The Society was thrilled to have engaged Malcolm Riley to direct its Autumn 2011 Concert, when we performed Mendelssohn’s Elijah. As well as being the Director of Music at Cranbrook School, Malcolm enjoys a distinguished career as an accomplished organist and composer.
Our traditional Christmas Concert in St Mary’s Church in Goudhurst was conducted by Roland Millar. Roland is an experienced choral and orchestral conductor and has been music director of the Forest Row Orchestra in East Sussex since 1994. He previously directed the Baroque Singers and the Grosvenor Orchestra, both based in Tunbridge Wells, and before that he conducted the West Sussex County Boys Choir. Roland has also sung with choirs in London and across the South East for over 20 years and continues to maintain a busy schedule of solo and choral singing. He was a soloist at our Christmas Concert in 2009.
In 2012 we welcomed Adrian Pitts who was engaged as guest conductor to direct our rehearsals and performance of Carmina Burana in March. Adrian trained as a music teacher, initially at Bristol University conducting the University Chamber Choir and Orchestra and as rehearsal Chorusmaster for celebrated conductors such as Sir David Willcocks, Stephen Cleobury and Christopher Herrick. In In London, he sang with St Paul’s Cathedral Special Choir and the London Philharmonic Choir. He has taught in schools for over 20 years, including Tonbridge Grammar School where he was Director of Music. He has trained young choirs to take part in the Choir of the Year competitions reaching the national rounds. More recently he has returned to conducting adult choirs, working with the local Chantry Choir, the Cantate Choir, the Occasional Choir and Paddock Wood Choral Society.
Our performance of the Verdi Requiem in May 2012 will be conducted by Graham Caldbeck. Graham will be familiar to those who attended our summer memorial concert on 25th June 2011 when was our guest conductor.
Graham studied music at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a Choral Scholar. Since then he has spent a lifetime as a teacher, conductor, choirmaster and organist including posts as Director of Music at Alleyn's School, Assistant Organist at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, and Head of the Hampshire Specialist Music Course. He holds the Fellowship and Choir Training Diplomas of the Royal College of Organists and was awarded an Hon. RCM by Prince Charles. At the Royal College of Music he held senior positions for 15 years and was Head of Undergraduate Studies from 1991 to 1998. He has conducted the renowned London chamber choir, Nonsuch Singers for the past 15 years and, nearer to home, conducts the Mayfield Festival Choir which will join us for the Verdi Requiem.
The Society has launched a national campaign for recruitment of a new Musical Director for 2012/13 and onwards, and anticipates the appointment of a candidate with the experience and stature that will enable us to fulfil the ambitious development plans we have for the coming years.