A native of Belfast, Alyson was educated at Belfast Royal Academy, where she was involved in a variety of musical activities. She also sang in her local church choir and with The Cathedral Consort, a chamber choir active throughout Northern Ireland.

In the sixth form, Alyson added the recorder to her violin and piano studies, and quickly developed a passion for the instrument which she developed further during her studies at Bristol University. During her degree course she specialised in performance – on the recorder – and music history, researching the mediaeval carol repertoire.  

Profile of our Musical Director

She now has a thriving teaching practice at her home and in several local schools including Lichfield Cathedral School, and tutors on adult education residential courses and day workshops for the recorder throughout the UK and Ireland.

Besides teaching, Alyson performs as a recorder soloist, and also runs Hawthorns Music, a publishing house specialising in music for recorder and Early Music players. She also composes and arranges music, much of which is published by Hawthorns.

In 2007 she joined The Abbey Chorale, and has been Musical Director since September 2010.

Alyson Lewin

She also sang in a number of choirs during her time there, including the University Singers, Chamber Choir and the Operatic Society.

Following graduation, Alyson spent a year as a student teacher, followed by a move to Staffordshire, where she has taught classroom music and lectured for Keele University’s Continuing Education department. For several years in the 1980s she was musical director of the Festival Singers, a community choir in Rugeley.

Since 1988 Alyson has worked as a freelance musician.