He attended Clifton College in Bristol, studying organ under its famous one-armed organist Douglas Fox, gaining his FRCO qualification while still a schoolboy.
Most of Sykes' music was written either for the school or for a small group of friends – such as the identical twin sister piano duo Mary and Geraldine Peppin.
Aside from two songs, a hymn and a Christmas anthem, The Child of the World (setting words by Swingler), the music remained unpublished and is now held at the John Sykes Archive, Kingswood School.
[4] Orchestral works include a symphony, a piano concerto, a suite ("in old style") for strings and Eight Pieces for small orchestra.
[7] Mark Padmore included his setting of Blake's 'On Another's Sorrow' in his BBC Radio 3 survey of English art song in 2022.