Music Centre staff

Director of Music

Michael Downes

Michael Downes became the University's first full-time Director of Music in 2008, having previously held a similar post at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. He read English and Music at King's College, Cambridge, and completed a doctorate on Debussy at the University of Sussex. He studied the cello with teachers including Ioan Davies and Timothy Mason and conducted with teachers including Lionel Friend and Colin Metters. Before moving to Scotland, he conducted numerous choral, operatic, orchestral and contemporary music groups in London and the South-East.
Full biography

Deputy Director of Music

Bede Williams

Bede first started working at the Music Centre in 2010 as an Associate Teacher of trumpet. In 2012 he was appointed as an Associate Lecturer and New Music Coordinator and in 2017 became Head of Instrumental Studies. In 2023 he was appointed Deputy Director of Music, leading a large team of teaching, outreach and administration staff. He teaches on a broad range of modules including Music Leadership and Ethnomusicology, as well as modules that incorporate performance, composition and chamber music. With Michael Downes he shares the conducting of the St Andrews Chamber Orchestra and a range of other ensembles. He is Director of StAMP (St Andrews Music Participation), a philanthropically funded project that aims to reinvigorate brass playing across Fife by working with schools and brass bands. As a soloist and chamber musician he has toured and recorded widely and is known for his work with many distinguished composers. Notable premieres include concertos by Jeremy Thurlow, Eve De Castro Robinson and Ian McQueen. He was made a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2023 and in 2024 became the chairperson of the Glasgow Barons, a multi-genre music charity working in Govan. For more information see www.bedewilliams.com

Head of Programming

Chris Bragg

Chris is responsible for all concert management within the Music Centre as well as managing the Chamber Orchestra and scholarship ensembles. Prior to coming to St Andrews, Chris worked for the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland. An organist by training, he completed degrees at the former RSAMD and the Amsterdam Conservatory and still enjoys performing and teaching. He is also active as a translator and writer.

Music Centre Administrator

Ruth Carr

Ruth administers the day-to-day operation of the Music Centre. She also assists with administrative aspects of the Summer Organ Week and other Music Centre summer courses.

Music Consultant

Gillian Craig

Gillian Craig directs the St Andrews and Fife Community Orchestra (StAFCO), the St Andrews Renaissance Singers and the Heisenberg Ensemble. She teaches regular classes for the Open Association and is involved with auditioning, interviewing, ensemble coaching and individual coaching.

Lecturer and Coordinator of Academic Music

Michael Ferguson

Michael is programme co-director of the MLitt in Sacred Music degree and teaches on 'Words and Music', 'Understanding Music', 'Making Music' and 'Electronic Music'. As Coordinator of Academic Music, he is responsible for overseeing the running of the Music Centre's undergraduate academic modules.

Graduate Trainee

Hester Greatrix

Hester is responsible for developing student and community engagement opportunities including StAFCO, masterclasses and workshops, as well as assisting with concert planning.

Music Centre Manager

Helen Gregory

Helen oversees the operation of the Music Centre, its services and facilities. She is responsible for the centre’s finance systems and manages the Strings in Spring chamber music course.

Director of Chapel Music

Claire Innes-Hopkins

Head of Music Technology

Jonathan Kemp

Jonathan is module coordinator for 'Physics of Music', 'Electronic Music' and 'Scottish Music' and is in charge of maintaining the electronic music studio in the Laidlaw Music Centre. He also leads the Music Centre's jazz, funk, rock, fusion band, St Andrews Fusion.

Administrative Assistant

Patricia Lopez Sanchez Cervantes

Our Administrative Assistants are the face of the Music Centre in the evenings and at weekends, providing a warm welcome to all our visitors and members and helping them to access our services.

Academic Administrator

Diane Lyons

Diane provides administrative support for the ten undergraduate modules.

Deputy University Organist

Andrew Macintosh

Andrew is responsible for wedding music in the University chapels. He plays for most weddings in the University and advises wedding couples on the music for their ceremonies.

Head of Vocal Studies

Jonathan May

Jonathan leads a team of visiting voice teachers who deliver approximately 100 voice lessons per week. He has overall responsibility for matters vocal within the Music Centre and in academic modules. He is Company Manager, Voice Coach and Dramaturge for Byre Opera and one of two Careers Link representatives for the Music Centre.

Technician

Udayan Meshram

Administrative Assistant

Jonathan Pinto

Our Administrative Assistants are the face of the Music Centre in the evenings and at weekends, providing a warm welcome to all our visitors and members and helping them to access our services.

Lecturer (Education Focussed) and Adviser of Studies

Jane Pettegree

Jane coordinates first year modules 'Understanding Music', 'Words and Music' and 'Introduction to Ethnomusicology'. She teaches on 'Scottish Music' and has an online blog called Soundyings: Conversations on the History of Scottish Music in which she (and others) post about about everything from medieval plainchant to accordion dance bands to post-punk pop – see https://soundyngs.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/. She also contributes to the Sacred Music MLitt programme, and to interdisciplinary teaching in other units and summer schools. Outside of the University, she directs the choir at St Andrews Episcopal Church, and is involved in the Royal School of Church Music’s Scottish area membership events.

Head of Outreach

Ellen Thomson

Ellen is responsible for devising music outreach projects across Fife working with a range of different community partners and schools. She also collaborates with departments across the University on public engagement initiatives and involves students in the delivery of projects when possible.

Associate Lecturer and University Organist

Tom Wilkinson

As an associate lecturer, Tom teaches on the Sacred Music MLitt and a variety of undergraduate modules. As University Organist, he teaches the organ scholars and plays for graduations.