What an amazing day it has been and I just wanted to take a moment to reflect.
This morning I was humbled to go to Windsor Castle and receive my MBE for Services to Education. It is a day I will never forget and whilst I took it all in, it flew by so fast. And in fact the years have flown past and I just wanted to stop for a moment to say some thanks. Full discourse, this is a fairly self-indulgent blog, full of thanks and reflection. I hope you take something from it and understand that I am so grateful to so many people who I simply cannot name!
Where do I start…
I want to start by thanking those who nominated me for the MBE. I am humbled that you think I deserve it, and honoured to receive it today. I really do share it with everyone I have ever worked with – all the students, staff, colleagues and friends. But I will have a go at some reflection, and some thanks!
I would like to start by thanking everyone who has played a part in getting me to where I am today. The countless colleagues who have supported me at work. The incredible parents of students I have taught and the wonderful musicians I have worked with. There are so many people out there who mean so much to me, and I know I will miss so many out – but you know who you are! The current crop of students I am working with are really special, as are the wonderful team of Trustees & Parents who make up our new Friends of Windsor Music charity.
I am indebted to my first boss Jeff Dawkins who took a risk on me and gave me my first proper job at TWBS. I am grateful to John Jackson who helped me with all of my early musical ventures, and Kay Mountfield for inspiring me in so many ways. I have been lucky to have so many supportive leaders in my life – Tony Willis, Louise Reznikova, Andy Titheridge, Gill Labrum, Richard Cardigan, Peter Rawlings, Gavin Henderson and most recently Sean Furness & Jane Davies. I look back at so many colleagues who have been such a huge part of my working life – Ashleigh Walter, Naomi Baggett, Dan Woods, James Clark, Mark Wilkinson, Rob Jeffery, Rob Unsworth, James Peacock, Phil Hall, Tony Paul. I work with so many amazing people and I can’t name them all! But thanks for all the support. And an extended thanks to everyone who has ever been part of Period 6 – the beer at the end of a Friday! Huge thanks to the amazing Alfie Horn who is someone who always helps me and never says something isn’t possible! Apart from once when I wanted to fly a student in from the ceiling!
I think about my music colleagues over the years – Noel Morgan, Chris Ward, Alex Baxter, Rishi Shukla, Paul Johnson-Hyde, Kirsty Ashby, James Fussey, Ben Qureshi and now the amazing Huw Thomas. I am indebted to Huw who is working so hard at TWBS at the moment and I couldn’t do anything without his unwavering support. Working with me must be a right nightmare at times – but you did it and I am grateful!
I would like to also thank my current colleagues who are part of Music Teachers Association – today I discussed music education with The Prince of Wales! I wouldn’t be where I am today without Simon Toyne, Catherine Barker, Don Gillthorpe, Caroline Robinson, Nicky Bouckley and Liz Dunbar. I extend this thanks to each and every music teacher out there that has worked with me, supported me and been part of the last few years of my career. If you work in music education please be part of what we are doing at Music Teachers Association. I will continue to do all I can to support music teachers and advocate for music in schools. We have an amazing staff and committee who are looking to change the world of music education in schools – so please help us! Music Teaching is the greatest job in the world and music teachers have a special place in my heart!
Thanks to all those who are part of the great events in Windsor! I have been so lucky to work on events such as the Platinum Jubilee, Coronation & Long Walk Live – make sure you come to that in June! Thanks to Graham Barker who gave me so much support and has supported me ever since!
I am so grateful to my Glee Club UK Windsor family and Terri Martin who runs this amazing organisation of choirs. Leading a choir for over 15 years is a really special thing to get to do and I love my Tuesday evenings. To every choir member – thanks for the singing, the fun and the cakes. I am very grateful to Richard Whennell for giving me the push start with this venture.
I would like to thank some significant musicians in my life who have been so special to me over the years – Brian Henry, Penny Gee, Ian Stott, Sharron Davies, Julia Atkinson, Adrian Charlesworth, Matthew Tickle (who doubles as a solid friend and marathon running partner), Henry Macey (from my Langley Grammar days). And there are so many other musicians who have been part of the November show journey – Sam, Simon, Ali, and countless more who know how much I appreciate them.
To all my incredible friends out there – absolutely too many to mention, you know who you are. Thanks for all the support and fun over the years. You have always had my back and made my life a joy. I recently saw some friends who I haven’t seen for years and I can’t believe how lucky I am to have so many amazing people in my life. Time passes, seasons change, but true friendship lasts a lifetime. Thanks for beers at the Brewery, laughs in the curry house and great chats on the sidelines.
To all my Windsor friends who regularly join me for a pint and a party, you are truly very special. Rugby, Rowing, Football, and music – I have made so many special friends!
