Reading Bach Choir


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“...exciting times ahead”

Matthew read music at Worcester College, Oxford, where he held both Instrumental and Choral Scholarships, before taking a Masters degree in Composition at the University of Manchester. In September 2008 he began postgraduate studies in Choral Conducting at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, where he was awarded a full scholarship for studies with Adrian Partington and Simon Halsey.

In 2009 Matthew was selected to participate in the Eric Ericson Masterclass, where he worked with the Netherlands Chamber Choir and Netherlands Radio Choir, with teachers Jos van Veldhoven and Stephen Cleobury. In the UK, he has taken part in masterclasses at Dartington, and in 2010 will represent the RWCMD in Simon Carrington's conducting class as part of the Three Choirs Festival.

For two years Matthew was Musical Director of Ad Solem - The University of Manchester Chamber Choir, with whom he broadcast for BBC television and radio, in addition to a series of adventurous concert programmes.

In 2008-09 he worked as Chorus Master for the world premiere of Rambert Dance Company's choral-orchestral-dance work 'Eternal Light', and was subsequently invited to chorus-master touring productions of the piece. He is currently Assistant Musical Director for St George's Singers (Cheshire), and, in addition to his appointment at Reading Bach Choir, has recently been appointed Director of the Royal School of Church Music's 'RSCM Voices'.

As a composer, Matthew has performances to his name by ensembles including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's Ensemble 10/10, Ensemble Isis, and Chetham's Chamber Choir. His composition teachers were Robert Saxton at Oxford and John Casken at Manchester, and he has participated in workshops and masterclasses with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Martin Bresnick and Guy Newbury.

Matthew is deeply committed to music education, and leads singing workshops in Greater Manchester primary and secondary schools as part of the 'Sing Up!' initiative.

Music Director Elect- Matthew Hamilton

“...exciting times ahead”