Overview...I am an experienced and versatile musician specialising in choral music and musical theatre, currently living in the East Midlands. I am a prize-winning conductor, and am the musical director for three choirs (Ruddington and District Choral Society, Radcliffe Ladies Choir, Coalville Male Voice Choir) as well as the Ruddington Chamber Ensemble. I regularly run 'come and sing' events and 'finding your voice' courses.
I am a regular keyboard player in the Northern Musical Theatre Orchestra, and have played keyboards in a number of productions at various levels. For many years, I was a professional organist and accompanist, including holding two assistant cathedral organist posts, and playing with chamber orchestras as a continuo and orchestral keyboard player. I hold a number of qualifications in conducting, performance, composition and arranging. I also have an ever-increasing list of arrangements and orchestrations available through this website, usually written for one of my ensembles. I am available for work as an MD/Conductor, AMD, Keys, Orchestrator and Arranger, in a number of musical genres. I also provide a music typesetting and preparation service. Please use the contact form on the bottom of this page, or use the 'contact' tab above. |
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Early career...
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A career in cathedral, church and choral music has included two cathedral assistant director of music posts, cathedral choral and organ scholarships, a post at a public school, and an assistant organist post at a city centre parish. The first part of my career established me as an imaginative accompanist and organist, particularly in the field of improvisation. I worked as an accompanist and assistant MD to a number of choirs, working on pieces such as Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, Verdi's Requiem, and Jenkins' The Armed Man. I also played continuo and orchestral keyboard instruments with chamber ensembles, including a concert of Handel's Theodora with Brecon Baroque, and chamber reductions of larger works with the Nottingham chamber ensemble saraBande including Mahler's Fourth Symphony, Das lied von der erde, and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an exhibition. Over the years, I played for services, concerts, tours, examinations, recordings, broadcasts (including live on the BBC), and two royal occasions.
I hold the Licentiate diploma of Trinity College London in organ performance with distinction, as well as the Associates diploma of the Royal College of Organists. |
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Musical director...
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The majority of my employment is as a Musical Director, and I currently conduct three choirs and an associated chamber ensemble. This allows me to with a large variety of musical genres each week, from classical to musical theatre, pop, world music and jazz. Recent repertoire with orchestra and soloists includes Mendelssohn's Elijah, Haydn's The Creation, Handel's Messiah and Coronation Anthems, Mozart's Vespers, Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, and requiems by a variety of composers including Rutter, Faure and Brahms. Other music performed in recent concerts includes Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb, Tippett's Five Spirituals, Shearing's Music to hear, and an eclectic mix of musical theatre, pop, classical and other works.
I regularly lead come and sing events, choral days and other events such as a finding your voice introduction to singing in a choir. Please do contact me about running such events for your choir. Previous secular conducting posts include the University of Wales, Bangor Music Society choir, orchestra and concert band, as well as the Chesterfield Bach Choir and the Old Dalby Singers. I hold the Licentiate Diploma of the Royal Schools of Music in Musical Directing - Choral, and am a prize-winning recipient of the Royal College of Organists' Choral Directing Diploma. |
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Musical theatre and concert performances...
My musical education was surprisingly broad, and I learned jazz piano alongside accompaniment whilst at school, playing for vocal ensembles and choirs, jazz and big bands, as well as smaller combos. My work has included accompanying examinations and concerts of varying sizes and musical styles, and I have played in a number of musical theatre and concert works as a keyboard player, rehearsal pianist, and/or assistant MD. These have been a mixture of amateur, school or church productions.
I am a regular keyboard player for concerts and sitzprobes/play-through days with the Northern Musical Theatre Orchestra, having made my debut in December 2024 playing Keys 2 for All that jazz (concert).
I have my own keyboard setup for shows, gigs and concerts, using Apple Mainstage 3 as the main software component, controlling a selection of sample sets. My portable setup includes a Roland A-88 with EV-5 volume pedal, DP-10 sustain pedal, and Boss FS-5U patch change pedal, a Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 audio interface, as well as a MacBook and a portable monitor. I am proficient in programming and performing with Mainstage for shows and concerts.
I am a regular keyboard player for concerts and sitzprobes/play-through days with the Northern Musical Theatre Orchestra, having made my debut in December 2024 playing Keys 2 for All that jazz (concert).
I have my own keyboard setup for shows, gigs and concerts, using Apple Mainstage 3 as the main software component, controlling a selection of sample sets. My portable setup includes a Roland A-88 with EV-5 volume pedal, DP-10 sustain pedal, and Boss FS-5U patch change pedal, a Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 audio interface, as well as a MacBook and a portable monitor. I am proficient in programming and performing with Mainstage for shows and concerts.
Orchestrator and arranger...
Formal studies in composition at the University of Aberdeen helped me to discover an aptitude for arranging and orchestrating, which are skills I first started to develop at secondary school. I first studied for a MMus degree in choral and vocal composition, before undertaking a PhD in the same field and was awarded a university Carlaw-Ogston scholarship. My supervisors for this were royal composer Professor Paul Mealor, and Professor Philip Cooke. My music has been performed around the world, as well as at the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music.
My primary focus in this area is now arranging and orchestrating, and I have studied theatre orchestrating and arranging with Larry Blank. I have an increasing library of arrangements for sale on this website, usually written for one of my choirs or ensembles, and I also undertake commissions for arranging and orchestrating - please contact me if you would like to discuss this for your group. I also provide a music typesetting service where I can create musical scores using Sibelius Ultimate, as well as preparing parts from a score. I can also create rehearsal tracks for choirs to practice at home to.
I hold a MMus degree in composition from the University of Aberdeen, the associate diploma of London College of Music in composition with merit, and the diploma in composing and arranging from the Independent Contemporary Music Awards with upper distinction.
My primary focus in this area is now arranging and orchestrating, and I have studied theatre orchestrating and arranging with Larry Blank. I have an increasing library of arrangements for sale on this website, usually written for one of my choirs or ensembles, and I also undertake commissions for arranging and orchestrating - please contact me if you would like to discuss this for your group. I also provide a music typesetting service where I can create musical scores using Sibelius Ultimate, as well as preparing parts from a score. I can also create rehearsal tracks for choirs to practice at home to.
I hold a MMus degree in composition from the University of Aberdeen, the associate diploma of London College of Music in composition with merit, and the diploma in composing and arranging from the Independent Contemporary Music Awards with upper distinction.