All welcome to rehearsals - 7.30pm, Christ's Church, Harrogate
07711 945929
President
Brian Kay
Vice President
Marilynne Davies
Patron
Terry Bramall
Brian Kay
Vice President
Marilynne Davies
Patron
Terry Bramall
David Lawrence
Music Director and Conductor
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We are delighted in the Autumn of 2021 to appoint David Lawrence as our Music Director. David Lawrence is one of the UK's most versatile conductors, working with orchestras, symphony choruses and national youth choirs. He was recently nominated for a Gramophone Award for his conducting, has recently been awarded a prestigious ARAM by the Royal Academy of Music, and holds the Guinness World Record for conducting the UK's largest choir of 6,846 singers.
David's work has taken him to Singapore, Colombia, Canada, the United States, India, the United Arab Emirates, throughout Europe, and Australia. He is a popular guest conductor, and he is an experienced and respected trainer of choral conductors. He has Adjucated for international festivals and at the BBC Choir of the Year and Young Musician of the Year competitions. |
With particular experience in the field of contemporary music, David has prepared and conducted premiére performances by Per Nørgård, Pierre Boulez, Iannis Xenakis, Mauricio Kagel, Graham Fitkin, James Wood, Bob Chilcott and others. As a guest chorusmaster of the Netherlands Radio Choir he has worked with many conductors such as Kenneth Montgomery, Frans Brüggen, and John Adams, and in 2002 working closely with Stockhausen he also conducted this exceptional choir in the German premiére of Scene II from his opera Sontag aus Licht.
David has conducted the London Philharmonic Choir, Hallé Choir, London Symphony Chorus, the CBSO Chorus for whom he is an Associate Conductor, and the national youth choirs of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. He has directed large scale education projects with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, the English Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and of course the CBSO. In 2011 David conducted an award winning performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Barrier Reef Orchestra in Queensland, and has conducted the CBSO in a massed performance of Carmina Burana, the Orchestra of Opera North with their Inspiration Choir, Vaughan WIlliam’s Sea Symphony for Hull’s City of Culture Festival and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Huddersfield Choral Society for the BBC's Songs of Praise.
David is Choral Advisor to Sinfonia Viva with whom he has worked closely since 1998. He is the conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra's Community Choir and Senior Youth Choir, and as Principal Conductor of Young Voices, a position he has held for 20 years, directs massed choirs in an annual series of concerts with some choirs incorporating more than 8,000 singers!
In 2021 he was delighted to be invited to take the reins of the Harrogate Choral Society. Other highlights for 2021 and 2022 include a return to Australia for his 17th visit, where he will conduct in Tasmania and Queensland, a return to live singing with Sinfonia Viva, preparation of the LSO Community and Youth Choirs for Sir Simon Rattle, the 2022 season of Young Voices concerts, and getting to know the singers at Harrogate.
David has conducted the London Philharmonic Choir, Hallé Choir, London Symphony Chorus, the CBSO Chorus for whom he is an Associate Conductor, and the national youth choirs of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. He has directed large scale education projects with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, the English Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and of course the CBSO. In 2011 David conducted an award winning performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Barrier Reef Orchestra in Queensland, and has conducted the CBSO in a massed performance of Carmina Burana, the Orchestra of Opera North with their Inspiration Choir, Vaughan WIlliam’s Sea Symphony for Hull’s City of Culture Festival and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Huddersfield Choral Society for the BBC's Songs of Praise.
David is Choral Advisor to Sinfonia Viva with whom he has worked closely since 1998. He is the conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra's Community Choir and Senior Youth Choir, and as Principal Conductor of Young Voices, a position he has held for 20 years, directs massed choirs in an annual series of concerts with some choirs incorporating more than 8,000 singers!
In 2021 he was delighted to be invited to take the reins of the Harrogate Choral Society. Other highlights for 2021 and 2022 include a return to Australia for his 17th visit, where he will conduct in Tasmania and Queensland, a return to live singing with Sinfonia Viva, preparation of the LSO Community and Youth Choirs for Sir Simon Rattle, the 2022 season of Young Voices concerts, and getting to know the singers at Harrogate.
Marilynne Davies
Vice President / Deputy Music Director
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Marilynne was a founder member of Polyphonia - a network of European Conservatoires - and has lectured and conducted workshops in Sweden, Portugal, France, Lithuania, Norway, Holland and Austria. She is particularly interested in the practice of performance and led a European research project in that field, the results of which have been disseminated across the conservatoires. In addition she has been external examiner at the universities of Edinburgh, Durham, Wolverhampton, Southampton, Huddersfield, University College Chichester, and an external assessor of performance at graduate and postgraduate levels.
