Second year of young conductor success
Crouch End Festival Chorus is pleased to announce the appointment of two young musicians who have won places on the choir’s Young Conductor Mentoring Scheme 2020-21.
Seventeen musicians applied to be part of the second year of the educational programme for 18 to 35 year olds. Six were selected for audition and asked to prepare two pieces of music – parts of the Fauré Requiem and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms – and conduct a small choir.
The young conductors selected for 2020-21 are 24-year-old Charlie Perry and 22-year-old Elliot Mercer.
Charlie Perry obtained a B.Mus in Music at the University of Manchester in 2018. He is musical director of Lindow Singers and Cantores Olicanae; assistant conductor of Kinder Youth Choir; and has recently been appointed Director of Music at the Manchester Oratory. In addition, he sings as a professional tenor, most recently with Kantos Chamber Choir.
Charlie said:
"I’m beyond excited to be working with such a prestigious and forward-thinking group. It’s going to be incredible to have a chance to observe and be involved with Crouch End Festival Chorus and David Temple - especially in these uncertain times where musicians need to be more innovative and versatile than ever before."
Elliot Mercer completed a B.Mus in Music in 2020 at the University of Birmingham with his major study in Choral Conducting. During his studies, he conducted the University of Birmingham Music Society Chamber Choir, as well as singing as a bass-baritone in the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. Elliot conducts the community choir People’s Show Choir in Birmingham and is assistant to the CEO for the national music charity, Sing for Pleasure. Since moving to London, he has started teaching in the Music Department at Francis Holland School for Girls.
Elliot said:
"I am so excited to have the opportunity to start working with David Temple and Crouch End Festival Chorus. I relish the chance to further my education and look forward to utilising this opportunity to develop the my own music making, that of Crouch End’s singers and beyond."
The scheme is an opportunity for two talented young musicians, aged 18 to 35, with a passion for conducting to develop their conducting skills under CEFC’s conductor David Temple MBE, in a mentoring programme run by Crouch End Festival Chorus.
This is the second season of the programme, with last year’s young conductors - Mariana Rosas and Matthew Quinn - graduating from the scheme having worked with the choir in rehearsals, concerts and recordings.
