Meet the team: our Conductors & Accompanists
Our Choir Conductors
We are lucky to have a superb music team. Artistic Director Richard Jeffries is assisted by Vocal Coach and Conductor Helen Williams, Sara Kimber and Joe Murphy.
They bring a variety of skills and experiences to the table - but they all share one passion: a love of singing! Our choirs have grown tremendously since the inception in 2005, and between them, our conductors lead five choirs. |
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We are also luck to have 3 exceptional accompanists who work regularly with all the choirs.
Read on to find out more about them and what they do!
Read on to find out more about them and what they do!
Richard Jeffries - Artistic Director
Richard Jeffries has had a lifelong interest in music and began learning the trumpet at the age of ten. This interest grew as he moved through secondary school, playing in bands and orchestras, performing at the Symphony Hall, Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall on several occasions. He achieved Grade 8 trumpet before leaving school. Richard qualified as a primary school teacher with music as a main subject in 1997, and then taught at Four Oaks Primary School until 2011.
Richard became a freelance music educator and choral specialist in 2011. He is passionate about music and has taken on numerous musical projects over the past 16 years, musically directing various concerts, musical performances, shows and workshops for singers/choir leaders. |
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He has always encouraged children to get involved in playing an instrument or singing, and in April 2005 founded the Four Oaks Cluster Choir (now Intermediate Voices - a vision which embraced singing across a community of schools in the area. He is excited that this choir, originally with just 19 members, has since grown into a large collection of ensembles! - The Accidentals and Youth Voices being formed in 2008 and 2009.
In January 2012 a new Training Choir was set up for younger children, and currently boasts 60+ enthusiastic singers, which ultimately feed the Cluster Choir. He currently works with ten choirs on a regular basis, including three 'social singing' choirs.
He is a member of the Association of British Choral Directors (ABCD) and passed their Intermediate Conductors course in March 2009, and now leads workshops for them locally, as well as leading and rehearsing other choral projects across Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Richard completed the 5-day vocal training course with the Voices Foundation in 2012, and is principle trumpeter and Chairman of the Sutton Coldfield Orchestra. He also plays the piano and reached grade 5, but admits that he didn't start learning until he was in his second year of teaching!
In January 2012 a new Training Choir was set up for younger children, and currently boasts 60+ enthusiastic singers, which ultimately feed the Cluster Choir. He currently works with ten choirs on a regular basis, including three 'social singing' choirs.
He is a member of the Association of British Choral Directors (ABCD) and passed their Intermediate Conductors course in March 2009, and now leads workshops for them locally, as well as leading and rehearsing other choral projects across Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Richard completed the 5-day vocal training course with the Voices Foundation in 2012, and is principle trumpeter and Chairman of the Sutton Coldfield Orchestra. He also plays the piano and reached grade 5, but admits that he didn't start learning until he was in his second year of teaching!
Helen Williams - Vocal Coach & Conductor
Helen Williams started singing at a very young age, sang her first solo in a concert at five years old and persuaded her parents to take her to singing lessons at the age of 10. She went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She has performed in venues all over the UK including the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall. Helen is passionate about the benefits of singing for all. Alongside her professional soloist work, she has for many years been running ‘Honky Tonks’ a music group for babies, toddlers and pre-school children and believes that singing with young children instills a love of music and association of music with fun which lasts forever.
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In 2009, Helen was offered the opportunity to co-lead Little Sutton School choir with Richard Jeffries. This proved to be an exciting and enjoyable venture which, in January 2012, inspired Helen and Richard to launch Junior Voices to feed into the already successful Four Oaks Cluster Choir (now named Intermediate Voices), thus building them membership of SCC to around 250 altogether. Helen's role with our organisation is also Vocal Coach, meaning she is able to use her skills as a professional singer to improve and develop all our choirs.
In January 2012, Helen and Richard set up Sutton Social Singers, a no-audition choir for anyone who wants to come and enjoy all that comes with singing with others. They have since launched Solihull and Lichfield Social Singers which continue to go from strength to strength. In addition, Helen also performs regularly as a soprano soloist. She was invited to sing with the Royal Sutton Coldfield Orchestra (RSCO) in October 2016 and has recently performed once again with them at Sutton Town Hall singing Elgar’s Sea Pictures. Helen also gives private piano and singing lessons. She feels very lucky to earn her living doing what she has always loved - Music!!
In January 2012, Helen and Richard set up Sutton Social Singers, a no-audition choir for anyone who wants to come and enjoy all that comes with singing with others. They have since launched Solihull and Lichfield Social Singers which continue to go from strength to strength. In addition, Helen also performs regularly as a soprano soloist. She was invited to sing with the Royal Sutton Coldfield Orchestra (RSCO) in October 2016 and has recently performed once again with them at Sutton Town Hall singing Elgar’s Sea Pictures. Helen also gives private piano and singing lessons. She feels very lucky to earn her living doing what she has always loved - Music!!
Sara Kimber
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Sara Kimber is an experienced performer, conductor and composer. She studied and achieved her degree in music, with honours, specialising as a French Horn player. She was also a rarity in the fact that she (as a horn player) achieved a place in the college chamber choir. Sara comes from a musical family. Both her parents and her siblings are also professional musicians. I suppose it makes sense that she also married a musician! Her dad is a Bass Baritone so singing is in her blood!
