Music in Peebles is run by a Board of Trustees consisting of volunteers, elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. The current members of the Board are:.

Helen Narracott

President

Helen Narracott studied music and performing arts at Dartington College in Devon, and then worked as an editor for BBC Radio 3, in the department which ran the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts.

She moved to Scotland as concerts manager for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and what was then the Scottish Baroque Ensemble, organising concerts in halls, country houses and castles throughout Scotland.

More recently she was a partner in a PR consultancy specialising in the arts and entertainment.

Sarah Brown

Sarah studied Music at Napier University, Edinburgh, where she was
taught by Michael Harris, Master of the Music at St Giles’ Cathedral.
Sarah was awarded the Herrick Bunny Organ Scholarship while at
Napier. She has taken part in Masterclasses with Kevin Bowyer and Matthew
Owens.

Sarah is currently Organist and Director of Music at Peebles Old Parish
Church and works privately as a piano and organ teacher. She is a committee
member of the Borders’ Guild of Organists.

“Music is a wonderful gift and a great joy to share with others. It is a great
privilege to be in Music in Peebles.”

Rosemary Donald

Rosemary has always been interested in music, playing several instruments as a schoolgirl and singing in choirs as an adult. 

In her 40s she studied with the Open University and gained a diploma in music, so has a modicum of musical understanding. 

At one time, having struggled to complete an evening class in Sage accounting, when her teacher stated that she wasn’t really suited to such work, Rosemary declared that she would prefer to analyse a Beethoven symphony! 

These days Radio 3 soothes and live music at the Eastgate gives much pleasure.  She is really pleased to be able to help with Music in Peebles.

John Gibson

As an enthusiast for “serious” music classical, jazz or otherwise and with a background of choral singing and rather frustrated pianism, it came as a pleasant surprise, on moving there in 2021, that Peebles didn’t appear to be the musical backwater of imagination, and there were organisations, such as Music in Peebles, tabling concerts featuring world-class musicians in an intimate setting. 

It is my privilege to be part of that same organisation, as an MiP Board of Trustees member, and I will endeavour to give my utmost in supporting the efforts of Music in Peebles in continuing its mission of bringing musical artists and performance of the highest standard to Peebles for the enjoyment of music audiences formed from the town and wider Borders community.

Jenny Haywood

Jenny has lived in Peebles for 23 years and loves the opportunity provided by Music in Peebles to hear world class musicians play on her doorstep. 

Having recently retired from a career in scientific research, the pharmaceutical industry and in research quality assurance, and now with more free time, she was more than happy to join as a Trustee to help with the organisation of Music in Peebles. 

Having grown up surrounded by piano and violin music but never having played herself, Jenny took up clarinet at the age of 50, with lessons from the great Peebleian Daniel T Ward; she then joined Peebles Concert Band, of which she was Chair for six years, and still enjoys playing with them.

Jenny has also previously organised and promoted music gigs at Stobo Village Hall.

Philip Hutton

Philip Hutton, native to Peebles, is a graduate of Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, taught art in Borders schools, and continues to paint and exhibit.

He is also a writer whose output ranges from self-published poetry and painting collections to programme notes for Music in Peebles. The piano is a private study, he says that he practises three arts, two of them competently.

He has been a member of Music in Peebles since 1970 when it was Peebles Music Club.

Nancy Norman

Being able to walk around the corner to hear world-class, live chamber music in a local setting is an astonishing privilege. So is the sense of helping, in whatever way possible, Music in Peebles’ colleagues in the provision of that.

Nancy retired as a Church of Scotland minister in 2012, but is still working. She joined the MiP Board in 2020.

Being a member of the Board of Music in Peebles offers the opportunity to shape the future of the organisation and to influence the programming of future seasons.

We are always eager to hear from anyone who would like to get involved. So if you would like to join us in contributing to the cultural life of the Burgh, please contact the President (details on the Contact page), or speak to any member of the current Board.