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Musical Director
Brought up in the village of Crowle - between Doncaster and Scunthorpe - he claims to be a Lincolnshire lad or a Yorkshire lad, whichever is convenient. He learned to play the trombone at the age of nine and the piano at the age of twelve.
He moved into 6th form college when he was 17 and joined the college choir after his first singing lesson. His singing teacher was the well known Sue Hollingsworth, a regular judge on BBC's 'Choir of the Year' competition.
After moving on to Bretton University College he became MD of the Rodillion Singers, a ladies' choir from West Yorkshire,a choir which had some success in the Sainsbury's Choir of the Year competition.
He left that post after 13 years and moved to North Yorkshire to teach and where he took up the baton once again as MD with the Alverton Singers, another ladies' choir, from Northallerton.
Apart from his involvement with the Apollo he directs a Gospel choir in North Yorkshire and teaches music at St. David's school in Acklam, Middlesbrough.
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Diane Leek
Diane joined the choir in 2001 as guest soprano and is now accepted as an integral part of the Apollo. Her singing, which includes solos, duets and ensemble pieces, continues to delight our audiences. For many years Diane studied with Betty Middleton of Saltburn and still sings with the Middleton Festival choir. She also performs with "Pieces of Eight" and "Renaissance". |
Julia Weeks
Julia has been our guest on a number of occasions over the past two years and in 2003 she made her first appearance in our Annual Concerts. She studied with Betty Middleton M.B.E. of Saltburn and for many years sang with the Middleton singers and the Middleton Festival Choir. Being a founder, she now sings with a relatively new ladies' ensemble - 'Renaissance'
No doubt she will guest on many future occasions with the choir. |
Martin Dack
Ater studying pianoforte with Gadys Kirkham, Martin discovered the joy of accompanying whilst at college. Since then he has developed a truly wide repertoire, confident in any styleor period of music, to become one of the North's most talented and sought after acompanists.
He regularly works with choirs, opera groups, instrumentalists, music societies and solo singers at both professional and amateur level.
He is a member of the accompanying crew of 'Sing Live U.K.' and works with the students at Northumbria University.
Martin is a versatie musician, who in addition to accompanying and performing, writes his own music and arrangements, is Musical Director of 'Upper Circle and often plays for hours at a time at wedding receptions and corporate entertainment venues.
During the B.B.C. Choir of the Year competition Martin was singled out by the adjudicators for his excellent technique and sensitivity.
After 32 years as a primary school teacher, martin has chosen to devote all of his time to a career in professional music.
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