Mike Hughes (Project Manager)

Mike is a recently retired IT professional who spent many years as a civil servant and for the last 9 years, working in higher education at various universities as an IT Project Manager. Latterly, Mike was employed as the Head of Customer Operations in a small software house which provided educational related software for universities and colleges.

Mike’s interests include attending live music events, playing the guitar, riding his motorbike and lots of travel. He has 3 adult children and ever increasing number of grandchildren.

Laura Jones (Administrator and accounts)

Laura Jones has worked as a freelance musician in the York area since 2004. She tutors privately and in schools, is a pianist for York Unitarian Chapel, and the accompanist for Sounds Fun Ladies Choir and Haxby Singers. She also plays for various events, from church services to accredited music exams to pupils’ concerts… and everything in between!

Laura’s playing career has taken her to venues such as Castle Howard and Betty’s Tea Rooms and on a national theatre tour with the James Chadwick Swing Sextet, while her Dickens-themed CD with piano duo Two for Tea has sold internationally. She has worked for Music in Hospitals and Silver Song Box, providing music sessions for those with dementia and mental ill-health.

Having formerly been a trustee for Emerging Voices, she has now taken on an administrative position, previous admin roles including work for Song Box and University of York Music Press.

She has a doctorate in musicology from York University and has taught on the undergraduate programme and for the WEA.

May Willsher (Fundraising and social media lead)