As a performer she has performed internationally across Europe and North America including at Banff Centre for Creative Arts Theatre in Canada, the Chicago International Music Festival, The American Cathedral in Paris, and also closer to home in Symphony Hall, Royal Festival Hall and of course Sutton Town Hall! She was lucky enough to study composing with Alan Bullard and has gone on to write pieces particularly for vocal ensembles some of which SCC perform. |
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Sara is a qualified teacher and has worked as a Head of Music at a Performing Arts School. Some of her past students have gone on to have very successful musical careers. She has always taught and led vocal and instrumental ensembles and takes great joy in training musicians, experienced or not, to be the best they can be. As a Musical Director she conducts the South Derbyshire Youth Choir, Overseal Community Choir, Derbyshire Christmas Sing Out projects not to mention her two primary school choirs and a primary boys’ choir. She is an advocate for the value of outstanding music teaching and vocal training and how much music can impact on the brain and personal wellbeing. She continues to teach music in schools and has been observed to be an outstanding teacher having experience of teaching children aged 3 to 18.
Also Sara is, and has been, Musical Director for a large number of musicals including Gypsy, Singing in the Rain, Anything Goes, Cabaret and West Side Story. She has recently finished a fantastic run of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at The Brewhouse Arts Centre in Burton-on-Trent and is looking forward being MD for future shows. She also regularly works as a musical pit player. She still performs as a horn player with Glebe Symphonic Winds and also works as a solo singer.
Sara is also an accomplished pianist having been taught by Kate Marriott, Lesley Young and John Lill. She works as an accompanist for South Derbyshire Music Centre both within their choirs and for ABRSM and Trinity exams. She feels very lucky to be able to work as a freelance musician and education specialist and is very excited to be working as part of the SCC team, focusing on Little Voices and Intermediate Voices.
Also Sara is, and has been, Musical Director for a large number of musicals including Gypsy, Singing in the Rain, Anything Goes, Cabaret and West Side Story. She has recently finished a fantastic run of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at The Brewhouse Arts Centre in Burton-on-Trent and is looking forward being MD for future shows. She also regularly works as a musical pit player. She still performs as a horn player with Glebe Symphonic Winds and also works as a solo singer.
Sara is also an accomplished pianist having been taught by Kate Marriott, Lesley Young and John Lill. She works as an accompanist for South Derbyshire Music Centre both within their choirs and for ABRSM and Trinity exams. She feels very lucky to be able to work as a freelance musician and education specialist and is very excited to be working as part of the SCC team, focusing on Little Voices and Intermediate Voices.
Joe Murphy
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Joe Murphy is a highly experienced musician who has had a varied, broad musical background. He was principal viola with the Birmingham Schools' Symphony Orchestra from 1983 - 1987 and graduated in 1987 with a BA II:I honours music degree from the University of Liverpool. Whilst there, highlights include having his full orchestral composition ‘Papillon’ performed in Liverpool Cathedral; performing the solo in Walton's Viola Concerto with the university orchestra and winning the Alsop Composers’ Competition. He was principal viola for the University Orchestra and also sang with the University Choral Society.
Joe has played in a number of ensembles on both violin and viola including the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Sutton Coldfield Orchestra. He also played fiddle (plus other instruments!) and sang vocals in many bands over many years, including Drowsy Maggie, Juno and The Father Teds. This involved touring the UK, Ireland, Europe, North American and the Middle East - and recording several albums. |
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Joe also worked as Music Tours Manager for Gower Music International where he arranged prestigious concert tours abroad for choirs, orchestras, brass/wind bands as well as school/amateur music groups. This including running an annual choral festival in Paris (which included performances in Notre Dame Cathedral) and a brass band festival in Holland.
He then taught for the Birmingham Music Service for over 10 years, which included workshops and performances across all schools in Birmingham as well as running school and area choirs and orchestras including tutoring the violas in the BSSO on residential visits. Joe also taught in schools regularly where he gained an impressive reputation for producing many fine players, some of which have gone onto professional music careers.
More recently as a teacher in Sutton and subsequently a deputy headteacher in Tamworth, Joe has directed choirs with up to 90 children in any given year and they have performed in schools, churches, cathedrals and arenas. He also staged many shows and performances including Grease, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Oliver. Joe joined SC Choirs in September 2017 where he currently co-conducts Senior Voices and works as part of the team in providing the best opportunities for these young singers.
In 2018, Joe decided to return to music full time so that he can continue to make a positive difference and contribute to the musical experiences and opportunities for children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. As music continues to be pushed out of many schools’ curriculums and experiences, Joe, like many musicians, is determined that children should be given the chance to experience the positive effect music can have on all of us in so many different ways.
He then taught for the Birmingham Music Service for over 10 years, which included workshops and performances across all schools in Birmingham as well as running school and area choirs and orchestras including tutoring the violas in the BSSO on residential visits. Joe also taught in schools regularly where he gained an impressive reputation for producing many fine players, some of which have gone onto professional music careers.
More recently as a teacher in Sutton and subsequently a deputy headteacher in Tamworth, Joe has directed choirs with up to 90 children in any given year and they have performed in schools, churches, cathedrals and arenas. He also staged many shows and performances including Grease, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Oliver. Joe joined SC Choirs in September 2017 where he currently co-conducts Senior Voices and works as part of the team in providing the best opportunities for these young singers.
In 2018, Joe decided to return to music full time so that he can continue to make a positive difference and contribute to the musical experiences and opportunities for children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. As music continues to be pushed out of many schools’ curriculums and experiences, Joe, like many musicians, is determined that children should be given the chance to experience the positive effect music can have on all of us in so many different ways.
