About Us & The Team

SALES
Andrew Ross (sales - PA, Effects, Electric & Bass Guitars, Amps & Drums)
Andrew (AKA 'Rossi'), who'd been a customer of Promenade Music's for many years before working here, began in our Rock 'n' Roll department in 2004. Rossi's played bass and guitar in various bands over the last twenty years and has worked as a guitar tech on tour. After studying at the Manchester School of Sound Recording in the late nineties, he qualified as a studio and live sound engineer. As well as working in sales he engineers Promenade Music's manned P.A hires. In his spare time Rossi teachers 'wado-ryu karate'.

David Wood (sales - Pianos, Keyboards & Organs and runs all aspects of our Recording Services)
After playing his first summer season at fourteen, David went on to study music in Huddersfield and sound recording in Manchester. His early years as a professional musician were extremely diverse and included writing and arranging for publishers, working as a live, studio and theatre musician both as a player and MD, (he won musical director of the year for the 1986/7 theatre season), teaching in both higher education and private practice and working in studio productions where he created music for adverts, TV and radio. David established 'Promenade Music' in 1989 and is very much involved with sales as well as running the recording services that Promenade Music offer. David also the co-founder and director of the record label 'Faith & Hope'.

Denise Clark (sales - Sheet Music & Accessories)
Denise has run the sheet music department since Promenade Music opened in 1989. Her thirty years of experience and knowledge in sheet music make her an invaluable member of the team. In her spare time she enjoys classical music and until recently sang in the Rushley singers, as well as directing the Junior Choir of Christ Church Young Choristers.

Gary Thistlethwaite (sales - Electric & Bass Guitars, Amps, PA, Drums & Effects)
Gary started playing the clubs and pubs of the North West with his brother at the age of fourteen. Three years later their band 'White Line Fever' were one of the hottest new Country Rock bands in the UK and Gary balanced touring Europe with his day job at Comet where he had become a store manager. At 28 Gary decided to pack in the day job (a brave decision with three little girls) and moved to America. Gary gigged non-stop after getting a recording contract with CBS and went on to support many of the top American Country artists like Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. After three and a half years on the road Gary decided to bring the family back to the UK to work in a recording studio before joining Promenade Music in 1995. Gary still has the bug to play and is currently in the bands 24/7, Underground ballroom and Blue Juice with his daughter Laura).

George Scott (sales - Orchestral Instruments, Accessories & Sheet Music)
George joined the Promenade Music team in 2012 after graduating from Lancaster University, where he studied Music. His main instruments being the violin and viola. During his time at the University, George was an active member of the Music Society, organising and participating in countless concerts over the course of his three year degree. These days, George is a member of the Haffner Orchestra, who are based in Lancaster, and continues to gig with various string ensembles at functions and events in the Lancashire area. George is also a violin and viola teacher.

Jim Holmes (sales - Education, Mail Order & E-Commerce. Runs the Repairs & Service dept too)
After leaving the Halifax Building Society where he had worked for over fifteen years, Jim joined Promenade Music in the summer of 2003 and amongst other things looks after the Educational supplies and repairs department. He has played guitar for over twenty years and during that time spent seven years playing up and down the country with local band 'Devious Soul Machine'. Following that he spent three years playing the North West circuit with three piece rock band 'The Reservoir Ferrets'. As Jim is now "old" he has cut down on his live playing to concentrate more on recording and his sponsorship deals with Carlsberg and Napolean Brandy.

Keith Harris (sales - Acoustic Guitars, Pianos, Woodwind and deals with foreign imports)
After deciding to leave his job to study music in the early eighties, Keith's work was split between being the manager of 'Harker & Howarths' (the local music shop Promenade carried on from) and playing the North West club circuit. Keith was instrumental in Promenade Music's creation and in the first year of trading (1989) in a new location and with a different trading name, Keith doubled the turnover of his old employer who had been established in the town for over thirty years with his knowledge of stock and careful management. Over the years Keith has learned and gigged on many instruments.

