Voices for Hospices

Ciara Considine

Ciara Considine grew up in Maidstone, gaining a County Scholarship on the flute and piano at the
Kent Music Academy (formerly KCYI/JMS).

While a pupil at the Maidstone Grammar School for Girls,
she was a member of the Kent Youth Choir, the Kent County Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.

"I love working in Kent as a conductor, as it feels like I’m giving back to the very area that nurtured me in my youth; being part of the town and county music ensembles gave me life-long sense of belonging. Coming from a disadvantaged home, I benefitted from full scholarships, bursaries and the generosity of individuals and groups such as KaMYMT. Now I am the musical director of 6 choirs and an orchestra. Young and old, I love keeping the wheel turning, helping to sow the seed of musical joy in a person’s life, regardless of background, culture, creed and means."

Philip Horley

Philip first started the piano at age seven before moving onto the organ at eleven. He won the organ scholarship at St. John’s College York for three years playing at York Minster, Selby Abbey and Bridlington Priory, before gaining a place at The Royal Northern College of Music to study advanced organ playing.

After a year at Aldenham School he was appointed Organist and Assistant Director of Music at Sutton Valence School in 1990 and subsequently Director from 2002.

He has played in Winchester, Chichester, Canterbury, Rochester and Chelmsford cathedrals in this country and Cologne, St Peter’s Rome, Prague and Chartres Cathedrals in Europe.

He is organist at All saints Church Maidstone and pianist for Hollingbourne Panto group as well as accompanist for Maidstone Choral Union.

Hilton Hall Dance Academy

Hilton Hall Dance Academy was founded by Joanna Roberts in 1994. Her mission was to work with other artistic practitioners to create community projects giving her dancers greater performance opportunities.

As the school has grown we have maintained our commitment to actively seeking out performance opportunities for our students, often resulting in unique scenarios in collaboration with orchestral and choral creative entities across Kent, the UK, Europe and at large scale events.

Nicola Corbishley

Nicola is thrilled to join with Maidstone Choral Union for this special event, having grown up in Kent, attended Maidstone Girls’ Grammar and been involved with so much Kent music over the years.

Nicola completed a music degree at the University of Liverpool, later studying singing with Irene Drummond in Edinburgh and Julie Kennard in London.

Now performing both as a soloist and an ensemble soprano across the UK and abroad, Nicola appears regularly with ensembles such as the Gabrieli Consort, English Concert, Pinewood Singers, Aurora Nova and The Eric Whitacre Singers.

Rachael Lloyd

Rachael Lloyd studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Jane Highfield and Rudolf Piernay.

Her career began in her early twenties when she joined the chorus at Glyndebourne where she was awarded the Glyndebourne Wessex Award for promising young singers.

There she also made her debut as Shelley in the world premiere of Jonathan Lunn’s opera Tangier Tattoo, Meg Page in Falstaff and Cornelia in David McVicar’s iconic production of Handel’s Giulio Cesare.

Since then she has sung roles with many major opera companies both in the UK and Europe.

Innominata

The Innominata chamber choir originated from a group of six colleagues at East Malling Research Station.

Starting about fifty years ago, the six met regularly in their lunch breaks, on the premises, to sing English madrigals.

Innominata performs at fund-raising events for churches, charities and other good causes, as well as at weddings and other celebrations, and as an occasional guest choir at other choirs' concerts.