Graduating students – Siobhan Bates, BA(Hons) Music Performance

Congratulations to all our students on their graduation

AT age 22, Siobhan Bates is a new music graduate of the University of Huddersfield.  But she is already established as one of the world’s leading exponents of her instrument.

Just over four years ago, when she was just 18, Siobhan was appointed principal tenor horn for Yorkshire’s Black Dyke Band, probably the best-known brass band in the world.  Until COVID-19 led to a suspension of banding, she was playing concerts with Dyke virtually every week of the year, and overseas excursions included a 10-day tour of Japan, where the public response astonished her.

“We are like celebrities in Japan.  It’s amazing how much we were adored by the audiences!” said Siobhan.

Meanwhile, she was completing her BA in Music Performance at the University of Huddersfield, which has a vibrant brass banding tradition of its own.  She has now graduated with First Class Honours.

But although Siobhan’s commitment to the tenor horn, to brass bands and to music is stronger than ever, her next career move is to qualify as a primary school teacher.  It means she will cover the full range of subjects – but with a musical dimension.

“Most of my lessons will be music orientated, using songs to remember information in different subjects.  It’s an easier way of learning and the children will hopefully take a love of music to their secondary school, meaning music classes are bigger,” she explains.

Study Music at Huddersfield

Born in Derbyshire, Siobhan has been a brass player since she was a small child.  Eventually committing herself to the tenor horn, she rose through the ranks of banding until she was talent-spotted and recruited by Black Dyke conductor Nicholas Childs, who loved her sound.

An evangelist for the tenor horn as a solo instrument, Siobhan has recently received a specially-commissioned work for herself and Black Dyke.  It is titled Upon Green Vales, and composer Paul Lovatt-Cooper drew inspiration from the landscape of Castle Hill in Huddersfield.  She provides more background to the piece at her new website and she is eager to premiere the piece when banding and concerts resume.

Siobhan has also switched to playing a top-quality instrument from the North Yorkshire-based Geneva Group.  Alongside some of the world’s leading brass players, she features on the company’s website and promotional material as one of its official Performance and Development Artists.