Zoë Maitland - Soprano
Zoë Maitland studied at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. Her teachers have included the late Mary Thomas, Alison Pearce and (currently) Judith Sheridan. Her operatic roles have included Cherubino, Dido, Gretel and Antonia (Tales of Hoffmann) for Opera Glass. She has been a soloist with the Morriston Orpheus Choir and with the New Zealand Chamber Orchestra (in Bach’s Magnificat), where her voice was hailed by the Dominion Post as “a soprano of beauty and evenness”.

Zoë’s current projects include solo recitals, choral and solo function work for Lyrica .com, and creating the highly successful toddlers’ singing club, ‘Jumblies’, in Harrow and Langford (Somerset). Zoë comes from Wrington, but now lives in Langford with her husband, Ian, an organist, and their three small children.
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Iain MacLeod-Jones - Tenor
Iain sang as a chorister from the age of eight. He began his studies at Bristol University in medicine, but became involved in the University’s musical life, took an Honours degree in music and studied for his Masters. As well as singing in the Choir at Wells, Iain is in demand as a soloist, and also conducts the Mid-Wessex Singers.

Recent solo engagements include Bach Mass in B minor with Emma Kirkby and Bath Camerata at Sherborne Abbey; Mozart Litanie de venerabili altaris Sacramento in Liverpool, Bach Magnificat and Handel Dixit Dominus in Glastonbury; Bach St John Passion in Bristol Cathedral; Bach Eastertide Cantatas and Easter Oratorio in Rome and Umbria, and the Gounod Saint Cecilia Mass for Chew Valley Choral! Future engagements include the 1610 Vespers by Monteverdi, Bach Mass in A, and D’Astorga Stabat Mater.

Operatic work has included the lead rôle in Philip Glass’ Satyagraha in the International Philip Glass Festival in Alkmaar, Holland; Tom Rakewell in an acclaimed production of Stravinsky’s Rake’s Progress in Bristol, and Azraël in Debussy’s L’Enfant Prodigue. Iain has appeared in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and on recordings both as a choir member and, to critical acclaim, as a soloist on the Hyperion, Priory, Lammas, Cantoris & Herald labels.
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Stephen Foulkes - Bass-Baritone

Stephen Foulkes sang for ten years as a lay-clerk with Bristol Cathedral Choir and is currently Bass Vicar-Choral with Wells Cathedral Choir. He is a regular soloist with choral societies around the UK and has made many broadcasts and recordings. His extensive repertoire includes works by Bach, Dvorak, Tavener and Finzi in venues as varied as Cologne, Amsterdam, New York and Nymberg in the Czech Republic.

Stephen’s performances in the UK have included most of the great works, from Handel's Messiah in Edinburgh to Monteverdi's Vespers in Truro. In 2005 he was guest soloist with the Silver Ring Choir of Bath on a tour of the Far East and New Zealand. In addition to his concert work, Stephen has sung as principal in opera, and has regularly appeared as judge and recitalist in competitions for song composers under the auspices of the English Poetry and Song Society.

Outside music his interests are mainly water-based, thanks to a previous occupation as a police frogman, and sailing remains his favourite relaxation. Waterside pubs are also a great attraction! He also enjoys horse-riding and has had a book published on the history of the Mounted Police in Bristol to mark their recent centenary. For more details visit www.stephenfoulkes.com
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David Bednall - Organist
David Bednall is a busy composer & organist, combining an extensive freelance career with being Sub Organist at Bristol Cathedral and PhD Studies at the University of Bristol. Between 2002 and 2007 he was at Wells Cathedral, first as Sub Organist and then Assistant Organist, accompanying the Choirs for daily Services and concerts, and on radio and television. He also made a number of recordings with the Cathedral Choir and Chamber Choir.