Stick with me, you have got this far!
Without one place, my life wouldn’t be quite the same. The Windsor Boys’ School is more than my workplace, it is my home from home, and the reason I have enjoyed such a great career so far. When I joined at the age of 14, I couldn’t have imagined that I would still be there at the age of 42. Year 10 student to Director of Music, and the longest period of time I have been away from the place in all those years was Covid. 28 years of my life have been centred around a school that I absolutely adore. I have seen so many changes, but there is something about that place that just won’t change. It is a special community of staff, students & parents. There is a culture and energy in the school that I can’t describe and I am so grateful that I went there all those years ago. I love working there every day, with so many incredible staff. I am sure I annoy the heck out of most of them, but they still sing up at Christmas, and I hope they will continue to do amazing things with the students we have.
What is so wonderful is that music is really growing across Windsor and I am so excited to see that continue. Whilst TWBS is a special place for me, the schools of Windsor Learning Partnership and Windsor in general, are equally important and I am so lucky that I get to work with so many. I want to thank each and every student that has ever been involved in anything I do. From the classes I have taught, to the choirs I have run. When the students come into my classroom, my world lights up – okay, maybe not every time. If students are prepared to get in early and stay late to rehearse, then I will be there, every time. Thanks to the 100s, 1000s, of students I have worked with over the last 20 years! Keep being amazing and never forget the goods times on stage in Windsor.
I want to thank the Windsor community. You have been the most amazing audience for our shows, concerts and events. You support us at Christmas, keep coming back in November and always stop and listen. Thanks to all of the schools, businesses, venues and companies who have given my students a platform. It means the world to me that music can bring so much joy to the our community.
I thank my incredible family and parents. My brother lives too far away, but is always close. My Mum and Dad have given me all they can over the years and are always the first to do anything for Luke & I. They are amazing parents and I am so glad that I get to celebrate with them today. I wish Luke, Larissa and Jane lived a little closer, but California is a nice place to visit! And thanks to other part of my family – Malcolm, Fiona & Vicky, Bert and the kids – I have an incredible family spread out all over the world!
It was so lovely to have Aidan & Fletcher with me today in the castle – in their TWBS uniforms of course. I don’t quite know how it came about that I would have two such incredible sons, but I do, and I am so grateful to them. We have the most special family time, and I love watching them succeed in all they do. And having them both in the carol service this year was pretty special!
So, if you got this far, you are probably someone I either mentioned, or meant to mention, should have mentioned or mentioned in a group kinda way because this blog is long enough. Naming people is always risky, but hey ho, I have done my best to say thanks to everyone!
And finally, I have to take this moment to thank my gorgeous wife Amy, who, has been part of my life for 26 years. Amy is the most understanding person in the world. If you think I am a pain in real life, imagine me at home when I am tired and grumpy! Amy puts up with the “post-show blues” James, the “Christmas holidays have arrived and I am broken” James and the “exhausted and uninspired” James. She has been my rock and I know that she played a part in nominating me for my MBE. I am confident she could have done better, but I am glad that she stuck with me. Life is always brighter when she is in the room.
Life is for the alive my dear!!
Life is for living!
One thing that has always remained in me is a deep rooted Christian faith. Church has been a constant for me since childhood and I have received so much support and encouragement from my faith. Religion is never simple, often messy and easily mis-understood. What I hold on to is the still small voice of encouragement and that feeling in my stomach that there is something out there that is bigger than me. By the grace of God I live a healthy life, full of so much joy and blessing, and that is a pretty good endorsement for me.
I am not sure what the future holds sometimes, but I am super proud of the bit up until now. I get a lot wrong, but I got one or two things right – I once picked up an instrument, moved to a new school, asked a girl to say yes and kept going when I thought I couldn’t.
2025 was one of the toughest years for a long time. Health challenges, work issues and a slight loss of vision. I start 2026 with renewed hope, a clearer brain and a sense that things are only going to get better. And of course I start 2026 with a shiny medal that shows me that I must have got a few things right! Keep pursuing your dreams, and always remember your ‘why’.
My ‘why’ is that I want to give the students I teach the very best of me. I believe in education and I believe in the power of music education. My passion is to ensure that every student gets a chance to be on stage, play in the band and sing in the choir. No matter what, I will stop at nothing to give kids a chance to sing, dance, play and succeed. But I will also stop at nothing to support colleagues, listen to those who need a friend and give something back to those struggling.
So there we are. MBE day was pretty good, but on reflection, life isn’t too bad either. I know what you are thinking, that was long! But if you know me, you know I love the sound of my own voice. And in many ways I wrote this for me, but thanks for coming on the journey. I wonder what is waiting around the corner, who knows.
For now, Uno Animo!