Alumni and Fellowships

Alumni

Many Leeds College of Music graduates achieve successful careers within the music industry. Some of our most high profile graduates are listed below.

Jazz Alumni
Classical Music Alumni
Popular Music Alumni
Music Production Alumni

Jazz Alumni

Nikki Iles
Nikki Iles graduated from Leeds College of Music in 1984 and continued to teach at the College for several years. As a composer and pianist, Nikki has worked with Ian Ballamy, Martin Speake, Peter King and the Tina May Quartet. In 1996 Nikki was awarded the John Dankworth Award for Outstanding Individual at the British Jazz Awards. In April 2009, Nikki made her debut appearance at The Venue as a member of the Printmakers, a new quintet headed by Norma Winstone.

Alan Barnes
Internationally renowned saxophonist Alan Barnes studied at the College from 1977 – 1980. Over the last 30 years Alan has featured in numerous jazz orchestras (including the BBC Big Band and the Humphrey Lyttleton band), and performed/recorded with artists as diverse as Björk, Stan Tracey and Van Morrison. Alan has won many prestigious jazz awards throughout his career – including the British Jazz Award for best alto saxophonist a record five times. Alan most recently appeared at the College in 2008 supported by the Leeds College of Music Alumni Big Band. The Guardian described Alan as “one of the UK’s key figures keeping the non-metropolitan jazz scene alive, and in the work he does with regional youth bands, he’s a continuing inspiration to the next generation too”.

Matthew Bourne
Matthew Bourne was named the Perrier Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2001, the year he graduated from the Postgraduate Jazz course at Leeds College of Music. In 2002 Matthew was awarded the prize for Jazz Innovation at the BBC Radio Jazz Awards. In 2007 Matthew released a live album, The Molde Concert, and was named as bronze winner of the International Visual Communications Association (IVCA) Award for Music. 2008 saw the release of The Mill Sessions Volume 1: Dismantling the Waterfall, a collaboration with Wales-based pianist Dave Stapleton, and Lost Something, the debut release from his Bourne/Davis/Kane trio. Matthew lectures in composition and piano at the College and continues to perform internationally as a solo artist and in collaboration with others. In February 2009 the world premiére of Matthew Bourne’s Songs from a Lost Piano was at Leeds College of Music as part of the College’s Concert Season.

Chris ‘Snake’ Davis
Snake Davis, a former student of Leeds College of Music, graduating in 1979, is one of the UK’s leading saxophonists. He has recorded and worked with some of the biggest names on the popular music scene, including Sir Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Lionel Richie, Kylie, Amy Winehouse, M-People, Primal Scream and Tina Turner. Snake is a multi-talented musician, playing various saxophones, flutes and whistles, as well as singing, writing, producing and directing his own music.

Jim Corry
Saxophonist and BA Jazz graduate Jim Corry spent much of 2006 and 2007 touring the world as a member of Corinne Bailey Rae’s horn section. His appearances with Corinne include Live Earth, the Brit Awards, MOBO Awards, Later… with Jools Holland, Glastonbury, Late Night with David Letterman, Oprah, Good Morning America and Live From Abbey Road. During 2008, Jim performed saxophone for Brit-award winning producer Mark Ronson’s world tour, including dates in America, Europe and Australia. Jim also currently teaches at the College.

Pete Wareham
Saxophonist and composer Pete Wareham (pictured far right) graduated from Leeds College of Music in the early 90s. His band Acoustic Ladyland have been described as “a high energy punk jazz hybrid” (Time Out) and “genre-bending jazz musicians” (Music Week). The bands sophomore album Last Chance Disco was released in 2005 and named as Jazzwise’s album of the year; its follow-up, Skinny Grin, was released in 2006. Pete is also a member of Polar Bear, who were nominated for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize.

Jamil Sheriff (pictured)
Jamil Sheriff is a graduate of the BA Jazz degree and now lectures in composition and ensemble performance at the College. Jamil formed his Octet in 2003 and features some of the finest musicians from across the north of England, many of whom are Leeds College of Music graduates. In 2007 the Octet became the first band to release an album under the Jazz Services support scheme, run in collaboration with 33 Records and funded by the Arts Council. The album, Backchat, was described by Jazzwise as a “hard hitting brand of post-bop sharpened with a contemporary urban edge.” The Octet has toured theatres and jazz venues extensively over the past three years and is still the catalyst for much of Jamil’s new writing.

