Forest Arts Music Hub

We look forward to welcoming Sharon Guy and Saphran Ali as our Walsall Young Music Star Final Adjudicators for 2026

Sharon Guy 

Sharon studied clarinet and piano at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, then went on to complete a PGCE in Secondary Music Education at Birmingham University.  She has been a secondary music teacher for over 30 years, most of which have been spent in Walsall Schools. Sharon is a keen performer and plays with the City of Lichfield Concert Band, Hazel Slade Big Band and the Doorknobs Band. She also plays for several music theatre companies in the orchestra on a vast variety of woodwind instruments.

Helen Miller

Helen Miller is a dedicated music educator with Walsall Music Education Service, with a passion for inspiring and developing young musicians. Before moving into music education, Helen graduated with a specialist music degree and went on to build a career as a professional trombonist.

Helen’s performing career spans big band, jazz, pop, soul, and commercial music with a wide range of experience. Helen has performed with a host of internationally recognised artists, including Jaki Graham, The Drifters, Jools Holland, Nigel Kennedy, John Dankworth, Kim Wilde, Brian May, Tony Hadley, Fairport Convention, and Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, as well as touring with Roy Wood for 13 years. Helen has performed on major stages across the UK, including the London Palladium, Ronnie Scott’s, the NEC, Royal Festival Hall and Birmingham Symphony Hall. Her festival highlights include Reading Rock Festival, Cropredy Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Cork Jazz Festival, Boston Jazz Festival (USA), and Glastonbury Festival.

In addition to extensive live performances, Helen gained broadcast experience including: Radio 1 Christmas Party (Live Session) and Radio 2 Big Band Competition. Her TV credits include The Graham Norton Show, This Morning, GMTV, Noel’s House Party, The Generation Game and Ant & Dec’s Christmas Special and most recently, recording a BBC introducing session at Maida Vale Studios.

Helen continues to bring her passion, broad experience, and love of music to every young musician she teaches.