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Who’s WhoThe CCW staff are the key people behind the success of Cranleigh Choral Week. They make sure that not only is everything organised on the musical front but also that all the administrative and logistical tasks are handled. Jeffrey Wynn Davies - Artistic
Director |
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Jeffrey Wynn Davies - Artistic Director |
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Jeffrey Wynn Davies continues to enhance his already established reputation as one of this country’s busiest and most versatile choral conductors and trainers. He directs both the award winning vocal group/chamber choir Canzonetta – former BBC Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year - and Canzonetta Children’s Choirs. The former appears regularly at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. Recent performances there include John Rutter Mass of the Children (Manchester premiere), Verdi Four Sacred Pieces, the Durufle Requiem and the opera Mary Seacole for Black Arts Alliance, Messiah and the world premiere of Tunde Jegede’s The Calling (with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra). He also directed the adult and children’s choruses in the world premiere of Peter Ash’s opera Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. |
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Canzonetta has broadcast frequently on BBC Radio 3, and has made several television appearances for both BBC and ITV. The group’s recordings include the music of Andrew Carter - a 60th birthday tribute, available on the Guild label, and, more recently, Carey Blyton’s complete chamber choir music for Upbeat, and a double CD of Gordon Lawson’s church music for Chameleon Arts. In addition to appearances at the Cheltenham and Harrogate International Festivals - including a Russian choral programme at his third Harrogate appearance - he has acted as Chorus Director to both Pavarotti and Carreras. Between 2001-2007, he directed the internationally renowned Manchester Boys’ Choir with whom he appeared on many major platforms including the Bridgewater Hall, and Leeds and Huddersfield Town Halls. The Boys’ major appearances during that period included the Berlioz Te Deum and Kodaly Psalmus Hungaricus with Huddersfield Choral Society, a Radio 3 broadcast performance of Britten’s War Requiem from Leeds Town Hall (BBC Philharmonic Orchestra) and his Spring Symphony at the Chester International Festival. There were also appearances with Evelyn Glennie and Aled Jones, and tours to the Czech Republic (2004), northern Germany (2005), Ontario and Michigan (2006) and, in May 2007, a guest appearance at the Cornwall International Male Choir Festival in Truro Cathedral. He is in demand as a guest conductor and choral trainer, working again this year for most of the major British choral organisations at weekend workshops etc. He has directed seven choral festivals for the BBC, and has adjudicated at many choral competitions in the UK, Ireland, and also in Scandinavia and South Africa. He has sat on the panel of judges at the Prague and Verona International Choir Festivals, the National Eisteddfod of Wales, the National Festival of Music for Youth, the National Male Voice Choir Competition, the Malta International Choral Festival and the Jersey International Choir Competition. He has served on a number of national bodies, including the BBC Central Music Advisory Committee, and the Association of British Choral Directors, for whose Millennium Convention he was Artistic Director. In 2007 he directed the Association’s International Gala Concert in Chester Cathedral. |
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Fiona Clucas - Administrator |
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All the planning and administration of Cranleigh Choral Week is managed by Fiona Clucas. In recent years, however, she has also established a considerable reputation, particularly in the North of England, as a versatile soprano soloist. In 2005 she sang Elijah opposite Sir Willard White in York Minster. Other work includes Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle, Carmina Burana, Messiah, Poulenc and Vivaldi Glorias, Haydn Theresa Mass and Paukenmesse, Bach Christmas Oratorio, Mozart Requiem, and the Bach and Rutter Magnificat settings. There were also performances of Britten Rejoice in the Lamb and Hymn to St. Cecilia in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, Mozart Requiem and Jonathan Willcocks’ Lux Perpetua in Guildford Cathedral, and Brahms’ Requiem / Vaughan Williams’ Benedicite in Ripon Cathedral. |
