ABOUT ME
I am a community choir leader, choir composer and singer based in Bristol, UK. A member of the Natural Voice Network, I am passionate about bringing people together through song and absolutely love the magic that is created through singing in harmony. I run three community choirs and welcome every voice to my groups. I teach by ear, so there is no need to read music, and there are no auditions.
I was brought up in a musical family, playing the piano and cello from a young age and always singing in choirs (first experiencing a cappella singing as a member of jazz choir The Oxford Gargoyles).
For 20 years I've performed my own songs at gigs and festivals all over the UK and further afield (“Utterly wonderful stuff”, BBC Radio). Whilst living in rural mid-Wales I joined my friend’s Natural Voice choir and was blown away by this new way of learning by ear. I decided that I wanted to run a choir like this one day.
I came to choir leading when I was pregnant – setting up Womb Sisters pregnancy choir, then Folks & Bairns Parent and Baby Choir, and then The Rising Sun Singers community choir, all in South Bristol.
In 2022 I was appointed as new leader for longstanding Bristol choir People of Note, taking over from Nickomo and Rasullah.
My parent and baby choir has featured in Classic FM and on BBC TV and BBC Radio. In my choirs I teach a range of harmony songs from all over the world, keeping a varied repertoire to keep things interesting for choir members, and for me! I love to write songs for my choirs to sing.
In recent years I have discovered a passion for composing songs for choirs, and I sell licenses for other leaders to teach these. I love to teach my own songs at workshops and camps all over the UK. In 2023 I did my first year as a member of the Unicorn Voice Camp teaching team (where I taught this original composition), and look forward to returning in Summer 2024. See my Workshops page for 2024 dates.
I have done leadership training with Susie Ro Prater, Vocal Process training with Jeremy Fisher and Gillyanne Kayes, and I was trained in breathing and vocal support by Ingrid Rugheimer of the British Voice Association.
Photo: Roz Whistance