Born in 1979, David studied in Sherborne and Queen’s College, Oxford where he was Organ Scholar. In 2000 the Chapel Choir toured Paris under his direction, singing at Notre Dame and other venues. Appointed Organ Scholar at Gloucester Cathedral, in 2000, he spent periods as Acting Director of Music, was closely involved in the Three Choirs Festival, & in a critically acclaimed recording of Comfort and Joy with the Saint Cecilia Singers.

David was a prize-winner in Improvisation and Performance at the examination for Fellow of The Royal College of Organists in 2002, and has given recitals at L’Église de La Trinité, Paris, Westminster, St Paul’s, and many other cathedrals. He is also a busy composer and Wells Cathedral Choir under Matthew Owens has recorded a critically acclaimed CD of his choral music entitled Hail, gladdening Light for Regent Records which was Editor’s Choice in Gramophone. More information can be found online at www.davidbednall.com
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The 1859 WALKER ORGAN
An organ is mentioned in All Saints’ in 1636, when 2s.0d was paid for its repair! After 1640, however, no further reference is made it. Did it succumb to old age, or could there have been a more sinister reason for its disappearance from the records, connected with the rise of Puritanism?

For the next 200 years there is no mention of any organ until the present fine instrument was installed 1859 by the renowned organ builder J W Walker and Sons of London. Initially, as in many churches, it was placed under the tower. Then in 1880 it was enlarged and moved to its present position, which was until then the Lady Chapel.

It is tracker action with two manuals and a radiating pedal-board. There are 1,072 pipes, with 8 ranks on the Great, 8 on the Swell, and 2 on the Pedals, both 16ft, and 3 couplers. It has been rightly described as “small but beautifully formed”, and is admired for its very fine tonal qualities, being particularly suited to the music of Bach and Handel. The full spec is available ‘on-line’ via the National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR) on http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N05648
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OFFICERS of the SOCIETY

President:      Vera Perry 01934-862292
Chairman:       Paul Norcross 01934-863607  e-mail: anorcrossuk@yahoo.com
Hon Secretary:         Fiona Matley 01934-862578  e-mail: choral@wrington.org.uk
Patrons’ Secretary: Sheila Keys 01934-862721  e-mail: choral@wrington.org.uk
Hon Treasurer:        Tony Moorby 01934-852567
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THIS EVENING’S SINGERS

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OUR NEXT EVENT
Singing at the Service of Lessons and Carols by Candlelight 7pm Sunday, 21st December, at All Saints’, Wrington, followed by mulled wine and mince pies.
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PATRONS
We are very grateful to our Patrons who provide v ital financial & practical support for our activities:

Mr & Mrs D Aliband, Mr H Ashman, Mr L Buck, Mr A Burn, Mrs B Coates, Mr & Mrs M Collins, Mr & Mrs Denny, Mr & Mrs P Durie, Mr & Mrs D Excell, Mrs H Ellis, Mr & Mrs J Filmer, Mr & Mrs T Flaherty, Mrs S Gill, Mrs M Hall, Mr & Mrs W Harding, Miss R Hardwick, Mr & Mrs I Harris, Mrs R Hodges, Mr R Holmes, Mrs S Hooper, Mrs N Hurd, Miss E Irving, Mr & Mrs G Lankester, Mr & Mrs J Ledbury, Mr & Mrs D McGill, Mr & Mrs J Maggs, Dr P Marsh, Mr & Mrs G Matthews, Mr & Mrs F Montagu, Mr & Mrs P Owen, Mrs E Owens, Mr & Mrs D Parkes, Mr & Mrs B Patterson, Mr & Mrs J G Pearson, Mr & Mrs O Perks, Mr & Mrs P Robinson, Mrs J Smith, Mr & Mrs C Sykes, Revd & Mrs P Thorburn, Mr T Vaughan, Mrs P Wathen

For a minimum donation of £10, patrons are entitled to discounted tickets for the Society's performances,
including the annual Musical Evening in the summer with food and drink.

If you would like to become a Patron, or simply know more, please contact Sheila Keys on 01934-862721, or e-mail: choral@wrington.org.uk