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She also created the role of Mrs Trout in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Peter Ash) - a world premiere – and, in 2004, was soprano soloist in the first Manchester performance of Rutter’s Mass of the Children, both also in the Bridgewater Hall. Fiona now has a busy schedule, not only as a performer but as a choral/vocal agent and voice tutor. She is the administrator of the award-winning chamber choir Canzonetta as well as managing and tutoring the Canzonetta Children’s Choir. She is also the vocal studies coach at Withington Girls’ School, Manchester - one of the UK’s leading independent schools. She is equally at home as a recitalist and has performed as soloist with the late in a Manchester Evening News Arena performance. In addition she has appeared regularly with a number of leading brass bands and concert choirs throughout the North of England and in Wales. |
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Marcus Pashley - Choral Tutor |
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Marcus Pashley read Music at Manchester University developing a passion for working with choirs. In Manchester he directed and considerably developed the work of the University Chamber Choir, founded the New Manchester Bach Ensemble and won the university’s coveted Sir Thomas Beecham Medal for achievement in music. |
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He has held the posts of Music Director of the Bradford Choristers and subsequently Chorus Director of Central Festival Opera preparing performances of Puccini: La Boheme and Bizet: Carmen for Opera Holland Park. As a founder member of the 1993 BBC Choir of the Year Canzonetta, he has performed throughout the UK and abroad. From 1998-2004 he was Director of Music at Kimbolton School in Cambridgeshire, also holding the post of Musical Director of the Huntingdonshire Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus. He has also appeared as guest conductor for Harrogate Choral Society and the Manchester Camerata. Marcus enjoys engagements as a baritone soloist in addition to his work as a conductor and adjudicator with a repertoire covering many of the major choral works. Recent engagements have included Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem at Trinity College, Cambridge. He has been a tutor in conducting at the Association of British Choral Directors Annual Conference and has been a tutor on both the Harrogate Choral Week and Cranleigh Choral Week since the beginning. Marcus is currently Director of Music at Cranleigh School and Musical Director of Cranleigh Choral Society. Recent conducting projects in this capacity have included Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3 and the Bruch: Violin Concerto, both with Cranleigh pupils as soloists, Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2, Handel: Messiah, Dvorak: Te Deum and Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem. He has also recently undertaken the musical direction of a major production of Les Misérables. |
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Amy Bebbington - Choral Tutor |
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Amy has a First Class Honours Degree and a Masters Degree in Piano Performance. She also became a Doctor of Musical Arts, specialising in Choral Conducting, in 2005, having studied with Dr. John Dickson at Texas Tech University. As a pianist, Amy has performed Mozart's Piano Concerto in A Major (K488) with The Wrexham Symphony Orchestra and Shostakovitch's Second Piano Concerto with The University of Huddersfield Symphony Orchestra. She was the repetiteur for Opera Femina and Lakeland Opera, and is also on the instrumental teaching faculty (piano) at Wellington College.
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As a choral singer, Amy has performed with Rodolphus, Choros Amici (BBC Choir of the Year 2000), Canzonetta and The Texas Tech University Choir. She has appeared on BBC1 and BBC Radio 3, and has performed at choral conferences in England and America. Amy also tutors on the internationally acclaimed ABCD Choral Conducting courses. Her choral compositions have been performed by several British and American choirs, most notably by Joyful Company of Singers, Choros Amici and The Texas Tech University Singers. Amy has worked as a choral animateur for Youth Music, youngchoirs.net, Glyndebourne Education and Sing for Pleasure and is a trainer for the Key Stage 2 CPD course run by Trinity College and The Open University. She has directed numerous choirs including Huddersfield People’s Choir, Bradford University Singers, Lubbock Chorale, Good Company (Walsall), the Berkshire Boys' Choir and Stone Choral Society. Amy is the Musical Director for Holmbury St Mary Choral Society and took up Directorship of Epworth Choir (Woking) at the start of 2010. The remainder of her time is spent leading vocal workshops, composing and directing the Training, Treble and Mixed Choirs at the Royal College of Music Junior Department. |
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James Davey - Choral Tutor |
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James Davey is one of this country’s most distinguished and respected young choral conductors. He began his musical career as a chorister, later studying performance at the Birmingham Conservatoire where, inspired by his experiences with the National Youth Choir and the critically acclaimed Laudibus, he formed the Sedici Chamber Choir and took his conducting debut. |
