Mike Lyons

I was born in 1956 in Bolton and educated at Thornleigh Salesian College under the guidance of Father 'Jock' McGovern who totally corrupted me and turned me into an Eb tuba player. I started playing with the Eagley Mills Band aged about 13 and rapidly became soloist. After leaving school I did a combined maths and music degree at Manchester University, followed by a PGCE at Didsbury and then went into classroom music teaching in the Wigan area. I had to retire from teaching in 2012 due to ill health.

I have over 55 years of experience as a tuba player, playing in several brass bands in the North West of England over those years. I taught for 26 years, 23 of those in the same school and I was appointed as a teacher governor at my school in 2006 and again in 2010.

I have a long association with several local brass bands, including The Eagley Band, Eccles Borough, Orrell Silver and Old Hall Brass. I returned to Eagley in January 2008 as their Associate Conductor, as well as Solo Eb Bass after a gap of 20 years and then in 2016, I returned to Old Hall Brass after 9 years, where am more than happy to sit on the 2nd. Euphonium seat. The change to euphonium has been forced by my continuing struggle with a long-standing neck problem which means I can no longer hold a tuba.

As well as Old Hall, I also play with, and run the training band of, Barnton Silver Band. They are a very friendly community band based in Barnton, near Northwich, in Cheshire.

In November 2022, I had to say a sad goodbye to Old Hall, as we relocated to North Wales. I have now joined Holywell band, who recently won their section of the eisteddfod and who were featured on BBC Wales. They are a great bunch.

I do lots of arranging for bands and ensembles, and lately for woodwinds, and I also have a number of choral works in my catalogue, including a number of Christmas Carols written for my school's choirs. Two of these carols were performed at the school's Christmas services in 2006 and 2007.

I have a range of brass/brass band music published on Sheet Music Marketplace, Sheet Music Direct, MusicaNeo, and SMPPress. In retirement I have begun some more serious composition tasks and have already written a number of pieces which are in the process of being published.

My current project is the transcription of all 8 books of of Monteverdi's Madrigals onto brass ensemble. So far I have completed books 1 - 7 and am now starting on Book 8. As the music develops, it becomes more complex and there is a limit to how easily this will transcribe onto 5 parts. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Likes : cheese, languages (especially Italian and German), brass bands, composition, teaching composition, reading, learning, playing, red wine, other alcoholic liquids, 100% chocolate.

Dislikes : Gelatinous substances, children, teenagers, babies, their parents, grandparents and all their forebears (little joke there -:) ) lies, pastels, gin, 'career' teachers (i.e. those whose only desire in teaching is to take the golden hello and then get out of the classroom as quickly as possible before retiring early on a fat pension), political correctness, Tories, being poor.

Quote: "I would like to be rich. I would like to be famous. I'll probably die poor and unknown - though to help avoid that, you could visit my personal website on www.mike-lyons.co.uk"

Don't be afraid of upsetting my feelings - being an ex-teacher, I have a very thick skin. Please go ahead and review or comment on my work. If you find any mistooks please let me know by PM (Freebies given as a reward!). Sometimes the band in my head plays what I want to hear, rather than what I have actually written. In this case, familiarity breeds deafness. :-)