The tutors on the course.

Antony Dennant. Antony studied violin from an early age, and by his late teens, had also started conducting. He moved to London – initially for postgraduate conducting studies at the Guildhall, but subsequently working in the capital as a freelance violinist. Around the same time, he set up The Lydian String, a pool of London professional string players. The administration of this group still takes up a lot of his time, though he continues to do freelance work, both in London & Kent, where he now lives. More recently, he has collaborated with friends to form The Preston Ensemble, a Faversham based piano quintet that occasionally morphs into other ensembles.
Besides music, Antony’s other lifelong interest is architectural history. Ten years ago, when The Spitalfields Historic Buildings Trust turned their attentions to saving the remaining parts of Sheerness Royal Dockyard on the Isle of Sheppey, Antony used the opportunity to acquire one of the evocatively decaying late Georgian town-houses there. It is now his well-loved home, in which restoration will likely take most of the next 20 years!

Derek Boyne (Course Director) is the Co-ordinator of Swale Music Centre and Founder/Musical Director of Opus 32. He plays the bass; violin; and piano; is the accompanist for Highsted Grammar School Choir; and tunes/repairs pianos across Kent.

Miles Attwell (Orchestra) After 10 years in the Royal Marine Band and Exeter University, Miles became Director of Music at Elizabeth College Guernsey. There he founded the Guernsey Summer Course now in its 40th year. He teaches strings in Sittingbourne.

Joanna Saul is a violinist and performs with the Adelaide, Preston and BowBelle Quartets, and The Preston Ensemble recently performing Dvorak, Brahms and Schumann piano Quintets. Joanna plays with Ashford, Gravesham, and Rochester choral societies and local orchestras, and is actively involved in developing youth Music in Faversham teaching in schools and organising local concerts. Joanna studied Music at Southampton University and Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and is involved in school community projects at the Marlowe Theatre, and runs music therapy sessions for the charity Holding On Letting Go which supports young people who have been bereaved.

Sophie Shackleton is a cellist who teaches in schools in Medway and Faversham. She studied music at the University of Birmingham where she played in both main orchestras, as well as other shows and productions. Sophie grew up in Medway playing in orchestras and string quartets, and later became the cello section leader at Kent County Youth Orchestra. Since then, she has gone on to play for Gravesham Choral Society, Maidstone Symphony Orchestra and other local orchestras.

Andy Bennett: spent 20 years as a musician in the army, rising to be a commissioned Bandmaster. After leaving the army, Andy became a woodwind peripatetic teacher for the Durham Music Service, and is also experienced in brass instruments. He  leads the Andy Bennett Sextet which is a jazz ensemble.