The ADDISON GROUP OF SINGERS: Staff


	DAVID WORDSWORTH studied at Leeds University, The City University and The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Whilst still a student he worked with a great many choirs and opera companies as both accompanist and conductor and after a period of teaching was appointed Musical Director of the Addison Singers in September 1995. Under David's direction the Addison Singers have more than doubled in size and have sung in Scotland, France, Italy and Poland as well as giving a regular London concert season. In 2005 the Addison Singers made their US debut under the baton of Bob Chilcott at The Carnegie Hall, New York. The Addison Chamber Choir have sung at a number of UK festivals and recorded part of the sound-track for 'The Somme', a Channel 4 docudrama that was later shown throughout Europe and the USA. New and unusual repertoire has been central to David Wordsworth's programmes with the Addison Singers and alongside standard repertoire the choir(s) have given world premieres of works by Graham Redwood and David Matthews, as well as UK/London premieres of works by composers as diverse as Ned Rorem, Henryk Gorecki and Mark-Anthony Turnage. In addition William Bolcom, Gavin Bryars, Bob Chilcott, Kenneth Hesketh, Jill Jarman, Cecilia McDowall and Howard Skempton have all written for and dedicated works to David and the Addison Singers. As well as the usual London concert season, concerts in Barcelona are planned for the Oratorio Choir in May 2009, and the Chamber Choir has received invitations to perform at festivals in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. In addition to work with the Addison Singers, David Wordsworth is Music Director of Horsley Choral Society and performed with them at the 2008 Leith Hill Festival. He has recently conducted and adjudicated in Hungary and the USA and in December 2007 made a highly acclaimed debut with the Philippine Philharmonic in Manila. He has directed choral workshops and summer schools in many parts of the UK and during 2008/9 will conduct in the Baltic States, Canada and has been invited to lecture and hold workshops at the University of Iowa in the USA. Apart from performing, David was for six years Promotions Manager at Schott, Germany's leading music publisher and since April 2003 has been a Senior Manager at Oxford University Press. He recently worked closely with the celebrated film-maker Tony Palmer on his critically admired film about the life of Vaughan Williams, 'O Thou Transcendent' and has given lectures/chaired interviews on British music for a number of UK concert venues as well as the Kennedy Center (Washington DC) and the Lincoln Center (New York City).

	MATTHEW HOUGH pursues a career as an accompanist and soloist, piano teacher, singing coach and choral conductor. He studied the piano privately under Professor Robin Stone and took his performance diploma prior to studying Classics at Cambridge. For the Addison Singers, Matthew works as director of the Jazz Ensemble and deputy Musical Director, accompanist (Oratorio and Jazz choirs), tutor and vocal coach. His other appointments include accompanist at the City Literary Institute and Director of the Saint Martin Singers, an a capella group based at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. Matthew also performs as soloist, recital accompanist and master class accompanist, and each year plays for a variety of courses. These include work with cellists (Alexander Baillie and William Bruce), Suzuki string players, vocal teachers (Jessica Cash, Paul Farrington, Ghislaine Morgan and Ashley Stafford) and Covent Garden principals (Chris Maltman and Quentin Hayes). He formerly directed Opera Live, including productions at the Covent Garden Open Air Festival and gave recitals as concert pianist onboard the QE2.

	JILL JARMAN took over directorship of the Jazz Choir in September 2004, since when the numbers have flourished to a point where there is now a waiting list for this popular choir. Much of the repertoire is arranged by Jill for both choir and jazz ensemble. She is a jazz pianist, conductor and composer. Her background, both classical and jazz, is reflected in her compositions, which cross the boundaries between both, and include symphonies and orchestral music, ensemble works, children’s songs and big band and ensemble jazz. Jill’s jazz album 'spirit level' (Zinc records) received much acclaim and she has toured extensively. Recent works include a contemporary piece for orchestra, 'Soundwaves of Light'( 2006), combining the physics of light emissions from stars with musical frequencies; an unaccompanied chamber choir work ('Clouds', 2007); and a commission for The Addison Singers classical choir ('The Listening Tree'), premiered in London in 2006. Jill works also as an orchestrator, pianist and conductor for many recordings and has enjoyed playing with and directing musicians such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Symphony Chorus. She is currently undertaking a PhD by composition at the University of Surrey. Jill's website - www.jilljarman.com

	ALICE HYDE was born and educated in Texas, USA where she received both a Bachelor and Masters degree in Music. She studied singing in Italy and at the National Opera Studio in the UK. Alice divides her time between performing and teaching. She has taught singing at the Italia Conti theatre school, also to university students as well as those interested in pop and jazz. In the USA she was Musical Director for musicals and choral works. Her singing career has been varied and has included entertaining in Sheraton Hotels, and recently for film music from 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Harry Potter' movies, performing in musicals and singing in oratorio and opera roles throughout the world. She has performed for Diana the late Princess of Wales and at the palace of Versailles for the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution. As well as teaching Vocal Technique for the Addison Singers, Alice teaches at a school for performing arts, does some private coaching and sings at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.