Music Officials
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| Stephen Vickers (Accompanist) & Dr Nigel Russell (Musical Director) |
Dr Nigel Russell, Musical Director
Whilst studying for a degree in Chemistry at the University of Kent, Nigel Russell won a bursary to study singing for three years with Kathryn Lewis in Canterbury. He moved to London in 1994, joining the Philharmonia Chorus and was a founding member of the Quartet of St Giles-in-the-Fields.He continued to study singing with Brian Trueman at the London College of Music. Moving to Sheffield in 2000, Nigel returned to sing in his native Buxton with the Buxton Madrigal Singers under the direction of Michael Williams MBE. He was awarded a Diploma in Music from the Open University in 2001. Nigel was appointed Songman in Sheffield Cathedral Choir in 2003. He has sung Father (Humperdink - Hansel and Gretel) in Sheffield, November 2003; Dichterliebe (Schumann) in Chesterfield and Sheffield Cathedral, Spring 2004; Songs of Travel (Vaughan Williams) and Earth and Air and Rain (Finzi) in Sheffield Cathedral, November 2004; Samuel (Sullivan - Pirates of Penzance) in Sheffield, May 2005; Songs of the Sea (Stanford) and Folk Songs (Britten) in Sheffield Cathedral and St Andrew Psalter Lane Music Festival, 2007.
In July 2005 Nigel became Musical Director of Worrall Male Voice Choir. In August 2005 he was elected Fellow of the Guild of Musicians and Singers, and is a member of the Association of British Choral Directors. In the autumn he will take up a new position as Administrator of Wakefield Cathedral.
Stephen Vickers, Accompanist
Stephen came to Sheffield in 1977 after training as a music teacher at The College, Ripon, studying piano with Michael Robshaw and voice with Marilynne Davies. Since then he has contributed both as pianist, conductor, singer and viola player to many of the areas choirs, musical ensembles and orchestras, particularly South Yorkshire Opera, Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Sheffield Youth Choir and the Sheffield Chamber Orchestra.
More recently he was honoured to be asked to conduct the All Saints School Wind Band on their Austrian Tour; and the Hallam Singers who, under his direction gave the first Sheffield performance of Vaughan Williams' cantata 'The Sons of Light'. He also conducted the world premiere performance of Jah Wobles' 'The Five Toned Dragon' a specially commissioned work for the Sheffield Children's Festival.
He values work with young players and much of his recent activity has been with the orchestras of the Sheffield Music Services and latterly was delighted to be asked to conduct Sheffield Youth Orchestra with whom he continues to work. Indeed, he actively encourages and values the work and enthusiasm of his young players, players who will make up the next generation of musicians.
Stephen currently directs the Sheffield Youth Orchestra, the Stannington
Mixed Voice Choir, the WEA Vocal Ensemble and is accompanist and assistant
conductor for the
Worrall Male Voice Choir.
Last Updated: 01 August, 2008