Our team

Peter Lawson

Chair

I’ve been in amateur music throughout my life, with orchestral playing, choral singing, and a period as Musical Director of a choir in west London. In recent years I’ve chaired the national charity “Making Music”, and enjoyed being at the helm of chamber music societies, one in Rutland in the East Midlands, and now in Norwich. Norwich Chamber Music has a wonderful history and reputation which I hope we can preserve and enhance. 

Peter was recently awarded the British Empire Medal for services to art and the community.

Michael Fowler

Secretary

My working life was spent as a solicitor in London.  I acted for various musical organisations and musicians, including ENO & Sadler’s Wells.  I was a governor of the Purcell School.  Sally and I spent all our spare time attending concerts throughout the country and abroad.  In my youth I was a keen mountaineer and was commissioned in the TA Special Forces, and latterly sailed a dinghy at Morston.  In old age, NCM and gardening…

Helen Colyer

Treasurer

I have been the NCM treasurer since 2016. After graduating from UEA in 1980, I worked for 30 years as a Chartered Accountant in London, where I was also treasurer for a local choir. I was then lured back to Norwich to study for a Masters degree and stayed! Amongst other things I now enjoy singing in the UEA choir.

Christine Webber

Vice Chair

I studied classical singing at the Guildhall School in the 1960s, but it quickly became apparent I was no Maria Callas. My second-choice career led to me presenting news at Anglia TV. Later I reinvented myself as a newspaper columnist, trained as a psychotherapist and wrote 15 books. But music remained my main love, and I’m delighted therefore to serve on the NCM committee. 

Julia Donat

Concert Administrator

I worked in theatre and television in the north west for 40 years, as a production assistant, casting director and lastly producer. My experience of putting on performances and negotiating and drawing up contracts has been useful for my role on the NCM committee. I learned the cello as a young person and while I did not become a professional musician, music – especially chamber music – has always been a very important part of my life.

Karen Stokes

Membership Secretary

I joined the committee in 2019, having volunteered in a range of charity and governance roles since the 1990s. Outside NCM, I am a freelance translator and previously chaired the Chartered Institute of Linguists. I live in Norwich with my husband, who is an amateur pianist, and have three adult sons, one of whom is a professional trumpeter.

Sally Lawson

Education Coordinator and ‘Making Music’ Rep

I joined the committee in 2014, enjoying and learning from the music at NCM.  I am involved with the education programme, being a former primary school teacher and headteacher myself. Previously I gained valuable experience of charity governance as a Trustee and former Chair of the Norfolk Federation of Women’s Institutes.  A Norwich native, I support the excellence the area has to offer.

Clara Crockatt

Front of House Coordinator

I was for many years a lecturer in English and Cultural Studies at Norwich City College and after retirement, lectured part-time in Switzerland. Music has been an integral part of my life, including oboe and piano lessons, a history of concertgoing, a series of recorder groups, and two children who are professional musicians. I've served on the NCM committee for four years and have been delighted to help guide our organisation through that time.

Slava Khimyak

Committee Member

I joined the committee in 2018.  I am a scientist and work at UEA as a Professor of NMR spectroscopy.  I love classical music in all its forms, as a very keen listener and an amateur player.

Stephen Orton

Committee Member

I joined the committee in 2021. My working career was as a class music teacher in schools, most recently at Norwich High School for Girls. As a player of the violin and viola, I have been involved in playing chamber music since my school days, played in various ensembles while at university, and have taken every opportunity to play and listen to chamber music ever since. I currently lead the UEA Symphony Orchestra, and have organised a number of chamber ensembles there in the past few years.

Jill Halliday

Co-opted Member

I joined the committee in 2022, having been a regular attender at the NCM concerts for many years. My background is in the biological sciences then moving into scientific publishing where I chaired my professional society, the Society of Indexers. For many years I served as a JP in Norfolk. My music interests include playing the cello. I play in the Wymondham Symphony Orchestra, where I am also on the committee, and otherwise very much enjoy playing chamber music and attending concerts.