Contact Rachel for all general enquiries and queries, Monday to Friday, by email or on 01935 389482.
Rachel read Music at the University of Oxford and has worked for over 30 years in arts management, mainly in the music industry. After short spells working for Bolton Festival and as a sound and lighting technician in Bolton Town Hall she worked as Administrator for the East of England Orchestra (now Sinfonia Viva). After moving to the South West, Rachel worked as Events Officer for Chard Town Council, including managing a successful major Lottery bid for its refurbishment. She has been abcd's General Secretary since 2000 and was its first member of staff.
Rachel started singing in the local church choir at the age of 8 and went on to study cello, piano and organ. She grew up playing in Bolton Youth Orchestra and was a founder member of Bolton Youth Choir, before being awarded a choral scholarship by Keble College, Oxford. She now sings with (and chairs) Sherborne Chamber Choir, an auditioned choir of 45 members. She is very much involved in local music making: she has been secretary of Sherborne Festival Chorus since its formation and is also Concerts Administrator for Sherborne Abbey. Rachel continues to play the organ regularly as Organist at St John the Evangelist, Milborne Port, where she also directs the choir.
Contact Elisabeth for all enquiries about our training courses and events (Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays only) by email or on 07805 454563.
Elisabeth graduated from the University of Oxford in 2015 with a BA Hons Music (First Class). Her music education and outreach work whilst at university, which included managing the schools outreach charity Music Plus and founding The Concert Pledge project, led to her being presented with one of five Vice Chancellor's Social Impact Awards in 2015. Since graduating, Elisabeth has worked across arts administration and music education with roles at Sing for Pleasure, The National Centre for Early Music and North Lincolnshire Music Hub.
As well as her role as Training Manager at abcd, Elisabeth is a member of the Opera North Education team, leading on the musicianship curriculum and delivery for EYFS and Key Stage One pupils. She also chairs the North Lincolnshire Singing Strategy Steering Group and sits on the Board of the North Lincolnshire Music Hub. She continues to develop her professional practice and over the last year, she has achieved the British Kodály Academy's "Certificate of Professional Practice in the Kodály Concept of Music Education: Primary Level 1 - 3" and this methodology informs all of Elisabeth's teaching and choral work. Elisabeth is the co-founder and conductor of an upper voice community choir, Saints' Singers. In her spare time, she enjoys singing with The Lyndhurst Singers and Lydian Chamber Choir.
Carol was born on the Isle of Wight where, when only 14, she was allowed to sing with her mother in a local adult education choir. She spent a gap-year as au-pair for the family of the principal cellist of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra who helped her join a choir to sing JS Bach's Weinachts Oratorium. She studied music and German at the University of Sheffield.
Carol remained an active choir member and occasional soloist as family life became her main focus. Being invited to lead an informal group of singers who met in each other's homes developed her interest in choral directing from a singer's perspective. She joined abcd and participated in the Intermediate Course which supported her viewpoint. The informal group became Tideswell Singers and the choir's development has been a major focus for over 30 years. She was the first singing teacher at a local comprehensive school and formed a youth choir there; she also led several workshops as part of Sing Up. This work was supported by training from the British Kodály Academy and led to Early Years coffee morning sessions, so for a while Carol was encouraging singers from 9 months to 90!
Other opportunities include leading passenger choirs on cruises and currently directing Kaleidoscope Choir, which is part of Buxton Opera House and Buxton International Festival's Learning and Engagement programme.
As Director of Training for abcd, Amy oversees and tutors on our extended courses and sits on our Advisory Council.
Amy is a passionate advocate for choral singing and choral conductor training. She is sought-after for her dynamic and engaging teaching style, and her wealth of choral pedagogical experience.
Graduating with First Class Honours and a Master's Degree in Piano Performance, Amy went on to be awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts, specialising in Choral Conducting, from Texas Tech University.
Amy is a founder of the London International Choral Conducting Competition, and sat on the jury of its inaugural event in 2018. She is also a co-founder of Wavelength, an organisation designed to celebrate and serve women in all areas of choral leadership. Amy is proud to be a founding member of the International Choral Conducting Federation. She has taught choral conducting for the University of Cambridge, Sing Ireland, Sherborne International Summer School, Royal College of Organists, Military Wives' Choral Association, ISM and the Hallé Youth Choir. She has successfully established her own Choral Conducting Masterclass Series and has recently launched an online Choral Leadership and Pedagogy course (CLP). Amy has worked closely with the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain as Course Director, Musicianship Tutor and Guest Tutor.
Amy has performed in award-winning choirs and has had choral works published by Shawnee Press, Banks Music Publications (UK) and Multitude of Voyces. She has adjudicated for the Derry International Choral Festival, Choir of the Year, Music for Youth National Festival and the Cheltenham Music Festival among many others. As a teacher trainer/animateur, she has worked for Trinity/Open University, Glyndebourne Education, Sing for Pleasure, Youth Music and Music of Life.
Amy is in great demand as a choral clinician, mentor and teacher, and is currently Musical Director for Harlequin Chamber Choir, Corra Sound, the RAM Undergraduate Choir, Holmbury Choral Society, Nota Bene and the Sir William Perkins's School Chamber Choir.
Find out more about Amy on her website.
Our highly skilled team of tutors is carefully selected; they come from all parts of the choral spectrum and bring a wide range of experience to our courses. Find out more about our regular pool of tutors here.
