The Music Team
David Wilson, Musical Director
David Wilson began his musical career at the age of seven studying the piano, first locally and then with Brian Brocklehurst. As his interests extended to the harpsichord and organ he studied with Professor Robert Illing of Oxford University. By the age of eleven David was giving regular public performances in and around Nottingham. He continued his musical studies through school, the Royal Academy of Music and Nottingham University where he was much sought after as a conductor, both choral and orchestral.
Much of David’s professional life has been spent in Nottinghamshire, being appointed Head of Music at the Frank Wheldon School Carlton then the Henry Mellish Grammar School, Bulwell. He was later made Director of Performing Arts at Redhill School, Arnold. Having developed a lifelong interest in choral music with children, it was at Redhill that he was able to perform Handel’s Messiah with a school choir of over 300, sections of which performance were televised nationally. Whilst at Redhill David also won a national award for ‘Music Teacher of the Year’; and he pioneered and conducted an Area Music Festival for children involving all the schools in the area, culminating in annual concerts held in the Albert Hall, Nottingham.
Since then David has held appointments as Principal of Notts Music School; and conductor of the Nottinghamshire County Choir. Apart from their annual Christmas concerts at the Royal Concert Hall, this choir under his direction performed such major works as Michael Tippett’s oratorio ‘A Child of Our Time’, written at the beginning of the second world war as an expression of ‘man’s inhumanity to man’. Having trained the choir to sing Carl Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’, the work was then performed under guest conductor Sir David Willcocks.
David was responsible for helping to inaugurate a regular radio programme featuring music in the East Midlands on which he broadcast on a weekly basis.
He has held a number of major appointments as a conductor and church organist/choirmaster and is well known for his work as a recitalist and accompanist to professional vocal and instrumental soloists.
Although now ‘retired’, he spends much of his time conducting, teaching at the Minster School, Southwell, giving tuition on piano and organ, and acting as a music examiner. He has been Musical Director of Mansfield Choral Society since 2002.
Ian Bromley, Accompanist
Ian began his musical career at the age of eight. He has played for both the Shuttleworth Choral Society and Bolsover Male Voice Choir, and is currently organist at Bolsover Methodist Church. He has been accompanist for Mansfield Choral Society for over thirteen years.
Greg Place, Assistant Conductor
Greg began singing aged 9 in Derby and was a chorister at St Georges Church. He continued singing at school and at University; and has been singing on and off ever since. Now Choirmaster at St Peter’s Church, Ravenshead, he is also occasional conductor of Southwell Orchestral Society, for whom he regularly plays both French horn and trumpet.
Greg produces rehearsal CDs for choir members; and he is also the choir’s Making Music representative.
Music Committee
This committee meets three times a year to plan future concert programmes, aiming to select these three years ahead to ensure that they do not clash with those of other choirs. Possible soloists are also proposed and discussed before the Music Director makes his choice. This committee meets three times a year to plan future concert programmes, aiming to select these three years ahead to ensure continuity.
MCS members are invited to suggest music that might be performed in the future. To do this, they are advised to contact a member of the group in writing so that it can be discussed.
All sections of the choir are represented on the Music Committee; and current members include Musical Director David Wilson, Assistant Conductor Greg Place, Concert Secretary Jean Dalton, Librarian Jean Coates, Tony Waterworth, Ann Condon and Philip Smart.