Richard Turner (sales - Mail Order, E-commerce, Website Content, Assistant Lightbulb Manager)
After graduating from Lancaster University, Richard became the store manager at Andy's Records before joining Promenade Music in 2003. When not at work, Richard an accomplished singer-songwriter, plays acoustic, electric and bass guitar. He's also tinkered with bouzouki, harmonica, dulcimer, autoharp, and various electronic instruments. He has performed in many bands of various styles and played hundreds of gigs and festivals all over the UK. He is currently guitarist in alternative nu-folk band Dan Haywood's New Hawks (who released a triple vinyl, 2CD set) and three dimensional tanx (psychedelic rock).

Steven Wren (sales - Keyboards, Digital Pianos, Recording Gear, Hi-Tech, DJ, Lighting)
Steven has worked at Promenade Music since leaving school in 1990. He is an accomplished organ and keyboard player with a love for Jimmy Smith and Craig Charles' Radio 6 show! When not working, Steven's was the singer with the band Mint Royale and was the voice of the Hugo Boss television ad which he co-wrote. Steven also sings and plays in the local function band 24/7. In his spare time he can be found high up in he mountains of the lake district walking.

ADMINISTRATION
Pat Bisby (Book Keeping & Accounts)
Pat has many years of experience in bookkeeping. Before moving on to the bookkeeping for Promenade Music, Pat had spent several years in charge of the faith & hope records' books.

SALES SUPPORT
Eric Metcalfe (Warehousing, Deliveries & Installation)
After working for Norweb as a fully qualified electrician for twenty one years, Eric (who'd been a customer of Promenade Music since we opened) joined us in 2000 and runs our warehouse, delivery service and oversees our installations. Eric started gigging the pubs and clubs of the Northwest at the age of sixteen on organ (a Selmer Capri to be exact) and over the years went on to play in many local bands including one step forward, Charade, 4th edition, Socks to Match and City Image. Eric is still playing the clubs in the duo 'Innovation' with his partner Denise.

- Ian Harrison (Designer, Web & IT)
After college, Ian started an apprenticeship with an engineering company involved in automotive industry and went on to gain his ONC & HNC in Mechanical Engineering and Manufacture before moving into the draughting office where he worked with CAD programs. He progressed further into the graphical aspect of design and moved into web and ecommerce development, system design, intranets and network installation with companies in Lancaster before joining Promenade Music in 2002. Ian is in charge of all Promenade Music's design work and websites utilising the latest technology to help Promenade Music run smoothly and successfully. When he's not working, Ian's a keen motor sport fan and a talented racing driver who this years competing in the D1 National Drifting Championship (www.d1gb.co.uk) and looking for sponsors.

REPAIR & SERVICE TECHNICIANS
John Clark (freelance - Woodwind Repair & Service Technician)
After leaving school in 1984, John went on to study 'clarinet making and instrument repairing' at Newark Technical College on a three year diploma course. The woodwind programme at Newark has a worldwide reputation for producing skilled craftspeople who are able to repair the whole range of the woodwind family from Piccolo to Saxophone. The course included the making of a complete 'Boehm system' clarinet from basic raw materials. After completing his diploma in 1987, John went to work in the woodwind service department at the London retailer 'Pro Brass' in Kentish Town . In 1989, John returned to the north and set up his own repair business 'The Woodwind Workshop' in Manchester. John is now one of the countries leading repair technicians and although specialises in Saxophones, Clarinets and Flutes, he also repairs and services double reed instruments. John covers all woodwind work from the basic replacement of pads to complete overhauls and advanced repair techniques.

Marianne Bailey (freelance - Piano Tuner)
www.mbailey-pianotuner.co.uk
After studying full time for three years and gaining an HND in piano tuning, repairs and maintenance at the London College of Furniture, Marianne, who was the only student to be given a distinction for the final tuning exam in her year, established her own piano tuning business in 1983 and has been in constant demand with domestic pianos, schools, colleges, hotels, and churches ever since. In 1997, she took and passed the membership exam for the Pianoforte Tuners Association (the only professional body for piano tuners) and in 2000, her tuning was also appraised by Steinway and Sons in London, who needed a stand-by tuner for recitals in the Lancashire area. In this capacity, and as in-house tuner for several local concert venues, she has tuned for some of the Worlds leading artists including Nikolai Demidenko, Pascal Roge, Imogen Cooper, John Lill, Martin Roscoe, Kathryn Stott in the Classical music world as well as Jools Holland, Rick Wakeman and even the White Stripes! Marianne spends her free time walking in the Lakes (with her husband Simon and dog Max), horse-riding and travelling.