Our Musical Director

           Neil Morton in 2023

The leadership of the Choir has been taken up by Neil Morton, pictured above. Neil is a long-standing friend and past leader who returned to the role of Musical Director in 2018 to assist the Choir in meeting its commitment for the foreseeable future.

 

He is no stranger to the Choir and brings his musicality, experience together with his unusual wit and charm that makes performances and rehearsals a pleasure.

Neil reflected ‘We have a book in the choir. A register of Choir subs and attendance going back over the years. I was shocked to see, on a page from a bygone year, my own name appears. I flicked through and found the tick acknowledging my first rehearsal in 1992 when I was a lad of 14 years.

‘They say time flies when you’re having fun. As I look back over my time with the choir, spread out over the last three decades, some sitting with the bass section, some behind the piano and several standing at the front, I see what they mean. A proud history of local service and comradery, hundreds of concerts and fun filled Thursday nights sharing the love of song.’

 Neil Morton at Rehearsal in 2024

Our Accompanist

 Derek Brett at Rehearsal in 2017

Derek Brett pictured above during an Ashington & District Male Voice Choir rehearsal in March 2017.

After graduating from the London College of Music and the University of Ulster, Derek began his musical career as a trombonist and pianist in HM Band of the Irish Guards. He has taught music in special schools both in London and the North East and after completing an MA in Cultural Management at the University of Northumbria, had a spell working in venue management in both theatre and cinema.

Derek has always enjoyed accompanying and as well as playing for ADMVC, was the accompanist for Lemington Male Voice Choir in Newcastle (who have sadly disbanded) and has also played for Newcastle Musical Theatre Company, West End Operatic Society, Whitley Bay Operatic Society and numerous instrumental examinations and school concerts and productions.

           Derek Brett in 2023