Our Musical Director - Gillian Hope
Gill joined the Shirley Singers as Musical Director in September 2021. Gill's love of music began as a child which resulted in her winning a scholarship to The Royal College of Music, from where she went to study music at Bristol University and piano with Phyllis Sellick.
As well as presenting many concerts over the years with Coloma choirs, including The Fairfield Halls, Festival Hall, The Royal Albert Hall, Barbican and Birmingham Symphony Hall, Gill has maintained her own performing career by participating in choral events, festivals and cathedral residencies all over the country.
Living locally, it has been a particular pleasure to be working with colleagues from Coloma (where she spent a very happy 40 years teaching in the Music Department) and other musical colleagues in the borough, as well as making plenty of new friends, from amongst the choir.
Gill is enjoying accompanying instrumentalists, singers and choirs in concerts and exams, as well as directing other choral groups, such as the East Surrey Choral Society and the Coast Hill Singers.
Our Accompanist - Ramon Davis
Ramon graduated with a BA (Hons) in Music from the University of Southampton in 2006, where he studied Classical Piano Performance under the mentorship of David Owen Norris, alongside Jazz and Popular Music Performance with Dave Marchant. During his undergraduate studies, he developed a strong reputation as a versatile and sensitive piano accompanist, working with a wide range of ensembles and genres, from gospel choirs to musical theatre.
Alongside his work s an accompanist, Ramon has conducted several choirs, including the Elmbridge Ladies Choir (now Cobham Ladies Choir), and has served as musical director for numerous amateur productions, including Little Shop of Horrors, a 24-hour performance of Beauty and the Beast and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Following a year working in industry, Ramon completed a PGCE in Secondary music at the University of Reading and has been a qualified music teacher since 2008. He is currently Head of Music in a state secondary school in Surrey and has also worked as a Specialist Leader of Education within one of the largest multi-academy trusts in the country, supporting music education across multiple schools.
Ramon is delighted to be working with the Shirley Singers and is looking forward to contributing to the choir's musical life from the piano.