PEOPLE

We are a choir of about 80 adult singers of all ages and diverse backgrounds.

Gisella Stuart, Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston

We are delighted that Gisela has been our 6th President since 2015. She says “Politicians are often reluctant to admit that they enjoy music and singing. I look forward to continue working with Birmingham Bach Choir because music is important to our wellbeing and Birmingham has so much more to offer than those living here realise. This Choir has contributed to the region’s rich cultural tapestry for a hundred years.”

 

Chairman Philip Bellshaw

Philip Bellshaw has been a keen amateur musician all of his life, playing the violin, piano and organ, singing in numerous choirs and conducting some as well.

Paul Spicer, Conductor

Paul Spicer began his musical training as a chorister at New College, Oxford. He studied with Herbert Howells and Richard Popplewell (organ) at the Royal College of Music in London, winning the top organ award (the Walford Davies Prize) in his final year.

Paul is best known as a choral conductor partly through the fifteen CDs made with the Finzi Singers for Chandos records. He conducted Bach Choirs in Chester and Leicester before moving to conduct the Bach Choir in Birmingham in 1992. He has set up ground-breaking M.Mus courses for choral conductors at both the Royal College of Music and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where he also directs both chamber choirs.

Martyn Rawles, Accompanist

Martyn Rawles is Assistant Director of Music and Organist at Lichfield Cathedral as well as Musical Director of Lichfield Cathedral's Chamber Choir. He began his music career as chorister at St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, where he was inspired to take up the organ by Anthony Pinel. He was subsequently the Burston Organ Scholar at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he read History, serving as Assistant Organist at the Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs in his final year. 2004-06 he was the organ scholar at Gloucester Cathedral, then Assistant Organist at Winchester College.

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Registered Charity Number: 1194569