FARNHAM YOUTH CHOIR

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	David Victor-Smith MBE

Musical Director of Farnham Youth Choir and Farnham Junior Boys’ Choir A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and a graduate of the Royal College of Music. He entered teaching and choral direction following an early career as an organist. Church, primary school and youth choirs have all achieved national recognition under his leadership. Through his work with the Farnham Youth Choir he has come to be reagarded as one of the country's leading music educators. At present he is Director of Music at Farnham College. He also lectures and adjudicates on choral singing in the wider community. He was awarded the MBE in 1997 for services to Farnham Youth Choir.

	Julia Freeman

Accompanist to Farnham Youth Choir Julia Freeman has been the choir's accompanist since 1985. She studied under Max Pirani at the Royal Academy of Music where she won several prizes for performance and aural training. She subsequently spent ten years in America as a professional accompanist. She currently teaches piano privately.

Catherine Watts Conductor, Junior Girls Choir, Training Choir

Catherine trained at the Royal College of Music in London and during this period, whilst establishing herself as a freelance soprano, she became a member of various groups of singers performing a wide variety of music. Like many of her contemporaries she had a regular choral post and in this capacity became a member of the choirs of both the Tower of London and St. Brides Fleet Street, the Schütz Choir, Elizabethan Singers and the Monteverdi Choir. A more permanent position came when, along with three other singers, she became part of a production written and performed by Donald Swann which toured internationally, whilst during the same period she took part in landmark recordings of La Boheme and Turandot. Radio and television work followed and so did the opportunity to join the Welsh National Opera Company where she spent a year before leaving the WNO and the UK on her marriage. Catherine teaches extensively, and is the musical director of the Farnham Junior Girls’ Choir, who have been awarded the Outstanding and Highly Commended award at the National Festival of Music for Youth many times. The choir have also appeared in both the semi-finals and finals stage of the then Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year. She is the choral advisor to Farnham Youth Choir, and vocal clinician to Clare College Cambridge. Catherine is married to Stuart Watts, a former Principal Director of Music for the Army, they have two sons who are both keen musicians.

Caroline Gale Accompanist Boys’ Choir As the daughter of an organist and choirmaster Caroline sang in church choirs from a very early age.  She learnt the piano and cello as a child and went on to study music at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne under Professor Denis Matthews.  She then was fortunate enough to study under the inspirational music educator, Grenville Hancocks, at Christchurch College, Canterbury.

Caroline has taught music in several local schools, and prior to starting a family was Head of Music at Rydes Hill Preparatory School.  She is a member of the Farnham Music Festival committee, and in this year's festival she led the massed junior school choirs' performance of We'll Meet Again, and accompanied the massed infants schools’ production of Happy Hat Land. Caroline is currently completing an MA in music education and believes that music for the young child should be active, fun and stimulating and is really looking forward to keeping the Training Choir on their toes (literally!). Caroline became involved with FYC early in 2005, helping out with the Girls, Boys and Training Choirs when required.

Shelagh Harris Shelagh joined FYC in September 2006, directing the Training Choir. Under her guidance around twenty children are now learning the foundations of fine choral singing, whilst having much fun.

Other people in FYC..... The whole FYC organisation is run and supported by a wide ranging team. A Management Committee meet regularly to oversee the policy and operation of all of the choirs. Each of the choirs enjoy the support of a volunteer who is on hand at each rehearsal to assist with supervision and the regular administrative tasks. The FYC Administrator and Treasurer handle the wider paperwork. A small team are working constantly to keep the performance and informal uniforms up to scratch. A sub committee undertake all of the planning and running of concerts and other events. Volunteers run fundraising events and manage sales of merchandise; arrange publicity; arrange social occasions Countless parents and friends are on hand to assist with moving furniture, building staging and many other jobs associated with performances.