Calne choral - Profiles
James Green – Director of Music
James became the new conductor of Calne Choral Society on 1 January 2023, seeking to lead the society in a diverse and ambitious programme of choral music. Beginning his interest in music with the visit of a string quartet to his primary school in South Yorkshire, James started his own entry into the world of music with the cello, soon followed by the piano. Playing in youth orchestras, string orchestras and a cello ensemble in South Yorkshire and later Lincolnshire, he was exposed to a wide variety of music from baroque to contemporary tango. Finding a love of singing in his late teens led to him joining the local choral society, and later to holding a choral scholarship at Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews whilst reading German and Persian at the University.
He expanded his musical activities during university, acting as a musical director and sometime repetiteur for the University of St Andrews Gilbert & Sullivan Society for their full-scale operettas, concerts and incidental music for plays. He also served as one of the conductors of the University of St Andrews Concert Wind Band, playing with the university symphony orchestra, big band, clarinet ensemble and saxophone ensemble. He had a number of original pieces performed both by students and, on one occasion, by the Red Note Ensemble, dedicated to contemporary classical music.
After leaving St Andrews, he lived for a year in Switzerland, playing clarinet with the Musikverein Beringen & Neuhausen and singing tenor with the Schaffhausen Konzertchor. He then resettled in Wiltshire, where he has been assistant conductor for the Chippenham Town Band and plays cello for the North Wiltshire Symphony Orchestra and Swindon Symphony Orchestra. When not engaged in music, James is a professional genealogist and probate researcher.
Calne Choral Society is an exciting new challenge for James and he looks forward to continuing and building on the excellent work of his predecessors.
James became the new conductor of Calne Choral Society on 1 January 2023, seeking to lead the society in a diverse and ambitious programme of choral music. Beginning his interest in music with the visit of a string quartet to his primary school in South Yorkshire, James started his own entry into the world of music with the cello, soon followed by the piano. Playing in youth orchestras, string orchestras and a cello ensemble in South Yorkshire and later Lincolnshire, he was exposed to a wide variety of music from baroque to contemporary tango. Finding a love of singing in his late teens led to him joining the local choral society, and later to holding a choral scholarship at Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews whilst reading German and Persian at the University.
He expanded his musical activities during university, acting as a musical director and sometime repetiteur for the University of St Andrews Gilbert & Sullivan Society for their full-scale operettas, concerts and incidental music for plays. He also served as one of the conductors of the University of St Andrews Concert Wind Band, playing with the university symphony orchestra, big band, clarinet ensemble and saxophone ensemble. He had a number of original pieces performed both by students and, on one occasion, by the Red Note Ensemble, dedicated to contemporary classical music.
After leaving St Andrews, he lived for a year in Switzerland, playing clarinet with the Musikverein Beringen & Neuhausen and singing tenor with the Schaffhausen Konzertchor. He then resettled in Wiltshire, where he has been assistant conductor for the Chippenham Town Band and plays cello for the North Wiltshire Symphony Orchestra and Swindon Symphony Orchestra. When not engaged in music, James is a professional genealogist and probate researcher.
Calne Choral Society is an exciting new challenge for James and he looks forward to continuing and building on the excellent work of his predecessors.
Philip Springate - Past Director of Music
A former Calne Bentley Grammar school pupil, Philip was inspired by a young music teacher called David Price and there, grew a great love of music. This led to him going on to study music at Dartington College of Arts. Philip’s first contact with Calne Choral Society came at this time as bass soloist in a performance of the Messiah! This was a joint venture with Fynamore School, directed by David Cooke. Following a year working as a teacher of brass with John Ridgeon for the London borough of Redbridge, he returned to Wiltshire to follow a career as a class music teacher. Before retirement as Director of Music at the John of Gaunt School in Trowbridge, he built an enviable reputation for the quality of instrumental and choral work in the school. Philip is no stranger to the musical life of Wiltshire, having been Music Director for Trowbridge Light Operatic, Trowbridge Philharmonic, Trowbridge Youth Theatre and Calne Choral Society. As well as singing and playing horn in countless concerts and productions, he has been an adjudicator for the Mid Somerset Festival and music competitions around the West, for many years. He has sung, or played for all the previous Directors of Calne Choral Society, David Price, John Nourse and David White. |