The National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain

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Alumni

This page is about former members of the NSC, who they are and what they're doing. All site visitors are welcome to browse through the profiles, but this is essentially a very big public 'thank you' to anyone who has ever blown their horn in our ranks.

If you've played with us in the past and would like to see how you can renew links with the NSC, register as an Alumni.

Star Alumni

This series features alumni who have made a special contribution to the NSC, either as members of the choir or subsequently as alumni. Our current star alumni is:

Deborah Hutt

Time in choir?
2002-2007 (including the very first rehearsal!)
Which sax?
Tenor
Other roles?
Secretary, Chair
Best choir memories
Playing cheesy medleys through the streets of Edinburgh wearing silly hats and annoying the locals.
Playing slightly different medleys (although equally cheesy) on a boat in Ljubljana
The standing ovation at the World Sax Congress (although I suspect Nigel's soprillo playing had more to do with it than anything...)
...and the ones to forget:
Anything to do with the organisation of the Fringe trips. What a nightmare.
Alumni activity
Ironically managed to get my 15 minutes of fame after leaving the Choir. My home paper (the Lancashire Evening Telegraph) ran an article on me and my involvement in the Choir, followed by an extended article in their colour "lifestyle" mag (yes, really...). That then led to a very brief interview on BBC Radio Lancashire which was sandwiched between an article on pasties and an interview with Dave Spikey.
Still playing?
I play with 2 local big bands on tenor and baritone.
Day job(s)
IT consultant working within the FE College sector
3 facts you would probably never guess about me...
1. I once read the weather on an american radio station
2. As a student I was in the rugby union squad that came second in the Universities Athletic Union tournament
3. I'm quite good at knitting

Alumni Profiles

Scan through here for news of former colleagues and check Alumni Networking (alumni access only) for contact details if you’d like more gossip!

Key

SXP : Works available form Saxtet Publications’ NSC Editions.

D: Dep; alumni who may still take part in NSC events from time to time.

F: A Friend of the sax choir who contributes to special projects and/or Choir running costs. Anyone, supporter or current Choir member, can become a Friend.

T: Saxophone teacher. We can contact the alumni on your behalf if you are interested in lessons.

	Victoria Benjamin Time in choir: 5 years Instruments: soprano Sadly I am leaving the choir, not because I couldn't stand the thought of having to memorise another piece (:s) but because I am lucky enough to have the chance to study at the University of North Texas for the coming year.
	Sarah Chandler Time in choir: Instruments: Had to sadly leave as got gigs on a cruiseship. loved this Orchestra! was one of the original sax choir members! back on land more often now so give me a buzz if anyone wants to meet up
	Sophie Duncan Time in choir: 3 years Instruments: alto/baritone After travelling around South America for two months last October I headed to the beautiful ski resort of Meribel in the French Alps where I began my six month stint as a Chalet Maid. Now after a summer of hard work (..and a few more travels) I am off to New Zealand for two months before I return to Hampshire to begin my Graduate Teacher Training programme in secondary music!! Great to see NSC is still going strong and I hope you are all well?! xxx
	Deborah Hutt Time in choir: 5 years Instruments: tenor Still doing the IT consultancy thing, working within the FE college sector. On the sax front, I'm now the proud owner of a beautiful bari, which I play in a local big band. I'm also playing tenor in another local big band so no shortage of playing opportunities!
	Helen Luckman Time in choir: 3 years Instruments: alto I have handed my notice in at Sheffield Music Service - woohoo! - and will be moving to Manchester in the summer to train as a nursery teacher : )
	Ruth Morris Time in choir: 1 years Instruments: Baritone Ruth is about to go into her final year of studying Music at Cardiff University, after which she hopes to complete a Masters Degree in Music Therapy, and become a fully qualified Music Therapist. Ruth has recently won the opportunity to perform the Glazunov Saxophone Concerto with the Cardiff University Symphony Orchestra, to be performed at the end of this year.
	Nicola Pennill Time in choir: 2 years Instruments: soprano Having reluctantly left the choir due to other commitments it was not long before the sax ensemble bug bit again and I teamed up with Alistair Parnell, ex NSC member Michelle Phillips and others to start a smaller, Nottingham based group. This new group, the Equinox Sax Ensemble has gone from strength to strength, last year recording a CD which featured the commissioned work from Nigel Wood ‘Partial Eclipse’ for EWI and sax ensemble. Other than Equinox I’m busy teaching sax and doing other bits and pieces of playing, including solo, quartet and orchestral work. I do miss the sax choir but keep up to date with gossip when I can…!
	Debbie Sargent Time in choir: 5 years Instruments: soprano Debbie gave up slaving away in the NSC for no money for slaving away in another organisation for no money. She is however enjoying being 'where it's at' rubbing shoulders with the jazz greats and pretending she knows what they're talking about. Do check us out www.serious.org.uk she just wishes her sop hadn't gathered quite so much dust already.
	Andrew Somerville Time in choir: 1 years Instruments: soprano Andrew joined the choir as a guest player for Edinburgh and Slovenia after his quartet, Sax-Ecosse, reached the finals of the Saxtet Quartet competition in '05. Since then he has spent 3 years at the RCM where he studied with Kyle Horch and Martin Robertson and graduated in '08 as the only sax player to have ever been awarded the College's Artist Diploma. He is now studying with Dr Frederick L. Hemke at Northwestern University in Chicago, USA.
	Michaela Stapleton Time in choir: 1 years Instruments: alto I graduated from the Royal College of Music this summer and I am now getting ready to move to France for two years of post graduate study.
	Steve Whiteley Time in choir: Instruments: Tenor Subsequently gigged with a big band, a funk band in a horn section and now rehearsing with a Pink Floyd tribute band, as well as a fledgling sax choir in London. Always keen to do anything in the South East.
	Winston Yap Time in choir: 3 years Instruments: alto 6th form now doing economics, german history and maths, having an AMAZING time. saxwise, just had LTCL diploma, awaiting results, and still playing a lot in school.