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 Musical Director: David Wordsworth |
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David Wordsworth : |
Musical Director |
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DAVID WORDSWORTH studied at Leeds University, The City University (London) and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. He was appointed Musical Director of the Addison Singers in September 1995, with whom he has enjoyed a long and rewarding association. Under his direction the choir(s) have given a regular London concert season and have toured Scotland, Italy, France, Poland, Spain and made their US debut under the baton of Bob Chilcott at the Carnegie Hall, New York in 2005. The Addison Chamber Choir have sung at several UK music festivals, recorded the sound-track for a Channel 4 docu-drama and played a major part in the 'Celebrating Grainger' festival, held at King's Place (London) in February 2011. Particularly keen on championing the work of living composers, under David's direction The Addison Singers have given world premieres of works dedicated to them by composers as diverse as Howard Skempton, Kenneth Hesketh, Bob Chilcott, William Bolcom, Cecilia McDowall and Gavin Bryars ; in addition to UK/London premieres of works by John Harbison, Ned Rorem, Henryk Gorecki, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Sir John Tavener and Colin Matthews. In recent years David has conducted/adjudicated in the USA, Cuba, Holland and Hungary and in 2007 made an acclaimed debut in Manila with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. He spent three months in the USA at the end of 2011, conducting, lecturing and giving master-classes at the Michigan State University, the Universities of Michigan, North Carolina, Rhode Island and the Aaron Copland School of Music, New York. Performing aside, David has held senior posts at two major music publishers - Schott & Co and Oxford University Press, forming close working relationships with a wide range of composers including Tippett, Ligeti. Dutilleux, Henze, John Rutter, Gerald Barry and Michael Berkeley. He worked closely with the celebrated film-maker Tony Palmer on his film about the life of Vaughan Williams 'O Thou Transcendent' and has lectured/chaired interviews on a range of musical subjects for the Wigmore Hall, the BBC, the South Bank Centre, the Kennedy Centre (Washington DC), the Lincoln Center (NYC) and Opera Theater, St Louis. Recent and forthcoming plans include a 'Come & Sing' day focusing on Howard Goodall's 'Eternal Light' (held in the presence of the composer), conducting workshops/concerts of British music in Japan and a return visit to the USA for performances with his piano-duo partner Janet Obi-Keller. In June 2012 David will be the Artistic Director of 'John Ireland in Chelsea' a major festival held in London to celebrate the life and work of the English composer in the 50th anniversary year of his death. In addition he will join the Addison Singers to give concerts at the Brandenburg Spring Choral Festival (London), Truro Cathedral (a concert that will include the world premiere of a new work 'Hymn to St Petroc of Cornwall' by Gabriel Jackson especially written for the choir) and the Minack Theatre (Cornwall). |
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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 on board the QE2. |
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JILL JARMAN is a contemporary classical composer and jazz pianist. Her compositions reflect these genres, effortlessly merging the boundaries between both, and include orchestral music, ensemble works, children's songs and big band and ensemble jazz. Recent compositions include; Soundwaves of light (2006), an orchestral tapestry based on the light frequencies of the stars in the sky, an ensemble piece Shadows (2008), based on the interplay of shadows and H2O (2010), an orchestral piece imitating the molecular behavior of water. Jill conducts and orchestrates much music for recording sessions including work with the Royal Philharmonic orchestra for events such as the Commonwealth Games, BAFTA premiered film The Troop, and a short Ballet Rise for BMG. The recipient of two Arts Council awards, Jill founded an experimental string quartet with graduates from Trinity College (album OPUS 42), and toured extensively with her critically acclaimed jazz quartet, STORM WARNING (album 'Spirit Level', Zinc records). As current composer-in-residence at the Judd School in Kent, Jill enjoys a creative relationship with young musicians and has written a book of children's songs published by Music Discovery Network in America. Jill's belief in music education continues with the creation and development of a series of workshops for choirs, and ongoing research into music-listening and music-making for young children and adults alike. She gained a PhD by Composition at the University of Surrey in 2010. Jill 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 giving the Addison jazz choir and ensemble a unique voice. Compositions written specially for the Addison singers are The Listening Tree (premiered 2006), and Voices of change (premiered 2008) and was featured on Radio 4 in January 2010. The piece has also been recorded and is available through the Addison Singers. Read more about Voices of Change. Jill's website - www.jilljarman.com |
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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. |
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ANGELA SLEEMAN Angela teaches our new daytime choral course which is held on a Thursday afternoon. Her credentials include those of Assistant Chorus-master at the Royal Opera House in 1991 and eleven years as Choirmaster in opera houses in Germany. She is currently semi-retired and is active as a music teacher. |
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GEOFFREY POTTS was appointed AS Administrator in spring 2010. He talks to prospective singers on the phone and at enrolment and is very skilled in giving advice about the class that's best suited to each person's needs. He maintains the database, mails brochures and also helps maintain the 'e-group' - the mailing list and online resource for members of the Addison Singers. |
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