If Destroyed Still True (IDST)
IDST – formed by Leeds College of Music jazz alumni – has recently won the annual Jazz Services Promoters’ Choice Award. The Award secured the band a showcase performance at this year’s London Jazz Festival as well as a nationwide tour in 2009. IDST features alumni Tommy Evans (drums), Johnny Tomlinson (piano), Nick Tyson (guitar), Seth Bennet (double bass), Simon Beddoe (trumpet/flugel horn) and Simon Kaylor (saxophone). In October 2008 the band supported Polar Bear and performed as part of the LIMA Festival. IDST released their debut album, Seven Dials, in 2009.

Laura Fowles
Laura Fowles was hand-picked by Take That’s Howard Donald to support the band on their 2007/08 Beautiful World tour. Laura – and band members Wayne Pollock on keyboards, Richard Hammond on bass and Caroline Boaden on drums – took to the stage in Manchester, London and Birmingham. Laura has supported The Stylistics on tour and worked extensively for Hed Kandi records, both in the studio and at live events. In May 2008 Laura was featured on a Jazzwise/Jazz Yorkshire CD showcasing jazz musicians from the region.

The Haggis Horns
The late Jason Rae, along with former Leeds College of Music students Athol Ransome and Malcolm Strachan, was a founder member of horn-led band The Haggis Horns. The Haggis Horns have performed and recorded with many top artists including Corinne Bailey Rae, The Cinematic Orchestra, Lou Donaldson, Nightmares on Wax, Roots Manuva, Tim Burgess of The Charlatans, Martina Topley-Bird, Lily Allen, Candie Payne and Amy Winehouse. In October 2007 the band released their debut album, Hot Damn!

LIMA
The alternative jazz scene in the city is represented by LIMA (Leeds Improvised Music Association) – a collective of avant-garde bands, composers, improvisers and sound manipulators featuring many Leeds College of Music alumni. Bands include IDST, Trio VD, Røyst, Bilbao Syndrome and The Geordie Approach. Leeds College of Music alumni members of LIMA include Chris Sharkey, Johnny Tomlinson, Kari Nergaard Bleivik, Richard Ormrod, Christophe de Bezenac, Jonny Flockton and Rus Pearson.

Classical Music Alumni

Ashley Hicklin
BA Music graduate Ashley Hicklin has recently signed a worldwide publishing deal with EMI. Ashley, who graduated from Leeds College of Music in 2007, is now working with acclaimed producer Will Jackson (Coldplay, Kaiser Chiefs) on his debut album. In October, Ashley attended the A-Side EMI Worldwide Song-writing Camp, held at the exclusive Gibson Guitar Studios in Berlin. Twelve top EMI writers from around the world collaborated on material for major worldwide pop releases and television commercials. Ashley was selected as the UK representative and was the youngest person at the camp. During his time at Leeds College of Music, Ashley studied operatic vocal performance later majoring in classical composition and his works were performed by London Sinfonietta, Goldberg Ensemble, the Apollo Saxophone Quartet and COMA Orchestra. His backing band, the Troubadours, is made up of other graduates and students from the College. In early 2009, Ashley wrote the single Emma Lee for the Swedish artist Johan Palm. The song reached number 1 in Sweden.

Katherine Gillham
Katherine Gillham is an SPNM shortlisted composer, something she achieved within a year of graduating from the College. Katherine obtained her BA (Hons) Music degree from Leeds College of Music in 2007 and was awarded the Michael Grady Memorial Prize for Composition. Katherine has had works performed at the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, and has also written for Glyndebourne Youth Opera. Commissions and performances include an electroacoustic soundtrack for Rhys Fullerton’s short film Untitled and a collaboration with writer and director Chrys Salt; Baghdad 2003. Katherine was recently involved with the Hackney Music Development Trust on Confucius Says, which has been awarded the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Education. She also works as a vocalist and pianist and was repetiteur for Glyndebourne’s On the Rim of the World project. She has trained in opera, jazz and contemporary improvisation and continues to perform and create new works with performance art company The Gyg.

Camilla Bisengaliev
Prize-winning oboist Camilla progressed from the College’s FE to HE programme gaining a Postgraduate Music qualification in 2005. Camilla, who has performed with the Orchestra of Opera North and the Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra, still regularly performs recitals at the College as part of the Leeds College of Music Concert Season. In February 2005 Camilla was invited to a prestigious event at Buckingham Palace, celebrating the contribution of music to UK culture. Over 500 musicians and composers including Andrew Lloyd Webber, Eric Clapton, Michael Nyman and Jools Holland attended. Camilla is currently a member of the Boreas Trio.

