Where were you born (you don’t have to share the date with us if you don’t want to!) and where do you live now?
Born right ‘ere in ‘uddersfield. I live in a place that shares its name with a famous ABBA hit. Very apt!
Summarise your musical career to date in no more than twenty words!
Piano aged 7ish, learnt the flute because my parents wouldn’t let me learn the violin, then about aged 20 decided I wanted to learn the cornet. Have grade 6 in piano and flute.
When did you join Shepley Band – and more importantly, why on earth did you join?!
When I was a young’un. Am (almost) the longest serving member of the band, been in it some 17 years now. Went along because it was fun to share it with dad and Jonathan, and it’s still fun!
What do you enjoy about being part of Shepley Band? We assume you enjoy the band of course!
The fact that everyone gets on so well. I don’t know of any other group where 50 people aged 1 to 70-some could have spent a week away and that many hours on a coach together and still be friends at the end of it!
What has been your favourite moment with Shepley Band?
A hard one this, as so many good moments make up my memories. Probably the Sweden trip, as it was the first time I’d ever been on a plane / abroad. I think I took more photos between leaving Shepley and the plane rising from the ground at Manchester than most people took in the whole 5 days!
What’s your favourite piece of music of all time?
Cripes. A truly stirring piece of classical music, played brilliantly, never fails to win me over. Oh, and Dancing Queen! And musicals. And...
Who’s your favourite composer? Those still living don’t count by the way – it’s all noise with them!
Again, cripes. I admire anyone who writes music that shows off an instruments potential.
Apart from all the hours you put in every day practising (obviously) what else do you get up to in the real world?
I work as a carer for autistic and disabled children and love it. I have a keen interest in genealogy (family history) and am currently compiling a detailed family tree.
Fantasy Dinner Table – imagine you’re having dinner – who would you want on either side of you – and why?
Only either side of me? I could fill a room! Roald Dahl, I’d love to know where he got the inspiration for his books from. Stephen Fry, because he’d keep the conversation varied, and my great-great grandparents, so I could ask them questions about their lives and the lives of their own ancestors.
I’d better stop there!
Oh, and what’s your favourite food – after Sheila’s World Famous Ginger Biscuits?
Good home made nosh. My actual favourite changes every 3 days, on average.
Your private plane is sitting on the runway at Shepley Aerodrome. Where would you like to go today – and why?
If I had the luxury of a plane – the Grand Canyon and Niagara falls. Although a bit nearer to home, I would love to head to Europe and see some of the sights there.
You’re a very modest individual, shy and retiring (like everyone in Shepley Band) – but what’s been your greatest achievement to date?
Well, everything is relative and all that, but winning the parent and child piano duet with dad at the Mrs Sunderland music competition aged 11 (I think) was something I still consider an achievement. We’d been pushed into 2nd place for the previous 2 years, and this was the last year we could enter. Dad was so keen to get his hands on the trophy, he ran up the steps onto the town hall stage, tripped over the top one and fell flat on his face. That trophy had pride of place in our lounge for the next 12 months! Not even the FA cup was more proudly won.
And, landing a job I enjoy so much that I would pay Kirklees to let me do it.
We seem to be living in a celebrity culture today – so if you could be a celebrity who would you be and why?
If I ever became famous (not that I really want to) it would have to be for something I’d done, some great achievement, not for being able to call myself a celebrity.
You’ve managed to get the TV remote control all to yourself. If you could have an evening of your favourite telly programmes what would you watch (after you’d finished daily practise of course)?
Any Period Drama, a Top Gear special, Who Do You Think You Are, a bit of Sci-Fi.
Finally, you found an old oil lamp on your way out of our Christmas Concert. You rubbed it and Jude the Shepley Band Genie appeared and granted you three wishes. What did you wish for?
1. Wisdom to make the right decisions in life.
2. Health and happiness for family and friends.
3. That Judith would let me have that green trumpet.
Born right ‘ere in ‘uddersfield. I live in a place that shares its name with a famous ABBA hit. Very apt!
Summarise your musical career to date in no more than twenty words!
Piano aged 7ish, learnt the flute because my parents wouldn’t let me learn the violin, then about aged 20 decided I wanted to learn the cornet. Have grade 6 in piano and flute.
When did you join Shepley Band – and more importantly, why on earth did you join?!
When I was a young’un. Am (almost) the longest serving member of the band, been in it some 17 years now. Went along because it was fun to share it with dad and Jonathan, and it’s still fun!
What do you enjoy about being part of Shepley Band? We assume you enjoy the band of course!
The fact that everyone gets on so well. I don’t know of any other group where 50 people aged 1 to 70-
What has been your favourite moment with Shepley Band?
A hard one this, as so many good moments make up my memories. Probably the Sweden trip, as it was the first time I’d ever been on a plane / abroad. I think I took more photos between leaving Shepley and the plane rising from the ground at Manchester than most people took in the whole 5 days!
What’s your favourite piece of music of all time?
Cripes. A truly stirring piece of classical music, played brilliantly, never fails to win me over. Oh, and Dancing Queen! And musicals. And...
Who’s your favourite composer? Those still living don’t count by the way – it’s all noise with them!
Again, cripes. I admire anyone who writes music that shows off an instruments potential.
Apart from all the hours you put in every day practising (obviously) what else do you get up to in the real world?
I work as a carer for autistic and disabled children and love it. I have a keen interest in genealogy (family history) and am currently compiling a detailed family tree.
Fantasy Dinner Table – imagine you’re having dinner – who would you want on either side of you – and why?
Only either side of me? I could fill a room! Roald Dahl, I’d love to know where he got the inspiration for his books from. Stephen Fry, because he’d keep the conversation varied, and my great-
Oh, and what’s your favourite food – after Sheila’s World Famous Ginger Biscuits?
Good home made nosh. My actual favourite changes every 3 days, on average.
Your private plane is sitting on the runway at Shepley Aerodrome. Where would you like to go today – and why?
If I had the luxury of a plane – the Grand Canyon and Niagara falls. Although a bit nearer to home, I would love to head to Europe and see some of the sights there.
You’re a very modest individual, shy and retiring (like everyone in Shepley Band) – but what’s been your greatest achievement to date?
Well, everything is relative and all that, but winning the parent and child piano duet with dad at the Mrs Sunderland music competition aged 11 (I think) was something I still consider an achievement. We’d been pushed into 2nd place for the previous 2 years, and this was the last year we could enter. Dad was so keen to get his hands on the trophy, he ran up the steps onto the town hall stage, tripped over the top one and fell flat on his face. That trophy had pride of place in our lounge for the next 12 months! Not even the FA cup was more proudly won.
And, landing a job I enjoy so much that I would pay Kirklees to let me do it.
We seem to be living in a celebrity culture today – so if you could be a celebrity who would you be and why?
If I ever became famous (not that I really want to) it would have to be for something I’d done, some great achievement, not for being able to call myself a celebrity.
You’ve managed to get the TV remote control all to yourself. If you could have an evening of your favourite telly programmes what would you watch (after you’d finished daily practise of course)?
Any Period Drama, a Top Gear special, Who Do You Think You Are, a bit of Sci-
Finally, you found an old oil lamp on your way out of our Christmas Concert. You rubbed it and Jude the Shepley Band Genie appeared and granted you three wishes. What did you wish for?
1. Wisdom to make the right decisions in life.
2. Health and happiness for family and friends.
3. That Judith would let me have that green trumpet.
And finally, world peace. But that’s an extra.
Who are you and what instrument do you play?
Heidi Ryan - still attempting to play the cornet.
Heidi Ryan -
The Shepley Band Interview
