"The foundation of Cantate Youth Choir in 1994 proved to be one of the most important events of my life. As a boy chorister at Magdalen College, Oxford, I was privileged to be immersed in the joys of singing. For many years afterwards, as Director of several adult choirs which I founded myself (Cambridge Chorale, East London Chorus, English Festival Voices, Harlow Chorus, Hertfordshire Chorus, High Voices), I had longed to be able to give young singers the experience and excitement of singing together in a choir with high standards and aspirations. After much planning, Cantate was born: a mixed voice youth choir with open access and no auditions, open to all young singers whatever their musical upbringing.
Fourteen years on, Cantate is recognised as one of Britain's most successful young choirs, often winning major competitions and receiving regular invitations to appear in the country's top concert halls. But this recognition is of secondary importance to what Cantate is really about : young people singing together with joy, gaining enormous self-confidence, and making lots of friends. I am very lucky to be Director of such a special organisation."
"I joined the staff of Cantate in 2003 having previously trained and worked as an organist and conductor at Oxford, the Royal Academy of Music, and the Chapel Royal. I'd had no background in non-church music, and so it has been a steep but exciting learning curve for me - in fact I now devote more time to working with children's choirs than I do to my church career. As well as my work with Cantate, I direct the Chamber Choir of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Junior Department, and am Organist and Choirmaster to the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn in London. The structure of Cantate is such that I am looking forward to seeing my first bunch of timid eight year olds emerge as confident and musical young adults with a lifelong love of singing."
I've been part of the Cantate team since 2003, working principally with the Youth Choir. My interest in choral conducting began when I was studying for a music degree at Hull University. After two years of teaching music in schools, I then studied singing as a postgraduate at the Royal Academy of Music in London, specialising in concert singing and early music. I have since managed to combine the three things I love - performing, teaching and conducting. I perform regularly with the All Souls. Orchestra, appearing twice as soloist in the Royal Albert Hall. As well as working with Cantate, I direct the ladies' choir, Jubilate! and teach singing at St Paul's School for Girls in London. I love motivating and encouraging young people to sing to the best of their ability - that's what Cantate is all about and why I feel privileged to be part of the team.
Long before Cantate came into existence, I too was enjoying singing. In fact, I was a member of the Harlow Boys Choir for many years, becoming "Head Boy" in around 1985. Under the directorship of a certain Michael Kibblewhite, this choir really cemented my passion for choral music and the joy of performing. So, when Michael invited me to provide some "rhythm" for Cantate's first Christmas concert, I jumped at the chance. Now, more than a decade on and with a number of Christmas concerts under my belt (!), I still feel the adrenaline rush as I walk onto the platform to join Cantate in another musical feast. Working with this fine choir over the years has been inspirational and a privilege and I will be eternally grateful for all the opportunities that Michael and Cantate have given me.
Sarah Kinsella has been on the Herts and Essex borders music scene for more than 30 years, primarily as a teacher of singing, music, and musical theatre. Past and present students are on the professional stage, here and overseas. Sarah was born in Scotland, and worked for Scottish Opera before moving to England. She has produced and directed for, among others, Bishop's Stortford Musical Theatre Company (adults and juniors), Harlow Operatic Society, Sawbridgeworth Musical Youth Theatre, and the Pavilion Players. For 18 years director of Music at St. Nicholas School, Old Harlow, Sarah introduced there and at St. Mary's, Bishop's Stortford, the tradition of musical theatre, including one of the first officially licensed productions for schools of 'Les Miserables'.
I've been working as an accompanist with Cantate for around five years. Prior to this I worked with Finchley Children's Music Group so youth choirs have always been part of my musical life - in fact I am going to Vienna on tour next year with the youth choir Inner Sound who are based on the Isle of Skye! As well as being fun, I find the high standards of singing in Cantate rewarding and the varied repertoire gives us all an insight into many different musical styles. This is particularly refreshing for me as my work as a choral/vocal accompanist and repetiteur takes me mostly into fairly 'straight' classical territory. The staff are a real inspiration to work with and their commitment to the music, the chidren and each other give Cantate performances a very special magic indeed.