Elizabeth Mansfield
Olivier Award nominated actress Elizabeth Mansfield studied at Leeds College of Music in the mid-1980s, specialising in opera performance. Elizabeth – who was in the original West End production of Godspell – is best known for her role as Music Hall singer Marie Lloyd in the musical Marie, a role written specifically for Elizabeth. Marie was first produced by Elizabeth Mansfield and writer Steve Trafford in 1987. It opened at the City Varieties in Leeds and after a short tour went to the Edinburgh Festival and Drill Theatre, London. For her portrayal of Marie Lloyd, Elizabeth was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award, London Critic’s Award and a Sony Radio Award, for a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of the show. Elizabeth most recently performed at the College as part of Clara’s Gift, a reinterpretation of Schumann’s Frauenliebe und Leben.

Margaret Feaviour  
Margaret Feaviour was born in Leeds and studied at Leeds College of Music before moving to London to study at the Royal Academy of Music. In addition to her work with the BBC Singers and as a soloist, she is a member of the choir at St. Margaret’s Church Westminster Abbey and the Parish Church of the Houses of Parliament.

David Durham
Actor and baritone David Durham has an extensive stage and television career that has taken in Shakespeare, opera, musical theatre (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Lion King, Ragtime) and the BBC. David has performed principal roles for ENO, Wiener Kammeroper (Vienna Chamber Opera), Sadlers Wells and Covent Garden. He regularly performs at Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) opera festival. In 2006 he was cast as the lead role in Don Giovanni for a national tour undertaken by English Chamber Opera. Most recently he appeared as Cacambo in the operetta Candide at ENO, directed by Robert Carsen. For BBC television he has taken leading guest roles in Merlin, Eastenders, Casualty and Doctors.

Popular Music Alumni

Laura-Jayne Hunter
Since graduating in 2008, Laura-Jayne has been working on several music projects. As a solo artist, Laura-Jayne has signed a publishing deal with the newly formed Lightsound record label, set up by former Universal record employees. Although still based in Leeds, Laura-Jayne has undertaken session work in London as a backing vocalist/lead demo vocalist and was in the running as Ireland’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. While still at College, Laura-Jayne was a winner of Bright Young Things 2008.

Rachel Cook
Rachel Cook graduated from the BA Popular Music course in 2008. During her time at Leeds College of Music, Rachel was one of the 15 Bright Young Things winners. Since graduating, Rachel has continued to work on her music, securing gigs nationwide and recording an EP. Rachel regularly performs as a band with guitarist Adam Martin, percussionist Ste Anderson and backing vocalists Jen Armstrong and Emily Lynn – all graduates of the College. Of her time at Leeds College of Music, Rachel states: “It’s so easy to form musical partnerships at the College as it seems every five minutes people come up to you asking if you want to be in a band with them or collaborate in some way.”

Matt Sim
BA Popular Music Studies graduate Matt Sim is currently studying for an MA in Performance at Leeds College of Music. Alongside his studies, Matt, who plays bass guitar, is involved with a number of high profile music projects which feature numerous Leeds College of Music students and alumni, including Electrum, Hella Cholla, Ashley Hicklin, Ally Jowett, Vibetown and Groove Junkie.

Sketches
Leeds band Sketches – comprising BA Popular Music Studies graduates Matt Hutt, John Arkell and Luke Rodgers alongside BA Music Production graduate James McBrien – formed while students at the College. Since graduating, the band has spent the past year honing their material whilst extensively touring the UK in support of the likes of Manchester Orchestra, Captain, The Thermals and Make Model; winning admiration from fellow musicians, fans and industry alike - made evident by radio support from the likes of Tom Robinson, Fearne Cotton and Ian Baker; and making the top ten in the nationwide Red Stripe Awards. The start of 2009 saw Sketches hit the studio with former Shed Seven member Fraser Smith, whose recent producing credits include Ian Brown and newcomers WinterKids, to record their debut single Slow Start/Fevered Foals. The single was released in May via boutique record label Louder Than Bombs.

Neeta Sarl
Neeta Sarl, a singer, songwriter, pianist and producer, graduated from the BA Popular Music degree in 2008. While still at College, Neeta won Bright Young Things and was championed by Radio 1 and BBC Asian Network DJ Bobby Friction. Friction’s support – which included playing her track ‘If’ as part of his ‘Nu Blood’ and ‘Future Friction’ sessions – led to a recording session at the Maida Vale Studios. Since graduating, Neeta has continued to work with her band – Neeta Music – and perform regularly around the region.

