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Our Team

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Barry Smart

Company Director

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General Manager

I was born in the late sixties and raised listening to great music. Music from that era made me desperate to learn guitar, but sadly it didn’t happen for me. The desire did not go away because I started to learn again some 30 years later during Lockdown.

 

Five years on and with lots of support from other musicians, I now enjoy the benefits of playing and performing live music.  Music has become a fantastic outlet for me and it has introduced me to some amazing people.

Having worked in both the commercial and community sectors, I bring 40 years of experience as an Engineer, Company Director and Commercial Manager to the team.  The time has come for me to combine these skills with my love of music and to encourage others, in the same way that others encouraged me.

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Jaleesa Gemerts

​Company Director

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Tutor & Program Manager

Jaleesa moved from Amsterdam to London in 2012 to study music and dived head-first into the city’s music scene. Within the first eighteen months, she joined a drumline and performed as part of the opening ceremony of UEFA championship’s final. Since then she has completed Masters at the University of West London, her Bachelor of Music (Hons) with the London Centre of Contemporary Music and has written a hip hop course for Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. In addition, she has also written and delivered many music courses that are being taught at primary and sixth form level.  

 

Jaleesa has grown into a sought after musician. She played drums on George Ezra’s hit single ‘shotgun’ and sessions for various artists such as Elli Ingram, Enny, Brian Eno, Olivia Dean and The Go! Team. As a teacher she strives to deliver lessons that are tailored to the student’s learning aims.

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Anthony Heaton

Company Director

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Head of Music Production

Anthony Heaton, a friendly producer and musician who has over 20 years of experience in music production and live performance. He has worked on a wide range of different genres with a range of artists, from heavy rock, classical, country, rap/hip-hop to world music.

 

He enjoys collaborating writing and recording and is an active teacher and support worker in music therapy and sound design. He has worked with young people for Hertfordshire county council teaching music technology for the XC youth centre in Hemel Hempstead.

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Alberto J. Villa

Company Director

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Finance Manager & Drum Tuition

Alberto is a versatile drummer with a predilection for a modern R&B style and a wealth of experience performing globally. His inspiration comes from the styles of Vinnie Colaiuta and Stanley Randolph.

 

Raised in Italy, Alberto moved to London in 2011. After getting involved in the London gospel community, he began to perform at events like Field Day at Victoria Park and Sheffield Pride. This led him to a stint in the reggae scene touring with the Wailers at O2 Academies throughout the UK. He took a liking to international festivals and worked in Boomtown, Secret Garden Party, and others. 

 

With a growing name, Alberto performed on Roman Kemp's Capital Breakfast and live on the radio for BBC Introducing. He was sponsored to attend the NAMM trade show in LA in '15 and '18 and performed at various manufacturers' stands. There he had the great privilege to share the stage with the likes of Stevie Wonder's band.

 

Alberto’s career has flourished performing internationally for private and corporate clients. Notables include Rihanna's NYE party at Annabels Mayfair, William & Kate's charity ball at the Dorchester Hotel, and Leicester Football club's PL victory event at the King Power Stadium. Most recently, he was honoured to realise a dream of his joining Jackson Mathod on the main stage at the world-renowned Ronnie Scott's jazz club.

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Lucy Phillips

Tutor & Head of Artist Development

Lucy Phillips has been singing and performing since she was 5 years old, at 16 she was awarded a full scholarship to study at The Arts Educational School in Chiswick. After graduation she danced with The Lewis London Ballet Company and worked in Musical Theatre in both the West End shows and Nationals Tours. She then moved on to sing in a number of contemporary bands around the UK and excelled in studio recording and session work. Having had considerable success as a professional singer Lucy decided to broaden her career path and in 2002 she travelled to L.A., California to train as a vocal coach. She trained as a teacher of voice under the tutelage of world-renowned vocal teacher Seth Riggs tutor to Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder and Dave Stroud working with Justin Timberlake, Kelly Clarkson, One Direction and Justin Bieber. During this time, she reached level 4 in Speech Level Singing Organisation and taught at a prestigious vocal programme in the US. From 2004 to 2007, she was privileged to be the UK Teacher representative for the organisation, Speech Level Singing International, and represented approximately 85 UK based teachers. 

 

In 2003 Lucy opened Voxbox Singers Studio, a multi-complex studio in the centre of London. providing private singing lessons, courses and workshops, studio hire, teacher training, performing events and recording to all ages and abilities. The studio was awarded the International Singing Studio of the year in 2008. She has worked with professional musicians who are at the height of their career. She was highly sought after as one of London’s top performance coaches and has trained many professional performers for West End musicals. In 2006 Lucy was the vocal coach on the Pink Floyd European tour and she has also worked with Amy Winehouse, Dionne Bromfield, Lawson and X-Factor finalists as well as many signed artists. She appeared alongside Louis Walsh and Boyzone on the judging panel at the Carlisle Live Festival and has been a consultant vocal coach for performers on many TV programmes including BBC’s Dance X, Any dream will do and Strictly Come Dancing. 

