About Keith

Keith was born in Sheffield in 1954 into a well known musical family. Prior to getting married, his mother, Margaret Roe (nee Chappell), had toured Europe for several years with the Ivy Benson Band. His uncle, Walter Chappell, had his own dance band which was the resident band at the Cutlers’ Hall for eight years. He had broadcast on national radio and also performed at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool.

At the age of 10, Keith started lessons on the clarinet. He was first introduced to concerts and musicals during his school days at Firth Park Grammar School, Sheffield (1965-72). The pinnacle of his school musical experience was playing Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March, No. 1 on the grand organ at the City Hall, Sheffield for a school speech day.

His professional studies were deliberately chosen to be outside the musical sphere in order to keep his interest in music to the fore. He successfully completed graduate studies and a post-graduate teaching qualification to become a teacher of mathematics at Brinsworth Comprehensive School. He has recently completed his Master of Education at Nottingham University.

His musical experience continued to grow as a musician with the Brian Kirby Orchestra who were the resident dance band at the City Hall during the 70’s. He also became deputy conductor of the Sheffield Military Concert Band who performed in local parks during the summer months and in local concert halls through the winter. He considered it to be a great honour to conduct the Military Band for the Armistice Day Parade in Barker’s Pool.

During the 80’s and 90’s, he was musical director for various local amateur operatic societies including Sheffield Amateur Operatic Society, Handsworth Operatic Society as well as forming Sheffield Hallam Operatic Society. Whilst recognising the high standards and social opportunities that the local operatic societies provided, it appeared to him that to achieve the highest standard of musical performance, the performers would have to be chosen to suit the production. Combining this with raising money for local charities, he formed the Sheffield Fellowship Theatre Company, establishing the principles of “working together in harmony and cooperation to achieve a high standard of theatrical performance to raise money for local charitable causes”.

Keith has devoted much of his working life to education. The academic and personal standards of the schools in which he has worked have been extremely high and he is pleased to have been a small part in their wider successes. Through the years, Keith has encouraged musical students to play in the Fellowship Concert Orchestra alongside professional musicians and also sing in the choir. He has enjoyed seeing many of these musicians go to University and continue with their musical studies and interests.

This link between teaching and organising musical concerts has brought him much pleasure; a pleasure that he hopes will continue well into the future.

June 2007