Who’s who?
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC – SEB GILLOT
Seb Gillot is a conductor and keyboard player specialising in early repertories. A multiple prize-winner at FRCO and Silver Medallist of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, he is in high demand as a continuo player and accompanist for a number of ensembles including The Hanover Band, Eboracum Baroque and the Hampstead Collective. He is a founder member of Endelienta Baroque, a period-instrument ensemble performing a wide variety of baroque music and delivering educational projects up and down the country. He was Music Director for HGO’s production of Venus & Adonis/Dido & Aeneas (2022) and returns in April 2024 to conduct the company’s production of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen. When not in front of a keyboard or a choir, he spends his time outdoors walking or running, learning Welsh, and making rudimentary (often unsuccessful!) attempts at green woodworking, though not all at the same time.
SOPRANO CHORAL SCHOLAR – MACKENZIE KAVANAGH
VALERIE BOYES SOPRANO CHORAL SCHOLAR – HOLLY FRY
Holly began singing in 2012 when she joined the Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers and in 2016 was selected as an inaugural member of their all-girls chamber choir, Angelicus Celtis with whom she sang in venues across the UK including The Royal Hospital (Chelsea), Manchester Cathedral, London Palladium, St. David’s Hall (Cardiff), House of Lords and Birmingham Hippodrome.
Holly’s church music journey began in 2014 when she joined a local church choir. In 2023, she became a member of The Royal School of Church Music Millennium Youth Choir, with whom she has attended residencies at Lichfield, Newcastle and Durham Cathedrals.
Holly is currently an undergraduate student at Royal Holloway, University of London where she sings with The Founder’s Choir and The Raven Opera Company. During her first year she was given a range of singing opportunities, including singing solos in evensongs at The Chapel Royal, Southwark Cathedral and St George’s Chapel (Windsor Castle), playing a Little Cupid in ‘Venus and Adonis’ and going on tour to Berlin.
COUNTERTENOR CHORAL SCHOLAR – TOBY WRIGHT
I am a countertenor, organist, pianist and harpsichordist and I’ve played nearly 800 organs in venues across the UK. During sixth form, I was a music scholar at St. Edward’s School, Oxford where I achieved three Grade 8’s for singing, organ and piano and an A* in A-Level Music. I am currently studying Music at Royal Holloway, University of London where I recently achieved a first class mark in my first year undergraduate music performance exam. In addition to being a musician, I’m a runner and swimmer and I have run over 400 parkruns.
TENOR CHORAL SCHOLAR – VACANT
NICK CARPENTER BASS CHORAL SCHOLAR – JACK ROLLS
For over decade of his life, Jack has been singing with a variety of school and independent choirs in a variety of settings performing services and recitals. As a member of Monmouth School for Boys chapel choir, he has sung in dozens of churches, cathedrals, abbeys and other venues across Europe and the UK; including St Peter’s Basilica, St Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey. Jack is also a keen flautist and has performed in several orchestral settings.
Jack is currently in his second year of study at Royal Holloway University of London studying music. Outside of his studies, Jack is the conductor for the second year running and now general manager of one of the University’s official choirs, Jane Holloway choir, with which he teaches and conducts a variety of music from baroque hymns, to musical numbers, to his own compositions.
Outside of University, as well as being St Mary Magdalene’s Bass scholar, Jack sings for a variety of different choirs, schools, and companies; including the RSCM’s Millenium Youth Choir, the Rodolfus Choir, and Morely College London.
SENIOR ORGAN SCHOLAR – CLAUDIA BURGESS
Claudia began her organ studies in 2022, later being awarded the Neville Mansell Memorial Organ Scholarship at St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Brentwood, in September that year. During her first year at university, Claudia played at St John’s, Egham where she was the first to be awarded the newly created organ scholarship.
Claudia is a First-Study Organist at Royal Holloway University of London where she studies History and Music. She is the assistant organist of the Founders Choir and a former accompanist of Jane Holloway Choir. Alongside playing the organ and piano, she is developing an interest in choral conducting and is a member of Royal Holloway’s Conducting Collective.
JUNIOR ORGAN SCHOLAR – TOMÁS ESCOBAR
