About

Her remarkable journey began early when she was named the BBC Radio 2 Young Musician of the Year, a title she won with a performance at The Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra. This prestigious award not only marked the beginning of her solo career but also brought the Tenor Horn into the limelight of mainstream music. Following this success, she went on to perform as a guest soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra, with a highlight being her own “Soloist Showcase” featured on BBC Radio 2 and Friday Night is Music Night. A career-defining moment came when she was chosen to perform in Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Day Observance Concert, a special event broadcast live in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

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Sheona’s individual accolades include becoming the first female winner of the British Open Solo Championships and receiving the Harry Mortimer Performance Prize. She was also awarded the Stanley Wainright Memorial Trophy for Best Soloist at the British Open Brass Band Championships, and was selected as a finalist in the Cosmopolitan Women of Achievement Awards.

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Her career has also seen her perform with some of the world's most prestigious brass bands.

As Principal Horn for the Yorkshire Building Society Brass Band (YBS), she helped lead the band to international success, contributing to their victory in major competitions. Under her tenure, YBS triumphed at the All England Masters three times, the British Open four times, and they represented England in the European ‘EBBA’ festival on 10 occasions, winning the European Championships an unprecedented eight times. Sheona's career with YBS culminated in a performance at the Sydney Opera House as part of the band’s "Kings of Europe" tour.

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In addition to her competitive and performance success, Sheona is a highly respected recording artist. Her award winning album The Beauty Within, recorded with the Fodens Band, garnered critical acclaim, and her earlier projects, including Timeless and Voice of the Tenor Horn, have continued to solidify her status as one of the finest tenor horn performers in the world. She has also contributed to innovative recordings, including her appearance on BBC’s Children in Need single "Perfect Day" and a collaborative CD with String Orchestra titled New Music for Eb Tenor Horn and String Orchestra.

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A passionate advocate for expanding the repertoire for the Tenor Horn, Sheona has been instrumental in the commissioning of new works by notable composers such as Philip Sparke, Joseph Turrin, Philip Harper, and Derek Bourgeois. Her efforts to elevate the instrument have ensured that the tenor horn remains an integral part of contemporary brass music.

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In addition to her professional performing career, Sheona is deeply committed to education. As Head of Academic Music at Bolton School Girls' Division, she combines her love for teaching with her extensive experience in performance, inspiring the next generation of musicians.

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As an accomplished adjudicator, Sheona has been invited to judge some of the top brass band contests around the world.

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As a Besson Artist, Sheona plays the Besson Sovereign Tenor Horn, a Denis Wick Artist using a Denis Wick Classic 3 mouthpiece, and is an endorsee for the Shhhmute practice mute range.

 

Through her ground breaking performances, educational work, and adjudications, Sheona White has cemented her legacy as one of the foremost champions of the Tenor Horn and as a key figure in the brass music world.