Our Chorus Director- Victoria Ely

An Australian conductor, educator and arts manager, Victoria completed a double Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Music at Monash University in 2007, where she studied classical piano performance with Dr Kenji Fujimura and Glenn Riddle. In 2012, she relocated to the UK where she completed the MMus Choral Conducting course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama under the tutelage of Neil Ferris and Sarah Tenant-Flowers, graduating with a Distinction in 2014. Victoria has also received tuition from a number of respected conductors including Simon Halsey, Rodney Eichenberger, Fred Sjöberg, Karen Grylls, Jo-Michael Sheibe and Alice Farnham.

Victoria is currently Musical Director for Gabalfa Community Choir and has recently been appointed Chorus Director for the Cumbria Rural Choirs. She also works across the United Kingdom as a guest conductor and workshop leader. Recent highlights include her debut at The Bridgewater Hall with The Severn Trent Choir, 2012 winners of Gareth Malone’s BBC television series ‘The Choir: Sing While You Work’, collaborating with Mid Wales Opera as Chorus Master for Handel’s Acis & Galatea and working as Assistant Atelier Conductor to Maestro Carlo Pavese at the Worcester International Festival for Young Singers; the first non-competitive festival of its kind to be hosted in the UK.

A versatile young conductor, Victoria’s experience spans all age groups and she is equally at home working with professionals and amateurs alike. Previous experience includes positions of Assistant Chorus Master with the Royal Welsh College Chorus, Assistant Conductor with the Cardiff Polyphonic Choir and as Choral Director with Blackburn High School, Melbourne University and Southern Voices (formerly the National Children’s Choir of Australia). She has also appeared as a presenter for the Australian Choral Conductor’s Education and Training (ACCET) Summer Schools.

Along with her work as a conductor, Victoria is an experienced Arts Manager, having worked with prominent Australian Arts organisations, Orchestra Victoria, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and Musica Viva Australia.

 

Our Accompanist - Amanda Wright

Amanda studied music at King’s College London and piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She currently works as a teacher and area manager for Cumbria Music Service. In addition to working with Cumbria Rural Choirs she is accompanist for both Wigton Choral and Cockermouth Harmonic Societies. Amanda is lucky enough to be one of the pianists who play at Mirehouse when the house is open to the public.