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PROFILES OF ST GEORGE'S PEOPLE
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PRESIDENT - DAME JOAN BAKEWELL
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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, where he studied with John Birch and Nicholas Danby. 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. Whilst directing the Cathedral Consort, he formed the Cathedral Girls' Choir, which completed its first CD recording and made a highly successful tour of Germany shortly after its inception.
He has been Organist and Master of the Music at Sheffield Cathedral since 1997, 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 eight 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 addition to his duties at the Cathedral and as Musical Director of St George's Singers, Neil appears frequently as Musical Director and Organist on BBC Radio 4's Daily Service.
In his spare time he enjoys reading 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 read music at Worcester College, Oxford, where he held both Instrumental and Choral Scholarships, before taking a Masters degree in Composition at the University of Manchester. In September 2008 he began postgraduate studies in Choral Conducting at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, where he was awarded a full scholarship for studies with Adrian Partington and Simon Halsey.
For two years Matthew was Musical Director of Ad Solem, The University of Manchester Chamber Choir, with whom he broadcast for BBC television and radio, in addition to concert performances where repertoire ranged from early Renaissance music and baroque masterpieces to challenging contemporary compositions. He has frequently been invited back to the University to direct choral ensembles, and to work on baroque and contemporary music projects.
In September 2008, Matthew was Chorus Master for the world premiere of Howard Goodall's Eternal Light: A Requiem in collaboration with Rambert Dance Company and London Musici, and has worked recently with the National Youth Choir, Chester Bach Singers, and the RWCMD Chorus, in addition to his duties as Assistant Conductor with St George's Singers. In summer 2009 Matthew became the first British conductor to participate in the Eric Ericson Masterclass in the Netherlands, where he worked closely with the Netherlands Chamber Choir and Netherlands Radio Choir.
As a composer, Matthew has performances to his name by ensembles including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's Ensemble 10/10, Ensemble Isis, and Chetham's Chamber Choir. His composition teachers were Robert Saxton at Oxford and John Casken at Manchester, and he has participated in workshops and masterclasses with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Martin Bresnick and Guy Newbury.
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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 Manchester University 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, accompanist, conductor, teacher and adjudicator in the city and throughout the country.
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 foreign countries, including France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, and the USA.
Jeffrey has made numerous CD recordings, with the Albany, Delphian, 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. Since 1998, he has been Organist in Residence at the Exon Singers Festival and was appointed Accompanist to St George's Singers in 2004.
Jeffrey has given first performances of works by numerous leading composers, including Mark Blatchly, Martin Bussey, Bob Chilcott, Naji Hakim, Grayston Ives, Francis Jackson, George Lloyd, Richard Lloyd, Philip Moore, Andrew Sallis and Howard Skempton.
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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 | | Jacqui Smith | | Hon Treasurer | | Caroline Elves | | Hon Librarian | | Gwyneth Pailin | | Hon Concert Secretary | | Kate Fuggle | | Hon Stage Manager | | Jenny Lewis | | Hon Publicity Secretary | | Susan Hodgson | | Soprano rep | | Jennie Smallwood | | Alto rep | | Anthea Slater | | Tenor rep | | Mark Warrington | | Bass rep | | John Ovey | | Ticket Secretary | | Dave Francis | | Fundraising | | David Robson |
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