As a past Warden of the Incorporated Society of Musicians Marilynne has represented the Society in collaboration with the University of Reading developing courses for music teachers and performers. As a conductor she has trained and conducted orchestras and choirs on a regular basis, some of whom have performed on BBC and ITV. The largest ensemble was a choir of 1100 school children and the smallest a chamber choir of 40 voices with whom she toured abroad on many occasions. During her time as Deputy Music Director of Harrogate Choral Society, Marilynne has founded a small vocal ensemble Beati, and has also organised smaller groups of singers from the main choir to sing at weddings and other events. |
She is regularly involved in workshops for teachers, conductors, singers and dancers. She also conducts training sessions for the National Association of Choirs, Male Voice and Upper Voice Choirs, and continues to work with choirs such as the Lindley School Choir who were winners of the BBC Songs of Praise Choir of the Year in 2008. For a number of years she has been involved in long term, sustainable vocal and instrumental projects in South Cumbria, Northumberland and the Ripon and Leeds Diocese. These projects, aimed at the primary age phase, are designed to encourage and firmly establish music in schools as well as giving all children the experience of performing together in a large group of usually about 400! Her own performing experience has included singing with professional orchestras and choirs, solo recitals and solo parts in opera. She now has a practice as a voice consultant. From her early experiences of performing in Welsh Eisteddfodau Marilynne has developed a lifelong passion and enthusiasm for all aspects of performance. Having studied piano, voice and cello at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, she took a Masters Degree in Education. The combination of these two strands consolidated her interest in music performance and music education and the interface between the two. Her appointment as Head of the School of Performance at the College of Ripon and York St. John enabled her to maintain and develop these interests nationally and internationally as well as building collaborative partnerships in performance between the other creative and performing arts within the School which included music, dance, drama, theatre, film and television.
Thomas Moore
Deputy Music Director and Principal Accompanist
Thomas Moore was born in Leicester, and was a treble in Leicester Cathedral Choir. He studied music at the University of Huddersfield, graduating as a Bachelor of Music in 199. He is an accomplished and experienced Musician having held numerous posts across the country. After undergraduate studies, Tom completed further studies for a Master of the Arts qualification.
Tom has worked with many notable musicians and groups in his career to date; as well as being principal Accomanist and Deputy Music Director of Harrogate Choral he holds the same roles with Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir. He is currently a freelance musician based in West Yorkshire.
Tom has broadcast for BBC radio and television, and his work as a choral director and organist can be heard on numerous compact disc recordings. Tom’s work has taken him to many venues within the UK, across Europe and to America.
Tom has worked with many notable musicians and groups in his career to date; as well as being principal Accomanist and Deputy Music Director of Harrogate Choral he holds the same roles with Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir. He is currently a freelance musician based in West Yorkshire.
Tom has broadcast for BBC radio and television, and his work as a choral director and organist can be heard on numerous compact disc recordings. Tom’s work has taken him to many venues within the UK, across Europe and to America.
Trustees
Co - Chairs - Paul Jackson and Amy Moseley
Treasurer - Gill Walsh
Secretary - Ruth Pridmore
Trustees - Marilynne Davies, Alastair Martin, Kate Rogata & Dee Walsh
Treasurer - Gill Walsh
Secretary - Ruth Pridmore
Trustees - Marilynne Davies, Alastair Martin, Kate Rogata & Dee Walsh
The Membership Team
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Paul Jackson As well as being Co-Chair, Paul has overall responsibility for membership matters and is the first point of contact for potential new Tenors and Basses. |
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Dee Walsh Dee acts as the deputy in respect of membership matters and is the first point of contact for potential new Sopranos and Altos. |
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Anna Thornhill-Jones Anna is our music mentor for members. She can provide initial support for new or existing members in relation to musical issues. |
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Our Voice Reps
Our Voice Representatives are the first point of contact for existing members. They offer pastoral support if needed, are happy to deal with any queries and can feedback to the committee. As they oversee rehearsal attendance, it is important to let them know if you cannot attend a rehearsal as they keep an eye out for any unexpected absences.
Our Voice Representatives are the first point of contact for existing members. They offer pastoral support if needed, are happy to deal with any queries and can feedback to the committee. As they oversee rehearsal attendance, it is important to let them know if you cannot attend a rehearsal as they keep an eye out for any unexpected absences.
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Sally Jackson Soprano 1 |
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Jean Clay Soprano 2 |
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Dawn Hey Alto 1 |
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Jane Burniston Alto 2 |
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Stephen Murdoch Tenor |
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Bryan Dexter Bass |