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PROFILES OF ST GEORGE'S PEOPLE
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PRESIDENT - JOAN BAKEWELL CBE
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Stockport-born broadcaster and media personality Joan Bakewell, current Chairperson of the National Campaign for the Arts, is the President of St. George’s Singers. Joan, who grew up in Hazel Grove, close to where the choir meet each week, is a long term advocate of the arts and the choir are delighted to have her as their new president.
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VICE PRESIDENT - MARK ROWLINSON
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Well known local singer and former senior Music Producer for BBC Radio Three
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VICE PRESIDENT - STEPHEN WILLIAMS
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Director of Music at Uppingham School
Musical Director of St George's Singers, 1996-2006
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MUSICAL DIRECTOR - NEIL TAYLOR
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A native of Bradford and former chorister of Bradford Cathedral, Neil won a Scholarship to the Royal College of Music in 1986. Whilst a student, he was organ scholar at St Albans Cathedral, and on graduating was appointed Assistant Organist at Norwich Cathedral. As well as premiering many new works in his time at Norwich, he made numerous broadcasts and recordings with the Cathedral Choir, which received high critical acclaim, and toured with them on the continent and in the USA. As well as directing the Cathedral Consort, he formed the Cathedral Girls' Choir in 1995, which completed its first CD recording and made a highly successful tour of Germany in 1997.
In 1997 he took up the post of Organist and Master of the Music at Sheffield Cathedral, where he is responsible for the Cathedral Choirs of boys, girls and men. Since his appointment, the Cathedral Choir has toured both at home and abroad (including Germany, Holland, France and the USA). CD Recordings include Music for a Millennium, a Classic FM Magazine CD of the Year Award Winner, and seven CD recordings with the Cathedral Choir.
Neil has directed and assisted choral courses as far afield as Aldeburgh, Mexico City, and the Eton Choral Courses. As an organist, he has played at most of the major venues in the UK. In September 2006 he took up the position of Musical Director of the St George's Singers, Manchester.
In his spare time he enjoys reading, swimming and walking. A keen cook, he is also an enthusiast of real ales and good wines.
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ASSISTANT MUSICAL DIRECTOR - MATTHEW HAMILTON
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Matthew grew up in Cambridgeshire, and read music at Worcester College, Oxford, where he held both choral and instrumental scholarships. He graduated in 2005, and moved to Manchester, where he took a Master's degree in composition, and is busy as a composer, conductor and singer.
In addition to his post with St George's Singers, Matthew is currently director of Ad Solem, the University of Manchester Chamber Choir, with whom he has recently appeared on BBC television, and has given many performances with the University's New Music Ensemble. He has conducted visiting choirs at Oxford and Wells Cathedrals, and taken part in conducting masterclasses with the National Youth Choir. He sings as a lay-clerk at Manchester Cathedral.
Matthew's compositions have been performed by a wide variety of ensembles and choirs, including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's
contemporary music group, Ensemble 10/10, and Chetham's School of Music Chamber Choir.
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ACCOMPANIST - JEFFREY MAKINSON
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Jeffrey is Sub-Organist of Manchester Cathedral, Tutor in Organ Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music and Tutor in Pianoforte at Chetham’s School of Music.
He was Organ Scholar of York Minster from 1992-1994, before spending five years as Assistant Organist at Lincoln Minster. He took up his post in Manchester in 1999 and is busy as a recitalist, conductor, teacher and adjudicator in the city and throughout the North West.
As a recitalist, Jeffrey has performed throughout the country, at many of the major British cathedrals, abbeys, collegiate chapels, churches, and concert halls, including numerous recitals at Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, St. Paul’s Cathedral and King’s College, Cambridge. Jeffrey has also performed in numerous European countries, including France, Holland, Germany, Italy and Ireland.
Jeffrey has made numerous CD recordings, with the Albany, Herald, Priory, Lammas and Naxos labels. He works extensively for the BBC, as regular musical director and organist for Radio 4 Daily Service. In addition, he has worked on programmes such as Songs of Praise, Chorister of the Year, Choral Evensong, Minstrels in the Gallery, Young Musician of the Year, Sunday Morning Worship and the Radio 4 Pilgrimage to Rome in 2001.
Jeffrey has given first performances of works by Mark Blatchly, Martin Bussey, Bob Chilcott, Naji Hakim, Grayston Ives, Francis Jackson, George Lloyd, Richard Lloyd, Philip Moore and Andrew Sallis.
Since 1998, he has been Organist in Residence at the Exon Singers Festival. In Manchester, he regularly performs with the BBC Philharmonic, Hallé and Northern Chamber Orchestras and the Manchester Camerata.
Projects for 2006 include complete performances of the organ music of Maurice Duruflé, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of the composer, and performances in the USA, Norway and Hungary.
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ASSISTANT ACCOMPANISTS - TIM KENNEDY, JULIA MAYALL
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COMMITTEE
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| Hon Chair | | Anne Francis | | Hon Vice Chair | | Catherine Bryant | | Hon Secretary | | Anna Marsden | | Hon Treasurer | | Caroline Elves | | Hon Librarian | | Gwyneth Pailin | | Hon Concert Secretary | | Jo Bluck | | Hon Stage Manager | | David Metcalfe | | Hon Publicity Secretary | | Susan Hodgson | | Soprano rep | | Andrea Millington | | Alto rep | | Mel Rimmer | | Tenor rep | | Fraser Ross | | Bass rep | | John Ovey | | Ticket Secretary | | Dave Francis | | Fundraising | | David Robson |
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