale - Co-Director, Charnwood Beginner Band
Sally became involved with the Charnwood Beginner Band in 2002 when the first of her three boys joined the band. She enjoyed helping out so much that, as her older boys moved onto the Intermediate Band, she also joined them on her trumpet. She took on joint leadership of the Beginner Band in 2005.
Sally's experience comes from seven years' playing, with the St Julians School orchestra in South Wales, under the leadership of John Oliver. During this period she performed in many concerts and competitions. She is keen to encourage children to play together for fun, and to promote skills that will stay with them throughout their musical lives.
Elizabeth Holland - Co-Director, Charnwood Beginner Band
Elizabeth has been involved with Charnwood Concert Bands since 1998 when she began playing tenor saxophone with the concert band. She became deputy trainer/conductor for the Charnwood Beginner Band the following year.
Between 1994 and 2001, Elizabeth took part in the Nottinghamshire 11th Session Arts programmes and Nottinghamshire Choir and Orchestra, performing on saxophone and clarinet in numerous musical productions.
From 2002 she studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire, gaining a BMus(Hons) degree in Saxophone Studies and performing under the direction of Guy Woolfenden and Lionel Friend. During this time she also performed with theNational Saxophone Choir of Great Britain led by Guy Wood.
Elizabeth now works as a freelance music teacher and regularly performs withTrent Connection Dance Band, Sax Sensation and, most recently, The Soul Corporation. In November 2007 she returned to the co-directorship of Charnwood Beginner Band and continues to perform with the concert band..