About Sheila

Sheila Richards gained an honours degree in music at Lancaster University, where she initially studied recorder with Edward Cowie. Her studies in recorder playing continued privately with Christopher Ball and later, at Trinity College of Music, with Philip Thorby. During this time she was awarded performance diplomas from London College of Music and Trinity College of Music – in addition to a Fellowship in Music Education from the latter.

For over twenty years she lived in London, where she played violin with a number of amateur orchestras, whilst running a successful teaching practice in and around SE London & Kent. She also ran regular workshop sessions for adult recorder players – which she continued to direct until 2009.

Although, in 2006, she relocated to Newark on Trent in Nottinghamshire, she continues to play with (and conduct) the London Recorder Orchestra. She has been a member of the recorder chamber orchestra, Recorders Incorporated, since it was formed in 2007 and also of the recently formed group, Tutti Flutti. She is also a regular member of Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and Lincolnshire Philharmonia where she is now enjoying the exploration of the viola’s orchestral role.

Sheila is a keen arranger of music and in 2002 launched the highly successful Willobie Press, which publishes some of her work. The Willobie Press catalogue contains nearly 180 arrangements and original compositions for recorder ensembles of all sizes – including recorder orchestra.

As a member of the Society of Recorder Players, Sheila is regularly invited to conduct SRP branches across the UK – see her current conducting diary for the rest of this season. Several of her arrangements reflect these invitations. Whenever possible she tries to attend her ‘local’ branches in both South London and Lincoln…

Sheila currently directs the Lincoln Music Workshop Recorder Group – a small ensemble of adult players who meet regularly in North Hykeham and also give occasional performances in and around Lincoln.  Since September 2016 she has also been the director of the newly-formed East Midlands Recorder Orchestra. 

She also continues to teach recorder and violin/viola privately at her home in Newark, with students travelling to her from across the East Midlands. Enquiries from students, of all ages and levels of experience, are always welcome.

If you would like further information about recorder or violin lessons (or workshop coaching), please contact Sheila Richards for further details.

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