Category: Presenter Biography

Born in Pontefract in 1949, Philip was educated at Leeds Grammar School and Keble College, Oxford. Philip attributes the awakening of his interest in composition to Herbert Howells, whose extra-curricular composition classes he attended while a violinist in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. A serious commitment to composition developed during the years at Oxford and, having gained his BMus in composition, Philip continued to write music even while working as a professional violinist (first at Covent Garden and later with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra). He returned to Yorkshire in 1972 and is Principal Lecturer in Composition at the University of Leeds. In recent years, Philip has established a very significant reputation in the field of brass band, wind band and choral music. 

Philip has given much time to writing for liturgical purposes and works include St Paul’s Service (1988) commissioned by St Paul’s Cathedral for John Scott and the Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, and The Trinity Service (1992) commissioned by Norwich Cathedral for the 1992 Norwich Festival of Contemporary Church Music. 

In addition, Philip Wilby has written educational works and incidental music for television. 

Senior Girls and Scholars

Conductor – Thomas Leech
Piano – David Grealy

Leeds Cathedral Choir is made up of seven separate choirs with its membership of around 150 drawn from our whole-class school singing sessions in the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme: the Children’s Choir, for children in the early years of primary school; the Junior Boys Choir and Junior Girls Choirs for children aged 7–11; the Senior Boys Choir and Senior Girls Choir, for children aged 10 and above; the Schools Scholars, for boys with changing voices; and the Choral Scholars, a select group of university and conservatoire students. The senior choirs and scholars sing for the daily choral services of Vespers and Mass at the Cathedral, broadcast regularly on national BBC radio and television, have made many recordings, and take part in tours, concerts and projects with internationally-renowned choral groups, including the Gabrieli Consort and The Sixteen.

The performance at the abcd Convention will be given by the Senior Girls and Scholars, and feature music from their liturgical repertoire from Gregorian Chant to new commissions.

The Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme is recognised as the UK’s leading Catholic singing provision. The programme reaches around 6,500 children across the Diocese every week, both during and outside the school day in over 150 choral groups, including boys’ and girls’ choirs in Bradford, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Keighley, Pontefract, Ripon, Skipton and Wakefield, together with the choirs of Leeds Cathedral. The Catholic Faith is at the heart of all our provision; lifting voices together to God we enrich the children’s faith, evangelise and teach, singing the rich heritage of Catholic sacred music. The schools and choral work during the pandemic received a prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Inspiration Award, with our digital singing sessions and virtual choir recordings receiving over 95,000 views on YouTube. Our choirs, which draw their membership from our whole-class school singing session, sing for Masses and other liturgies, broadcast regularly on national BBC radio and television, have made many recordings, and take part in tours, concerts and projects with internationally-renowned choral groups including the Gabrieli Consort and The Sixteen.

www.dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk

www.schoolssingingprogramme.org.uk

Jennifer is Musicianship Director for the Voices Foundation, which allows her to expand the organisation’s transformational impact on children by building upon existing practice and principles. She worked as a Voices Foundation Practitioner since 2015, after first encountering them when she was a Music Lead in a Lincolnshire primary school.

As a freelance music education specialist and choral instructor, Jennifer has an established reputation for enthusing adults and children to sing and cultivate their musical skills, working with Music Hubs, S.C.I.T.T. schemes, choirs and several successful community projects. She is a conductor and workshop leader for Scunthorpe Cooperative Junior Choir, focusing on outreach to local schools and professional development for teachers. She also currently works as a Music Subject Lead at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, keeping abreast of current education initiatives.

Jennifer began her higher education by reading Music at City University with Voice lessons at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She went on to gain her PGCE at Hull University to become a qualified teacher specialising in the Early Years Foundation Stage.