Philip Shaw was the Head of Suffolk County Music Service for 31 years. We are delighted that he has agreed to be SMART's Honorary President, as his Valedictory Concert was the event that led to SMART's conception. Philip's knowledge and experience in the arts in Suffolk will be paramount to the charity's success. 

Vicky studied at St Joseph's College and Suffolk One. She played the flute and saxophone with Suffolk Youth Music before studying Music at the University of Manchester where she was the President of the Manchester University Music Society (MUMS) for the academic year 2015/16. She began her professional career with Royal Northern Sinfonia. After three years, she took the position of Assistant Orchestra Manager at the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Cardiff, and was promoted to Orchestra Manager in November 2022. In April 2024, Vicky is moving to London to take up the post of Production Manager at the Barbican.

Having enjoyed and benefited from the many opportunities offered by Suffolk Youth Music, Becci believes that everyone should have access to arts education, and the experiences and possibilities that such an education can open up. Becci was involved with Suffolk Youth Music for most of her formative years, playing with South Suffolk Intermediate and Youth Orchestras, Suffolk Junior Strings and Suffolk Youth Orchestra, from 1991 to 2001.

After studying for A-levels at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, she gained a BA (Hons) in Music from Cambridge University. She then trained as a lawyer and now works in-house at an insurance company, playing cello and piano with classical, folk, jazz, and rock/pop/funk/soul groups as often as her young family allows.

Will studied at Leiston High School and joined the Suffolk Youth Orchestra in 1987. He then studied Business and Finance at Essex and Northumbria Universities. Whilst he didn’t follow a career in music, he passionately believes that it was his involvement with music and the Suffolk Youth Orchestra, in particular, that gave him the confidence, drive and persistence to run successful companies in the health and social care sector. He is currently Chief Executive of Frantec Ltd.

Music has always been a major part of the Brialey household, from Howard’s mother playing the piano accordion throughout her life, to Howard’s daughter, a viola player now building a reputation as a composer.

Howard’s history of volunteering dates back to his first experience of volunteering as a Gamesmaker at the London Paralympics in 2012. This led to him travelling the world as a volunteer helping to organise international table tennis competitions. He was also a trustee with Brentwood’s Orchestras for Young Musicians for 3 years.

Howard currently runs a business consultancy providing support to small businesses with a variety of issues including financial planning and bookkeeping. His background in business includes nearly 30 years running an employment agency supplying temporary staff for local authorities, and 17 years running a care agency. 

As he can directly see the advantages of learning a musical instrument he is happy to use his experience and skills on behalf of SMART.

Wendy is a headteacher. She passionately believes that all children and young people should be able to access a high quality Arts education. Wendy helped to establish SMART, as she wants to make sure that the young people of Suffolk have every opportunity to develop their talents and excel.

Wendy's daughter was a member of SYM from 2007 to 2014; she benefited from excellent music tuition. This experience helped her to develop her musicianship to a very high standard; it also developed many of the "soft skills" she required to enter the world of employment, e.g. self-confidence, collaboration, leadership, perseverance, resilience.

Carly is a professional horn player and educator who volunteered to become a trustee because she is grateful for the opportunities provided by the Suffolk Music Service during her school years and wants to ensure that future generations are able to access these same opportunities. Carly was a member of many South Suffolk ensembles and is a former principal horn of SYWB and SYO.

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Carly studied performance at Trinity College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in London and currently studies Arts Management at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. She has performed and led workshops across the world, from the Albert Hall to the Arctic Circle, and feels lucky that her career in music has allowed her to experience so many amazing places.

Clare started her love of music at the age of 10 at Sidegate Primary School taking up the Recorder. She always wanted to learn the Flute and began this soon after at Copleston High School, working through her grades to obtain Grade 8 with Distinction in 2001. Still not satisfied, Clare then went on to learn Clarinet and Saxophone and can today often be found playing Reeds as a local pit musician and as a permanent member of the saxophone section of Ipswich Musicians Union Big Band.

Clare left school at the age of 18 and started to work for Suffolk County Council - initially as a temp for a year in the Student Support and Community Education departments at the old County Hall in Ipswich.

