Kelly Dwyer - Project Co-ordinator

I started my musical journey by playing the descant recorder aged 4. I then progressed to treble recorder and started to learn the cornet aged 7. My primary school centrered around musical activities and providing the whole school with musical opportunities, a memory that made me want to support schools in achieving this aim today.

I played in various musical groups including my primary and secondary school orchestras, the Girls and Boys Brigade Band and Forgemen Drum and Bugle Corps, with whom I competed nationally as their trumpet soloist and gained championship status. Playing in bands from the age of 7 to 23, I understand the positive impact that playing in an ensemble has on a child and actively promote all music groups in the city.

Before joining the Music Hub I worked for a high street bank becoming a branch manager at the age of 22 (the youngest at the time) and then Associate to the Managing Partner for Business in South Yorkshire. My 11 years in the banking industry instilled a high standard of customer service in my every day working life and I put this in the forefront of my Music Hub role.

I was the first person to be employed especially for the Music Hub after being appointed over 132 applicants! My role is unique in the fact that it covers various tasks from managing the communications of the Music Hub (website, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr), ensuring the Music Hub records are up to date (DBSs, safeguarding training, observation records), to organising large scale events (Wider Music Network Conference, Halle Concert and Come and Play).

I am keen to ensure that parent/carer views are considered when implementing new processes. As the parent of a young flautist, I understand the demands that are associated with the numerous activities that today’s children participate in.

In my spare time I have enjoyed relative success competing on game shows (Weakest Link, Eggheads and Who Wants to be a Millionaire) and managed to scoop a £10,000 prize!