TVYO Staff
We are very fortunate to have a wonderful team of teachers who guide the students as they work together on the challenging and exciting repertoire. The team is ably led by our Conductor and Musical Director, Michael Stinton, who chooses the repertoire and trains the orchestra during the full rehearsals.
Michael Stinton, MA (Oxon), LRAM, ARCM, MTC (London).
Michael is a teacher, an oboist and a conductor. He received his early training in the Kent Music School and was principal oboist of the Kent County Youth Orchestra. He read Music at Worcester College, Oxford (1978-81), where he was an instrumental scholar, and studied the oboe with the late Janet Craxton at the Royal Academy of Music. After graduation Michael maintained freelance playing in London and went on to train as a teacher, subsequently being appointed to the post of Head of Woodwind and Brass at St. Paul's School – a post he held for five years.
Michael has been Director of Music at Abingdon School since 1987, leading many successful concert tours abroad. He has been the conductor and Musical Director of TVYO since 1992 and is passionate about the transformative opportunities that come from making music with like-minded people from all backgrounds. Michael has been a music teacher for over 30 years. He has a detailed knowledge of orchestral repertoire, and he chooses the music for TVYO with care, ensuring that it is challenging and exciting to play, but never so technically demanding that the orchestra cannot produce a performance to be proud of.
Michael has had the pleasure of seeing many young musicians progress and benefit from the opportunity of playing in the stimulating and rewarding environment of TVYO. Michael works tirelessly as an ambassador for the orchestra, building links with state and independent schools in the local area, and encouraging new members to join our ranks. Michael and his wife - the artist Clova Stuart-Hamilton - have three children of their own; all three played in TVYO for a number of years.
Our specialist instrumental tutors work with TVYO students during the sectional rehearsals. These regular sectional rehearsals are one of the reasons why TVYO provides such an excellent musical training for its members. The sectional rehearsals give our players the opportunity to practise tricky sections of the music in small groups - with close support and advice from a teacher who has specialist knowledge of their instrument - before consolidating what they have learnt with the rest of the orchestra in the 'full' rehearsals.
Michael Stinton, MA (Oxon), LRAM, ARCM, MTC (London).
Michael is a teacher, an oboist and a conductor. He received his early training in the Kent Music School and was principal oboist of the Kent County Youth Orchestra. He read Music at Worcester College, Oxford (1978-81), where he was an instrumental scholar, and studied the oboe with the late Janet Craxton at the Royal Academy of Music. After graduation Michael maintained freelance playing in London and went on to train as a teacher, subsequently being appointed to the post of Head of Woodwind and Brass at St. Paul's School – a post he held for five years.
Michael has been Director of Music at Abingdon School since 1987, leading many successful concert tours abroad. He has been the conductor and Musical Director of TVYO since 1992 and is passionate about the transformative opportunities that come from making music with like-minded people from all backgrounds. Michael has been a music teacher for over 30 years. He has a detailed knowledge of orchestral repertoire, and he chooses the music for TVYO with care, ensuring that it is challenging and exciting to play, but never so technically demanding that the orchestra cannot produce a performance to be proud of.
Michael has had the pleasure of seeing many young musicians progress and benefit from the opportunity of playing in the stimulating and rewarding environment of TVYO. Michael works tirelessly as an ambassador for the orchestra, building links with state and independent schools in the local area, and encouraging new members to join our ranks. Michael and his wife - the artist Clova Stuart-Hamilton - have three children of their own; all three played in TVYO for a number of years.
Our specialist instrumental tutors work with TVYO students during the sectional rehearsals. These regular sectional rehearsals are one of the reasons why TVYO provides such an excellent musical training for its members. The sectional rehearsals give our players the opportunity to practise tricky sections of the music in small groups - with close support and advice from a teacher who has specialist knowledge of their instrument - before consolidating what they have learnt with the rest of the orchestra in the 'full' rehearsals.