Hammersmith Choir has new Music Director

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Duncan Aspden succeeds Michael Emery.

Incoming Music Director DUNCAN ASPDEN succeeds MICHAEL EMERY, his predecessor for 12 years.

Duncan currently works with a range of professional ensembles and enjoys a distinguished record as both conductor and keyboard performer. A former Organ Scholar of Canterbury Cathedral and Jesus College Cambridge, Duncan has also held further positions at Bristol and Chelmsford Cathedrals. He has won several prizes as both conductor and organist, and has recently appeared in the London Handel, Utrecht and Edinburgh Festivals. He made frequent broadcasts, directing choirs in concerts throughout Europe.

For his first concert with the Singers, to be held at St Peter’s Church, Black Lion Lane, W6 19.30 hrs, Duncan has built an adventurous programme reflecting Nature’s effect on composers. It will include Elgar and Britten pieces, and Dvorak’s rarely heard ‘Songs of Nature’. He looks forward to early 2005, when he will be directing the Singers and stellar soloists from I Fagiolini at St James’s Church Piccadilly. They will perform by stellar young soloists of ] I Fagiolini to perform oratorios to celebrate the 400th birthday of the Italian composer, GiocomoCarissimi. After the ‘Vespers’ success there last year, there will also be some Monterverdi motets.

St Peter’s Singers is a long-established independent chamber choir of some 34 voices, based at St Peter’s Church, Black Lion Lane, W6.
The repertoire is wide, medieval to modern , sacred and secular. Concerts are normally in London but there have been trips to Moscow, Venice and Paris. These included appearances at St Mark’s and Notre Dame Cathedrals. Regular ‘singing workshops’ are held to further develop the choir’s sound, and have been led by visitors including Stephen Cleobury, Ron Corp, Bob Chilcott and voice coach Sue Waters.

The first rehearsal this autumn is on Tuesday September 7th at 20.00 hrs when the choir will be filling a small number of vacancies for new members. To find out more, please e-mail the Secretary Lucy Chambers or phone 8994 0933.

August 29, 2004