Committee
Officers
We have 4 officers who are responsible for running the choir.
Nicki Little
Acting Chair / Vice Chair
I first joined the choir around 20 years ago, just as Giles Turner was starting his time as our conductor. I immediately found the experience of rehearsing and performing with the choir challenging but also immensely rewarding. Within a couple of years I was persuaded to join the Committee and I soon became Secretary, a post which I held for nine years. Although extremely time-consuming the Secretary role enabled me to get to know all members very well and to appreciate what a wide range of interesting, sociable and committed singers they are. Singing under Giles and then Richard Laing has certainly helped me to raise my musical game and to improve my sight reading (although I’m still not anything like perfect!). It has also introduced me to a wonderfully wide range of music from pre-Bach to 21st century. Wednesday evenings are the only fixed point in my otherwise fluid life as a freelance education consultant and ‘serial volunteer’! Every concert has brought its own challenges and rewards and I look forward to many more happy years with the Leicester Bach Choir.
Gail Hobbs
Secretary
I joined the Leicester Bach Choir in 2011 after attending a delightfully entertaining and musically satisfying LBC Come and Sing, working on the Puccini Gloria. On retiring from primary school teaching it was lovely to walk away from a world of little leisure time and performance targets and engage in the pleasure and excitement of real performance – of superb choral music! It has been a joy to sing again, participate in LBC concerts and make new friends. I’ve also returned to my first ‘incarnation’ as a pianist and I now work as a piano teacher and accompanist, as well as spending far too much time with three delightful grandchildren! It is a great privilege now, as Secretary, to be helping to ease this wonderful, long lived institution, which is the Leicester Bach Choir, into a thriving organisation for the future (Secretary since 2017).
Mike Randle
Treasurer
I first became aware of the Leicester Bach Choir when my wife, Yvonne, joined in 1971. After several years of child-minding duties on Wednesday nights and concert days, I started to go to all of the concerts.
In the mid-1990s I became Front of House manager for the Choir, and when John Comyn resigned as Treasurer I took over this role as well, a position which I held for 9 years until 2009. At that time, I also relinquished my Front of House position, having done this for 14 years.
My working background was in finance as a bank manager with HSBC. When I took early retirement, I changed direction and took on the challenge of teaching ICT at Loughborough College. Since full retirement, I have been able to concentrate on my roles as Chair of Governors of a primary school and Treasurer of a local, 250 strong, community choir.
Although I have no musical ability, I appreciate the importance of music. Our 3 daughters all played at least two instruments as they were growing up, and all now teach music in their professional lives.
I am delighted once again to be part of this wonderful Choir (albeit in a non-singing role!).
Management Committee
A management committee is responsible for running the choir in conjunction with the six other trustees comprised of the Officers and Trustees.
In addition to the officers listed, Trustees are Pat Taylor (Friends), Jenny Casboult (Concert Manager) and singers’ representatives: Paul Leonard-Williams, Angela Zemlak, Jacquie Burden, and Jenny Wilkinson. Tim Healy and Helen Scott are co-opted members. The Music Director Richard Laing is an ex officio member.
The committee meets on a regular basis and holds an Annual General Meeting in September each year. Any member who would like an issue raised at a committee meeting should contact the Secretary in writing one week before the meeting.
Trustees Meeting and AGM – Wednesday 27th September 2023.
Constitution: Please click here to view (PDF).
The choir also has a distinguished President, Joanne Lunn, who comes from Leicester and has been a significant supporter of LBC.
Charitable Status
The Leicester Bach Choir is a registered charity, number: 501890.
We have a stated aim to educate the public about Choral Music.