The Shared Goals of our Trustees

Every small amount spent on a musical education yields a greater return. Not only does it develop technical abilities, it enhances communication, teamwork, analytical, listening, and creative skills. Skills that are transferable and enable success in any profession.

Our Trustees are from a wide range of professions including education, medical, legal, finance, local government and, of course- the music profession. Whilst our professions are different, we all recognise the value of a musical education. We all recognise how music has helped our progress in our own chosen professions.

Every one of our Trustees has benefited from a musical education and has been fortunate enough to participate in youth orchestras and experience the buzz of a performance. We all believe in the value and purposefulness of music making- not to mention the fun and friendships. Which is why we are all committed to ensuring that young people in our region have free access to play in a properly run, well managed youth orchestra.

Jane Hainey

Jane studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with David Takeno, graduating in 1986 before going to France to work at L'opera de Lyon under Sir Fohn Elliot Gardener playing in operas such as Verdi's Falstaff, Debussy's Pelleas et Mellisande and Mozart's Magic Flute at the Aix en Provence Festival.

She moved to Glasgow to become a member of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra where she had a colourful and varied career for nearly 30 years, working with diverse artists such as Sir Simon Rattle, Nicola Benedetti, Jessie Norman as well as Travis, Paloma Faith and Boy George, playing annually at the London Proms and the Edinburgh Festival, giving concerts throughout Scotland and touring extensively in Europe, China, North and South America and Canada. She has also worked with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Northern Sinfonia, the BBC Welsh and Ulster orchestras.

Jane was a violin teacher at Douglas Academy, a specialist music school in Glasgow, for 15 years whilst also teaching in underprivileged and special behaviour schools in the East End. She has also worked on education projects with the BBC.

Wilson Hainey

After graduating from the RSAMD Wilson joined the Bellarmine Quartet. The quartet specialised in performing and commissioning new Scottish music. They also formed a core of teachers involved in developing a string project in a deprived area of Glasgow. The quartet’s teaching was profoundly influenced by the great American teacher Paul Rolland. Many of the students went on to teach at the RSAMD or returned to teach at the project as well as moving on to professional music careers.

In 1984, after spending some years freelancing with Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Opera and also teaching, Wilson joined the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. This was an opportunity to play with some of the great violin soloists such as Yehudi Menuhin and Ida Haendel and to watch their technique at first hand. The orchestra toured extensively to such places as China, Poland, North and South America and Canada as well as memorably playing at the Musikverein in Vienna and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

During this time, Wilson involved himself in the orchestra’s development and outreach education projects and with his wife Jane, formed a community orchestra for adult players whose instruments had been gathering dust under the bed and who wished to reacquaint themselves with the talent of their youth.

Wilson continued with his passion for teaching, coaching numerous Glasgow Schools’ orchestras and he had a close association with its vibrant education department.

David Howdle

David is a retired senior Procurator Fiscal. He played the violin in the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra for several years when he was at school but, to his great regret stopped playing at university in order to concentrate on his legal studies.  He would encourage any young musician to keep playing if they possibly can. It doesn't come so easily after a gap of 35 years!

David's role with DGYO is as the orchestra’s honorary secretary. He also plays and sings in as many amateur music groups as he can. David helps out at DGYO rehearsals.  It helps to keep him young at heart and as he says he is proud to be the oldest member of DGYO!

Peter Hutchison

Peter is a retired GP from Dumfries, former Lead Cancer GP for Scotland now working as a cancer advisor for the Scottish Government and as vice-chair of a research ethics committee in Glasgow. He has played bassoon and contrabassoon since schooldays and plays regularly in various chamber music groups including the Millbeck Wind Ensemble and Border Reeders. He is a founder member, former chairman and current treasurer of the Solway Sinfonia. He is also chair of the trustees for Absolute Classics, the organisation bringing internationally acclaimed classical chamber music concerts and master classes for young musicians to Dumfries & Galloway.

Nick Riley

Graduating from Glasgow University and Aberdeen College of Education, Nick returned to his native Dumfries and Galloway where he has spent his professional career in music education working in several local schools including Wallace Hall Academy, where he taught until he retired a few years ago.  Nick still has a varied and interesting musical life including teaching flute and piano as well as working with a range of musical groups including the Dumfries Choral Society, which he conducted for more than ten years and directing/performing shows with the Dumfries Operatic Society (now the Dumfries Musical Theatre Company). Nick is a founder member of the Solway Sinfonia and is its Principal Flautist.  Nick is the proud Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Youth Orchestra and he also helps out by supporting DGYO in rehearsals and concerts.

Joshua Ellicott

Josh is a professional musician, performing worldwide as a tenor soloist in opera, concert and as a recitalist. He sings in some of the world’s greatest venues with the finest conductors and orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic Orchestra at the Lincoln Centre New York, The Hallé Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall, Freiburg Baroque Orchestra at the Berlin Philharmonie and the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. He has made his home, along with his family, in Dumfries and Galloway and is delighted to be a trustee of the Dumfries and Galloway Youth Orchestra.

Josh's own musicianship has its roots in his native Lancashire where he sang and played a number of instruments in church, school and in the home and he delights to see young people sharing in the opportunities that he had. He benefitted greatly from the Council-funded peripatetic instrumental tuition that he received. He wishes to be an advocate for bringing high quality classical music to today’s young people, to help to combat the sad decline of music education, and to promote understanding of the advantages of making music within our schools and in our culture.

Josh is keen to see the young people of the DGYO experience the joy of fun and friendship as they pursue musical excellence and the satisfaction of seeing the beauty that they create touch the lives of audience members and players alike.