RICHARD SABEY
Richard has been working as a community musician since 1998. Having previously been a criminal defence lawyer, but with a lifetime love for music, Richard made a choice to leave the legal profession and to retrain as a community musician. Since achieving a Masters from York University in Community Music, he has since set up and delivered numerous projects with young people, older people, disabled groups in schools, youth centres and prisons.
Richard has lived in Otley since 1992, in which time he has been an active member of the community, helping set up Otley Courthouse, acting in the Otley Community Players and in 2011, opening the doors of the Woolpack Music Studios, which he runs with Jen.
Richard has composed music for theatre companies, films and TV. He uses and teaches Cubase and Ableton and engineers sound for live events as well as in the recording studio.
Richard plays saxophone, clarinet, ukulele, guitar, bass, piano and sings. He has been slightly obsessed with The Jam since his teens, loves cooking, nature and any romantic or adventurous tale from history.
Get in touch! richard@woolpackstudios.co.uk
JENNIFER PUGH
Since childhood, music has been central to Jen’s life, from playing violin at school to teaching herself the first chords on a guitar as a teenager and being in an indie band with her friends.
Throughout her 20s, Jen worked in three high schools across Leeds in pastoral roles, where she developed a love for working with young people. Moving to Otley in 2005, she joined local big band The Beatleaders on bass. In 2009, Jen toured with Corinne Bailey Rae as rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist, and has been a self-employed musician ever since.
Jen began working with Richard at The Woolpack Studios towards the end of 2011. Otley Ukulele Orchestra, Roundhay Ukulele Group and Otley A Cappella Choir (now Woolpack Studios Choir) soon followed and the rest is history!
Jen completed a Masters in Composition and Production at Leeds Conservatoire in October 2020. She writes, performs and records original music under the name Astraluna, using a mixture of live and electronic instruments. Having released her debut album in 2016, in 2021 she released a 6 track EP ‘In The Half Light’. Jen uses Ableton Live and Logic Pro.
Jen has worked with The Leap in Bradford as Rehearsal Director and as Musical Director for theatre productions of Prince Re:Imagined (Lawrence Batley Theatre 2023), A Christmas Carol (BIMM Manchester 2023), Emilia (BIMM Manchester 2024) and Sanctuary (Red Ladder 2024).
Jen sings and plays guitar, ukulele and bass. She also loves a go on the drums. Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, The Charlatans, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Tuneyards would feature on her Desert Island Discs.
When Jen isn’t making music, she is running near the River Wharfe.
Get in touch! jennifer@woolpackstudios.co.uk
Jen at the opening of the Ribbons Sculpture in Leeds City Centre in October 2024, her name is included on the sculpture