Music Production Alumni

Amy Fenton
Amy Fenton graduated from the Foundation Degree in 2006 and went on to gain work experience with several film and post-production studios based in London, including Twickenham Film Studios and Goldcrest Post Production Facilities where she assisted during ADR recording sessions for the 2007 Colin Firth film The Last Legion. Now working freelance in the UK film industry, Amy has sound production credits on two films in the Harry Potter series; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as a Post-production Sound Runner and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as Assistant Sound Editor. Amy worked as a Sound Apprentice/Assistant on the 2008 film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Amy has worked alongside a number of high-profile names in the industry including James Mather, James Boyle, Dan Laurie, Dominic Gibbs and Bjorn Schroeder.

Jonathan McLeod
Jonathan McLeod, a FD/BA graduate, was announced winner of the 2008 Neville Street Light and Sound Project, a Yorkshire competition aimed at showcasing new sound works by emergent artists. Jonathan, a sonic artist, sound designer and composer, launched his winning sound installation in Leeds in October 2008. 

Katriona Gilmore and Jamie Roberts
Multi-instrumentalist Katriona graduated from the Music Production degree in 2007 and is one half of a folk duo with Music Production graduate Jamie Roberts. Katriona and Jamie have been performing together on the folk scene since 2006 and released their self-penned debut album Shadows & Half Light in November 2008. Their unique sound has been recognised with several accolades including winning Bright Young Things 2007 and New Roots 2007. In 2009, the duo were nominated for a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award, in the Horizon category.

Benji Boko
DJ, producer and performer Benji Boko, a recent graduate from BA Music Production, signed to Nightmares on Wax’s Wax On record label in 2007 while still a student. His first single The Jungle VIP reached iTunes’ Top 20 Electronic music chart and was featured on the best selling Wax On compilation CD. Benji is currently working on his debut album and upcoming live shows.

Lukas Creswell-Rost and James Yates  
The Pattern Theory was founded in Leeds in 2006 by graduates Lukas Creswell-Rost and James Yates and by early 2007 the band started playing numerous local shows. After the release of their debut EP, The Pattern Theory set out on a nationwide UK tour in September of that year. This led to Radio 1 airplay, higher-profile gigs, including joining Damo Suzuki (Can) on stage during his world tour, and being compared to Yo La Tengo by
The Guardian. Recently, the band has relocated to Berlin, Germany, where they are currently recording new material for an upcoming release and a European tour.

Harry Illingworth
Harry graduated from the Foundation Degree and associated top-up degree course at the College. Harry has worked on several films recording and mixing the soundtracks, one of which, Animal Crackers, was shown as part of a collection of short films at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. Harry is Technical Manager at Leeds College of Music and also works for the Leeds Irish Arts Foundation and The Gathering Festival, Leeds.

Gemma Povey
Gemma Povey graduated from the Music Production course in 2004. Since graduating she has gone on to set up her own business, Future Arts – a new group delivering music and media technology projects in economically deprived areas in Leeds.

James Wolujewizc and Thom Baseley
James and Thom, members of electro-pop band Rochelle, graduated from the College’s BA (Hons) Music Production course in 2007. Alongside vocalist Lydia Kaye, who studied BA Popular Music at the College, the band have supported Kosheen, featured on Pete Tong’s Radio 1 show, appeared on T4’s Hollyoaks Music Show and remixed tracks for the Kitsuné label. The band released their debut single in 2008 via acclaimed dance label Southern Fried Records. The band released single Chin Up in 2009 on Planet Clique records, receiving air play on Radio 1’s Annie Mac, Pete Tong and Andy George shows and BBC2’s Switch.

Fellows
Bill Ashton
Alan Barnes
Django Bates
Dr. Charles Bodman Rae
Bill Charleson
Sir John Dankworth CBE
Earl of Harewood KBE
Richard Hawdon
Alan Hawkshaw
Trevor Herbert
Bill Kinghorn
Simon Lindley
Donald Maxwell
John Mills
Stephen Montague
David Newton
Courtney Pine OBE (pictured)
Pandit Sharda Sahai
Penny Stirling
Jonty Stockdale
Stan Tracey
Dame Fanny Waterman

Honorary Fellows
Cllr. Bernard Atha OBE
Sue Clark
Anthony Denton
Cllr. William Hyde
Matthew Sims
Warren Smith
Robert M. Tebb
David Thompson