Conductor - Mark Jefferson BA(Hons.) MMus QTS

ark was brought up in Dudley, West Midlands and studied piano with Molly Childs. He then went on to read music at the Universities of Roehampton and East Anglia. Whilst in London, he studied piano with Peter Croser and organ with Richard Stangroom. It was his work with the latter that led to a deep and abiding interest in Choral Conducting and a Master of Music Degree in Choral and Orchestral Conducting. As an accompanist, he was an organ scholar at three London colleges. He has worked with teachers at both the Royal Academy and the Royal College of Music. He has appeared at the Wigmore Hall and many other well known venues in and around London. As a conductor, he has also appeared at many London venues conducting both choirs and orchestras and has worked with such notable conductors as Owain Arwell Hughes, Jeremy Jackman and Kuno Areng.

 

Assistant Conductor - John Ottley BA(Hons.) FRCO(CHM) ACDM

ohn began his musical career as an organ scholar at King Edward VI Grammar school in Bury St Edmunds. In London he trained to be a teacher, qualifying with a distinction in music. He also acted as assistant organist at St Mary's, Osterley. Moving on to Cambridge, he was organist at St Andrew's, Chesterton and also accompanist to the Mid-Anglian Police Choir. At this time he was elected as Chairman to the Cambridge Music Teachers Association and became a member of the County Music Steering Committee and was also the Royal School of Church Music's local representative. He then went on to Croydon as a student of the RSCM and subsequently joined the teaching and administrative staff, gaining his FRCO(CHM) diplomas, and later the coveted Archbishop's Diploma in Church Music.For eight years, he was choirmaster and organist at St John the Divine, Selsdon. Returning to Suffolk in 1989, John became Organist and Choirmaster at Great Barton. In 1994 he was appointed Benefice Organist for Rougham, Beyton & Hessett. Continuing his studies, he was among the first to be awarded the Open University's Diploma in Music and gained a BA Hons degree from the OU in 1996. John has been a member of the Suffolk Organists Association for many years, serving on its council from 1994-2001 and was its President 1997-98. Today, as well as organist for Rougham, he combines work at BBC Radio Suffolk with duties as accompanist and deputy conductor with the St Edmundsbury Male Voice Choir.

Assistant Accompanist - Calvin Goymer

alvin's first involvement with the choir was back in 2000 on the choirs trip to Bangor Wales, he was asked to deputize for John Ottley at various concerts when John had to conduct the choir when the musical director was unavailable. In 2005 he officially became the assistant accompanist. As well as rehearsing and playing for the concerts he enjoys the social and the various concert trips joining them recently in Germany and Mansfield. As well as working full time in the civil service he is kept busy as one of the accompanists for the new dance academy in Ipswich playing for ballet and contemporary dance. He often works for the Royal Ballet School and the Royal Academy of Dance playing for workshops. When he isn't playing the piano he relaxes by going to the gym (reluctantly) and cooking vegetarian food.