Musical Director

 
Over the 50 years of its history the society has had just 11 Musical Directors. 
1972 - 1977                  David Spencer
1977 - 1985                  David Lock
1985 - 1986                  James Morgan
1986 - 1989                  David Lock
1990 - 1991                  Diana Pogson
1992 - 1993                  Ian Biggs
1993 - 1997                  Adam Murdin
1997 - 1999                  Gordon Wood
1999 - 2004                 Matthew Smallwood
2004 - 2020                 Martin Quinn
2021 -                          Paul Hedley



Our current Music Director, Dr Paul Hedley


Paul Hedley’s musical education began in earnest as a school chorister, and he has been singing at a high level since the age of seven in Chapel and Cathedral Choirs. Ten years in the Oxford choral scene, first as a Choral Scholar then Lay Clerk at Magdalen College, and involvement with many other choirs including Schola Cantorum and Oxford Voices, was followed by time as a Lay Clerk at Gloucester Cathedral. Throughout this period he was developing his conducting, working primarily with Musica Beata, and he ran the Arcadian Singers of Oxford for two seasons. He held the post of Director of Music at All Saints Church, Didcot, and he conducts the Wantage chamber choir The Crown Singers, as well as the Brackley-based chamber choir Consensio.
In August 2021 Paul took up a new post as Assistant Director (Finance and Operations) of the Royal School of Church Music.

Paul is also the Managing Director of Leadership & Performance Developmentan Oxford based coaching and leadership development business, and has a keen interest in the leadership aspects of conducting as well as the musical ones. At a fundamental level, open collaboration is the cornerstone of his approach, whether in one-to-one coaching, business facilitation, making chamber music, or on the conducting rostrum.