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Our Director of Music... |
Present |
Sierra Farquahar-Wulff
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Sierra Rose Farquhar-Wulff is a choir director based in Birmingham, England. She is the Music Director for the Ryton Chorale and the Leicester University Chamber Choir, and is a Choral Entrepreneur with Warwick-A Singing Town. Sierra received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami and master’s degrees in conducting from the University of Birmingham and California State University Fullerton. Sierra has extensive experience directing music in K-12 public schools, with non-profits, and at the collegiate level.
Sierra has received many awards and scholarships for her academic work, including nominations to the Rhodes Scholarship and Fulbright Scholar Competitions. In her graduate studies Sierra focused her academic studies on researching gender discrimination in the choral conducting profession. Her research has received awards and recognition from my institutions and has been published by the American Choral Director’s Association. Much of Mrs. Farquhar-Wulff’s early career was spent teaching youth choir, orchestra, and general music. She also piloted and developed youth choral programs at two music non-profits, served as Chief Operating Officer at one choral arts non-profit, and directed multiple adult community choirs around Portland, Oregon. Sierra has conducted numerous collegiate choirs and orchestras internationally. She has had the honour of performing with the LA Philharmonic and John Williams, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and served as chorus master for Andrea Bocelli at the Hollywood Bowl. Sierra became Musical Director in September 2023. |
Sierra Farquahar-Wulff
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Former Directors of Music of Ryton Chorale:
Simon Lumby 2019 - 2023
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David Wynne 2013 - 2019
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Mark McComb 2012 - 2013
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Anthony Morgan 1986 - 2012
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Accompanist |
Jack Pickford
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Jack became accompanist of Ryton Chorale in January 2023
As Director of Music at Crompton House C of E School, Jack saw many students go on to study music at universities, or to train at conservatories, and he led several very successful ensembles. Highlights included orchestral participation in the Schools Proms, singing in York Minster, St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey, as well as musical productions and tours to Spain and Italy. In 1983 he formed his own choir, The Pennine Singers, which he ran until 2010.
In 2014 Jack moved to take on the role of Music Director at Holy Trinity, Hereford, leading the church choir on many singing visits to English and Welsh cathedrals and on a trip to Paris in 2019. He joined the instrumental staff of Hereford Cathedral School as an accompanist and piano tutor, accompanied other local choirs and soloists, and taught piano in various schools, including Christ College, Brecon. He is now (mostly) retired and lives in Derbyshire.
As Director of Music at Crompton House C of E School, Jack saw many students go on to study music at universities, or to train at conservatories, and he led several very successful ensembles. Highlights included orchestral participation in the Schools Proms, singing in York Minster, St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey, as well as musical productions and tours to Spain and Italy. In 1983 he formed his own choir, The Pennine Singers, which he ran until 2010.
In 2014 Jack moved to take on the role of Music Director at Holy Trinity, Hereford, leading the church choir on many singing visits to English and Welsh cathedrals and on a trip to Paris in 2019. He joined the instrumental staff of Hereford Cathedral School as an accompanist and piano tutor, accompanied other local choirs and soloists, and taught piano in various schools, including Christ College, Brecon. He is now (mostly) retired and lives in Derbyshire.