Lyons Music Services

I was born in 1956 in Bolton and educated at Thornleigh Salesian College under the guidance of Father 'Jock' McGovern who totally corrupted me and turned me into an Eb bass player. I started playing with the then Eagley Mills Band aged about 13 and rapidly became soloist. After leaving school had a spell in the army before returning to do a combined maths and music degree at Manchester, followed by a PGCE at Didsbury and then became a music teacher in the Wigan area. While at university, I continued to run brass groups, and made many friends. In both of the main schools I have taught in, I have always encouraged the playing of brass band instruments.

I now have over 54 years of experience as a tuba player. I've always had a love of music and I have been lucky enough to have been able to have a career doing the thing I love.

I taught in the same school for 23 years. That's more than most murderers get - and it felt like it sometimes. Of course, the kids are never the problem. I was appointed as teacher governor at that school in 2006 and again in 2010. I retired from classroom teaching in 2012.

I have played with several bands, including Eagley, Eccles Borough, Orrell Silver and Old Hall Brass. I returned to Eagley in January 2008 - and bounced back to Old Hall in 2016. My school band won prizes at Wigan Festival when it ran. I still do lots of arranging for bands and lately for woodwinds and strings - it's what happens when your colleagues play squeak-oids :) and now I'm adding choral music to my list. Two of my carols were performed at the school's Christmas service in 2006 - very successfully, and another in 2007. I now spend my time playing, singing, composing and arranging.

I have a lot of published music including a range of brass/brass band music published by various publishers,  and I also publish music I have written for other ensembles/instruments but some more brass band music as well. I have been with smp since 2016 and I am trying out the pro version to see if it makes a difference.