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Lucy is a specialist in teaching contemporary Musical Theatre and has trained professional performers for many West End productions including: Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You, The Lion King, Kinky Boots, The King and I and Everyone’s talking about Jamie. 

Lucy is currently studying for a Masters Degree in Professional Practice of the Arts (Vocal Performance and Pedagogy)

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Valeriia Trofymova

Tutor

I am a highly qualified vocal coach with a strong background in both performance and teaching. I studied at the prestigious Kyiv Conservatory (Glier University) in Ukraine, where I earned my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy. My education has given me a deep understanding of vocal technique, which I apply to help my students reach their full potential.

 

As a performer, I have competed in and won multiple international music competitions in Ukraine, honing my craft and learning the nuances of stage presence and vocal expression. My specialty is teaching popular music, and I work with students to develop their voices, whether for live performances, studio recordings, or personal enjoyment.

 

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of working with students of all ages, from children to adults. My experience includes individual lessons with teenagers, many of whom were aspiring to form their own music groups. These students were passionate about modern pop and rock music, and I helped them improve their vocal skills, stage presence, and teamwork. I've also worked with adults, guiding them through vocal techniques to help them express themselves confidently, whether for personal enjoyment or professional aspirations.

As a teacher and also a performer, I focus on modern popular music, drawing inspiration from renowned artists like Adele, Sam Smith, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Billie Eilish, and Demi Lovato, Bruno Mars. Their music has influenced my vocal style, and I aim to bring this same contemporary energy and emotional depth to my students' performances. I believe in developing each student's unique sound while building confidence and a strong vocal foundation.

 

I am passionate about helping my students improve their vocal skills, prepare for performances, and gain confidence in their abilities. Whether you are just starting your musical journey, preparing for a big performance, or aiming to expand your vocal range, I tailor my lessons to meet your individual goals and needs.

 

Join me for a vocal lesson and discover the power of your voice!

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Luke Whicker

Tutor

Luke is a highly talented multi-instrumentalist with over a decade of experience in stage performance, touring throughout the UK & Europe with the homegrown Watford based band, "Late Day Breakers" as well as extensive time spent in the recording studio.

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Luke has been teaching privately for the past fifteen years and specialises in full band lessons for all ages and abilities (kids, teens, adults). The sessions are mixed instruments and focus on performance, practice and composition, as well as holding regular live performance events for all our students.

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Michael Murphy

Tutor

Mikey has been a part of Sanctuary Studios for many years and has joined us as a key member of our artist development team. He also brings valuable experience of organizing, managing and hosting events.  

 

He is responsible for guiding artists/bands through musical direction, nurturing their songwriting abilities, overall musicianship , performance skills and delivering live events.

Mikey has an extensive musical and performing arts background. Having been a part of many theater projects in his youth and education, he started pursuing music in his years at West Herts college, Watford.

 

Mikey has been a member of several bands around Hertfordshire and London as the lead vocalist/guitarist and as part of the popular local band 'Late Day Breakers' providing bass guitar for about 8 years until their hiatus at the start of 2019. Mikey also plays drums and piano and is often found leading Jam Night sessions at Sanctuary Studios using whichever instrument comes to hand. 

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Dan Carpenter

Event Manager

Dan has a 20 year history in organising and managing live music events in and around Watford, and has a track record that includes large scale charitable events at The Watford Colosseum, as well as on many other smaller stages, both indoor and outdoor, for local charitable causes.  

 

Other notable events have been working for the BBC on Gareth Malone's T.V. programme "The Choir", Heart Radio's Battle of The Bands" competition, O'neills "Unsigned" Battle of the Bands Competition, as well as organising 6 years of tri-weekly music events hosted at The Flag Public House. 

 

It's Dan's job to organise the weekly "Liberty Music Jam Night" fundraising sessions at Sanctuary Studios and other fundraising live music events in venues throughout the community. 

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Cody Parker-Green

Administration

Cody has had a hand in several productions over the last couple of years within local theatres and here at Liberty Music, and is an avid believer in the mission to bring our communities together with the impactful power of music. One of the first members of Liberty Music, Cody has been helping to bring our mission closer to fruition.

 

In addition to being the administrator for Liberty Music, he is also an aspiring musician and producer.

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Stefan Radut

I.T. Manager

Stefan is an I.T. wizz with experience in many different fields, from 3D modelling, to programming, and website design. Stefan is the most recent addition the Liberty Music team but has already made a large impact by helping to create the face of our company and spread our reach to the internet.

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© 2023 Liberty Music CIC.

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