Stuart started his musical career playing Euphonium with Sellers Engineering Band under Phillip Mc Cann, competing at the highest level, touring in Israel, Switzerland and Spain and recording and broadcasting on Radio and T.V.

 

He has conducted various ensembles and choirs. On two occasions Stuart has conducted the massed bands of his own concert band and HM Royal Marines Band (Scotland).

 

His compositions have featured in the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and he has written pieces for school ensembles and youth choirs.

 

Stuart began teaching privately at the age of fifteen and still has a small private practice of piano and keyboard pupils. He has taught in a number of schools and been in charge of three music departments.

 

In a report on one of Stuart's departments the inspector writes:

 

"The quality of activities was of a high standard by any comparison. String players rehearsing a Haydn quartet, the junior and senior choirs beautifully and energetically singing ethnic songs in their native language including Serbian, the jazz band vamping 'Ain't Misbehaving' with a great sense of style, and the Woodwind Ensemble, Kinder Band and Brass Consort all performing with a fine sense of ensemble, illustrate why the department is held in high esteem"

 

In addition, Stuart has adjudicated at music festivals and been a visiting lecturer on teacher training courses at Bretton Hall and St. Martin's.

 

With his wife Linda, Stuart now owns two day nurseries and an out of school club under the banner of The Butterworth Family Childcare and Education Team. The company has been judged by OfSTED to be in the top 2% of similar providers in England, having gained 'Outstanding' in every aspect of care and education.  In February 2010 the group was awarded the prestigious Investors in People Gold Award.

 

Stuart enjoys playing piano for community functions and for local schools and churches. He has also started to play brass instruments again after a seventeen year gap, having been given a Tuba for his 40^th birthday!

 

He believes that music should be at the heart of a community and hopes to be able to give back some of the valuable experiences and time that people have given to him over the years. Stuart believes in the saying:  "If you can talk you can sing" and prefers to use a wide range of material in order to include as many people as possible in group singing.  He is interested in bringing together in song people from as many different backgrounds as possible and favours an intergenerational approach.  Stuart dislikes it when music is used as a disguise for influencing others of a particular viewpoint; a guise often employed by those claiming to be all-welcoming, all-inclusive and 'natural', whilst in reality selfishly steering people down their own narrow political, ideological, stylistic  or compositional path.  Above all else, he feels strongly that what is really important is sound, enthusiastic teaching and musicianship, with a liberal sprinkling of the ‘three hums’: humility, humanity and humour!