Katherine Brookes

In August 2017 Katherine reclaimed the Guinness World Record for the ‘Longest Flute Marathon’ (having held the record between 2012-2016) playing for 27 hours 32 minutes and 32 seconds in aid of Cancer charities. She held the record until March 2024.

Born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Katherine began playing the recorder as a young child, before initially taking up the piano, and then the flute.  At the age of 11 she was awarded the Cyril Collins Bursary Award for her piano playing, and by the age of 17 was a grade 8 pianist and flautist.  She continued her studies at the University College of North Wales, Bangor, attaining a B. A. Hon’s.  She then studied for a PGCE in secondary education at the University of East Anglia.

Katherine teaches Flute, piano, clarinet, saxophone, keyboard and voice, and has set up Theatre of Music which contains educational videos, live lessons and teaching resources available via the Theatre of Music YouTube channel, and website.  

Katherine has travelled around the country and Europe, giving recitals and performing as a pianist and flautist. Credits include Sudbury Hall (Derbyshire), Coughton Court (Warwickshire), Dunster Castle (Somerset) and Blanc et Noir Piano Festival (Lagrasse, France).  She has also been part of the local orchestral scene in Warwickshire, performing at venues such as the Swan Theatre (Stratford Upon Avon), and as part of pit orchestras at The Loft Theatre in Leamington Spa for 'Into The Woods', at the Belgrade Theatre Coventry for Disney’s 'Beauty and The Beast', 'The Sound of Music' & 'My Fair Lady' and at the Warwick Arts Centre for 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'The King & I'.  

Katherine is also a published composer having sold her music worldwide. Compositions include solo piano and flute pieces, and childrens musicals sold through Educational Musicals. She also regularly plays her own arrangments of classical favourites. 

She was a rehearsal pianist for ‘Sing Live Central’ and was the resident accompanist for the Atherstone Chorale for 10 years. As a singer Katherine has performed all over the UK, for weddings, shows and concerts.

Katherine has  musically directed a number of shows, including 'The Wizard of Oz' at the Priory Theatre, Kenilworth, 'We Will Rock You' (Rugeley), 'Our House' at the Arts House Stratford Upon Avon, 'Beauty & The Beast', 'Sleeping Beauty' and J'ack and the Beanstalk' (Pantomime) at The Abbey Theatre Nuneaton and a number of shows and pantomimes at Bedworth Civic Hall with Nuneaton Pantomime and Review Society.  She was MD for The Atherstone Chorale until 2020, taking up the post in January 2010.  She has also worked as a  Director for Nuneaton Pantomime And Review Society, having written their 2018 pantomime 'Aladdin'.  She created, directed, MD’d and choreographed The Big Show in 2017, and was MD and Director for 'Return to the Forbidden Planet' in 2018. She has more recently worked as Musical Director for 'Beauty and the Beast' (Disney version) and 'Elf', as well as 'Joseph and his Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat' and 'Calendar Girls'.