One of Youth Music’s founding trustees, Richard Stilgoe OBE, has been appointed as Chairman of Youth Music. Richard takes over the baton from Gavin Henderson who retired in July.

A well known singer, songwriter, lyricist and broadcaster, Richard has been involved with music for over 40 years. As a teenager, he grew up in Liverpool and was a regular at the Cavern Club with his band Tony Snow and the Blizzards where he was lucky enough to play twice with The Beatles!

In 1998, Richard founded The Orpheus Centre in his former family home in Godstone, Surrey.  An inclusive performing arts centre, Orpheus provides creative learning opportunities for young disabled adults.  It uses music and performing arts as a vehicle for self-development so that young people can make informed choices about the future and gain skills to live more independently in the community.

Richard’s first task as Chairman is a whistle stop tour of Youth Music Action Zones and MusicLeader networks across England. On his new appointment Richard said, “I am thrilled to be allowed to carry on the work Gavin Henderson began, and help to produce a generation of noisy, confident and sociable children.”