In May 2021, Steve Dumpleton, SCO’s Principal Clarinettist, died suddenly while out walking in the Limb Valley, a part of Sheffield he loved. Steve was a talented musician who mastered a wide variety of instruments, including the alto recorder, flute, penny whistle, Northumbrian pipes and concertina. His greatest loves, however, were clarinet and melodeon.

Steve first took up clarinet at school and quickly became involved in wind bands and junior orchestras up to county level. Despite choosing to study Geology at University, music played a central part in his life. His longstanding music making activities included over 40 years as Principal Clarinet for Sheffield Chamber Orchestra, over 30 years as melodeon player for the Lizzie Dripping women’s dance team, and bass clarinettist with Black Velvet Clarinet Quartet.

Steve effortlessly straddled both classical and folk worlds and along with enjoying melodeon and whistle playing in ceilidh bands, was also hugely respected in the folk world as a melodeon tutor. He became sought after as a meticulous ‘fettler’ –tuner and repairer –of the melodeon. He loved to share his own skills in order to enable others to participate and enjoy music as he did. Steve was one of our most longstanding, talented and endearing members of Sheffield Chamber Orchestra.

He joined SCO in the mid 1970’s, first as principal clarinet and became deeply involved in the organisation, fulfilling many roles. Indeed, Steve’s only time away from the orchestra was when he and his family moved to Wales, due to work commitments, for a few years in the early 1980’s. During his 40 years with SCO, Steve acted as Secretary when Roger Hayward was Chairman and later acted for a few years as SCO’s Treasurer. Latterly, he became involved in the programming sub-committee and was tenacious in securing fantastic soloists to perform with SCO, including Laurence Perkin’s bassoon performance.

During his time with the Orchestra Steve demonstrated his formidable multi-instrumental skills. In 2000 he performed a Suite for Northumbrian Pipes and Strings, composed for him at Mike Jackson’s request by Ray Hensher, a keen local composer and at the time SCO’s principal horn player. In 2014 he performed Stamitz’s Concerto in Bb for 2 clarinets and in 2019 further demonstrated his multi-instrumental talents by performing one of the alto recorder solo parts in Brandenburg Concerto No 4 in G. Steve also enjoyed playing bass clarinet and relished playing bass when the opportunity arose, both with SCO and across the other orchestras based in Sheffield.

This concert is dedicated to Steve’s unfailing enthusiasm, tenacity and musical talent that he so generously gave to Sheffield Chamber Orchestra.