Congratulations to jazz guitarist Dr Kathy Dyson (left above – in duo with Deirdre Catwright), who has just been named as the first female chair of the The Musicians’ Union Executive Committee, having been a member of the 20-person committee for 10 years. The working of the committee is described HERE

Kathy (FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE) is based in Manchester. She studied at the City College of Music in Leeds, was a co-founder of Leeds Jazz, became a lecturer at Leeds College of Music (the re-naming was in 1997), work recognized in 2010 with the award of Jazz Educator of the Year at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. She is still listed by Band on the Wall/ Inner City Music as Chair of Trustees but in fact resigned from this role in 2011

The Press Release quotes Kathy as folows: ‘It is a great honour to have been elected as Chair of the Executive Committee at such an important time for musicians and the wider music industry. It is also a historic moment for the MU, which has its first female Executive Committee Chair, and I would like to take the opportunity to urge other female MU members to become active in the running of their union.’

kathydyson.co.uk