Clare always wanted to work in Arts Administration and after a year, her dream job came up at Suffolk County Music Service, working in their admin team. Taking a gamble, as this was initially only a one year temporary contract, she was successful in gaining the job, and of course accepted.
21 years later she is still working in the Business Support Team at Suffolk County Music Service and loves it!

Clare is really pleased to be joining the team at SMART and is looking forward to sharing her love of the Arts with many more Suffolk young people.

Isaac studied oboe at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and played oboe and bassoon in various Suffolk Youth Music ensembles between 2012-2019, whilst studying at Thomas Mills High School. An advocate of community music and musicians, he is co-founder and orchestral manager of a community orchestra, Cardiff Chamber Orchestra, set up in 2020. Isaac currently works in the Development department at Welsh National Opera, with a focus on fundraising and events, having worked in similar roles in smaller charities after graduating from RWCMD in July 2022. He attributes his musical successes to the opportunities he was given during his time in Suffolk Youth Music ensembles, which set him up for his life in Cardiff.

Ben’s musical career started at the age of 6 as a chorister in York Minster cathedral choir, where he also started to learn flute and piano. A music scholarship to Oundle School in Northamptonshire afforded him the chance to continue to learn piano and flute and add saxophone & drum kit. These studies were furthered by a BMus (Hons) Degree at the University of East Anglia, including a choral scholarship to Norwich Cathedral.

Ben’s involvement in Music education began in 2006 when, having spent a number of years teaching privately, he undertook a PGCE in Secondary Music with Specialist Instrumental Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. In 2007, he joined Bolton Music Service in Lancashire as a peripatetic instrumental teacher, becoming Assistant Head in 2011. He joined Suffolk County Music Service in 2017 as a Senior Manager in the North of the county, before stepping into the role of Head of Service in September 2021.

Since arriving in Suffolk, Ben has been consistently inspired by both students, colleagues and fellow professionals in their devotion to music-making and he is very proud to represent the County Music Service on the board of trustees and help facilitate the wonderful support that SMART offers.

Chris plays the violin or viola in the Waveney Sinfonia, of which he is Vice Chairman, and has also
played in the Norwich Philharmonic. He enjoys playing chamber music, and playing classical guitar and recorders. He sings bass baritone in the Keswick Hall Choir, having sung when younger in the BBC Chorus and LSO Chorus, and more recently in Aldeburgh Voices, and its predecessor the Britten Pears Chamber Choir. He has sung in performances by the Jubilee Choir.

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Chris is a Nominated Trustee and assists SMART in administrating and awarding funding from the Peter Youngs Memorial Trust which supports young people from the northern area of North Suffolk up to the age of 21.

Morgan has just started studying at Hartismere VI form, including music A level specialising on Euphonium. She plays in school ensembles such as brass and concert bands, and enjoys conducting the flute choir. 

Morgan has played Euphonium since the age of 7, and has participated in Suffolk County music through Stradbroke Brass Band and Suffolk Youth Wind Band. She loves the challenges the different ensembles bring, and has thoroughly enjoyed touring to the Czech Republic, making incredible friends along the way. 

Morgan also plays principal Euphonium in a competing brass band, partaking in the 2022 second section competition. She placed second in the 2022 East Anglian U18 Slow Melody competition. She is very grateful to all the Suffolk Music tutors for opening the gateway into music, as it had helped shape so much of her life. After she completes her A levels, Morgan wants to study a musical performance degree and join the Army as a musician. 

She is looking forward to becoming a Youth Trustee for Smart to say thank you for everything music has done in her life, and to give back, help and inspire others to discover their musical journeys as well. Music is such a huge part of everyone's lives, but to be able to create, understand and use it in such a positive way is one of the most rewarding things she has experienced, and she would like to share with future musicians this incredible journey. 

We currently have a vacancy for a nominated youth trustee. Nominated youth trustees will be nominated by the Suffolk Music Education Hub and should be participants in a Suffolk-based, youth music or other arts organisation and aged over 16.

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If you are interested in joining the SMART board as a Nominated Youth Trustee, please complete the relevant form here: https://www.suffolksmart.org/documents 

If you have any questions, please contact admin@suffolksmart.org