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In 1999 James took up residency at St Paul’s Cathedral School as Music Assistant, from where he formed the award-winning choir Chantage – BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year 2006. Since then he has studied conducting under many eminent choral figures, attending the Voices International Conducting Symposium lead by Michael Brewer and Ralph Allwood, taking the Association of British Choral Directors Conducting Course headed by Peter Broadbent and Therees Hibbard, and studying for an MA in Choral Education at Roehampton University. |
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Lucy Griffiths - Choral Tutor |
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Lucy Griffiths is much in demand as a conductor and as a vocal animateur. She studied for her undergraduate degree in Music at the University of Bristol and McGill University in Montreal. She went on to work as a Lecturer in Music at Portsmouth University before being awarded the prestigious Sinfonia ViVA conducting scholarship. This allowed her to complete her Masters in Conducting at Birmingham Conservatoire, where she was twice awarded the Michael Beech Conducting Prize. Lucy has studied with Martyn Brabbins, Sian Edwards and Bob Chilcott, amongst other eminent figures. Lucy is Assistant Director of Music at the University of Warwick, and a visiting tutor in Choral Conducting at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Former posts include Musical Director of the Training Choirs of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. |
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Lucy’s work as a vocal animateur takes her all over the UK, regularly leading projects with Opera North, Welsh National Opera, English Touring Opera, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and Sing Up. She is also active in training conductors and singing leaders. Lucy is an enthusiastic choral singer. She has sung with the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus, and now enjoys singing with Choros Amici (BBC Choir of the Year 2000). |
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RépétiteursIn addition to the tutors, Cranleigh Choral Week is very fortunate to enjoy the services of first class rehearsal accompanists. In 2010, these are: |
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Mark Jordan - Répétiteur |
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| Mark studied music at Manchester University where he firmly established himself as a sought after accompanist for recitals, examinations and concerts. He accompanied the University Chorus for an unprecedented three-year period. It was at this time that he formed his long connection with Jeffrey Wynn-Davies. During his years as an accompanist he has had the opportunity to work with many famous conductors, notably Benjamin Zander (Boston SO) for the Henley Festival. As a freelance organist, he has played in a large number of major cathedrals and venues around the country including York Minster, Carlisle Cathedral, St David's Cathedral, Hereford Cathedral, New College Oxford, Magdalen College Oxford, as well as the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. |
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For seven years he was Accompanist in Residence at Morland Choristers' Camp; a week-long course for children and young adults who sing in church and chapel choirs throughout the UK. He is currently the répétiteur and piano tutor for the John Lewis Partnership Music Society, and appeared as guest soloist this year in Constant Lambert's Rio Grande. Mark is the Musical Director of Opera Unlimited – a small Opera Company based in South London giving opportunities to new and up-coming singers. He is also the Assistant Musical Director and accompanist for Oxford Pro Musica Singers. This has led to playing for many prestigious concerts including the world première performance of Paul Patterson's Millennium Mass [organ version]. Mark is also a very experienced choral singer having sung with Oxford Pro Musica Singers, Choros Amici, Canzonetta, Manchester Chorale, the Cavendish Singers and many other choirs throughout the UK. |
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Kathleen Hesford - Répétiteur |
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Kathleen graduated from the RNCM specialising in accompaniment, studying with John Wilson and David Lloyd. She gained her performer’s diploma and her ARCO diploma in London. Kathleen works with several choirs in the North West. |
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She accompanied the Manchester Boys’ Choir, a post she held for 20 years. She travelled extensively with them, performing in Canada, Russia, Australia, the USA as well as many European cities. Kathleen accompanies the Canzonetta Children’s Choirs in Manchester, working with Jeffrey Wynn Davies and Fiona Clucas. She also accompanies the Kinder Children’s Choir of the High Peak. |
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