HISTORY
There has been a choral society based in Fairford for many years - archive photographs go back to 1948.
The society was conducted by John Henderson, Tony Frewer and Julia Morris for a number of years but disbanded in the 1970s. Later, in the 1990s, St Mary’s Church, Fairford started to hold concerts of sacred music on Palm Sunday drawing singers from Fairford and the surrounding area. Works sung included the Fauré, Rutter and Mozart Requiems, the Somervell Passion, Stainer’s Crucifixion, Schubert and Haydn Masses and Handel’s Messiah. This Palm Sunday choir became Fairford & District Choral Society in 2006.
Past music directors have been John Read, Marysia Gorska-Sag, Jessi Pywell and Katrine Reimers. Our Music Director is Nia Llewelyn Jones since January 2024.
ADRIAN PARTINGTON
Adrian Partington is a conductor, chorus master, solo organist and pianist of international standing and has been Director of Music at Gloucester Cathedral since 2008. In addition to conducting amateur choirs such as the Gloucester and Bristol Choral Societies, he also conducts the BBC National Chorus of Wales and has worked with world class orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the Philharmonia, and with maestros Simon Rattle and Richard Hickox among many others.
During his years at Gloucester Cathedral, he has introduced Girl Choristers to the Cathedral Choir, has taken the choir to sing in the USA, Canada, South Africa and Sweden, and has made several CDs, most recently the Church Music of Ian King, in June 2021. In May 2019, he took the Choristers to sing with the Berlin Philharmonic at the Philharmonie in Berlin.
Adrian was educated at King’s College Cambridge, where he was the Organ Scholar. He continues to be in demand as an organist. He was a soloist at one of the televised BBC Promenade concerts in 2018, and engagements include recitals in Japan in 2018 and a Concerto with the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra in 2019.
For Adrian's full biography click here
NIA LLEWELYN JONES
Nia grew up in North Wales where singing and choral music played a central part in her musical upbringing. After reading music at Robinson College, Cambridge, she won a full scholarship to study with Simon Halsey on his collaborative Master’s course between the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the University of Birmingham, where she graduated with distinction.
She has served at Gloucester Cathedral since 2014, presently as Assistant Director of Music (Choral). She was the inaugural Conductor of the Girl Choristers, following their historic admission in 2016. Currently, she assists with the training of the Cathedral Choristers, runs the Cathedral’s St Benedict’s Singers, and leads the Cathedral’s Singing Academy, which strives to provide singing opportunities for young people from across Gloucestershire to find their voices. She has also performed at the Three Choirs Festival, directing youth singing projects, including operas and dramatic narratives, accompanied by musicians from the Philharmonia Orchestra.
For Nia's full biography click here
ROBIN BAGGS
Robin Baggs read music at Trinity College, Cambridge, completing postgraduate studies in performance, palaeography and criticism. He has worked extensively as a writer and critic for The Musical Times and other musical journals, specialising in Czech music and the organ repertoire.
As an organist, concert tours have taken him to twelve European countries, and he recently completed his tenth Austrian tour. He has worked with orchestras such as the London Mozart Players and the English Chamber Orchestra and he currently accompanies a number of choirs and choral societies in the Gloucestershire and Bristol areas.
After thirty-five years as Organist and then Director of Music at Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire, Robin now divides his time between recital work, private teaching and accompanying.
JOHN READ
John was appointed Honorary Vice President in 2016.
STEWART BENZIE
Stuart Benzie was Chair of the Society from 2006 until 2017. He was appointed Honorary Vice President in 2017
Treasurer - Simon Mumford
Membership - Chris Yates
Secretary - Kate Osiadacz
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