The Music Team and AMVC
Founder – Conductor: Judith Land MA, FRSA, LWCMD, DPSE, Cert Ed.
- Judith was born and raised in Cwmbran and left South Wales to follow a teaching career.
- Founder-Director of Music of Alcester Male Voice Choir
- Studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music Drama, Teacher Training College (Cyncoed) and University of Central England, Birmingham (Music in Education and Music Technology)
- Trained to be a school teacher and was Head of Music teaching to ‘A’Level
- Examiner in Music for GCSE and ‘A’ Level
- External Moderator for Performance Skills and Music Technology.
- Conductor for a variety of BBC Radio programmes (Sunday Half Hour etc)
- Guest Speaker to groups of people interested in the history and development of Alcester Male Voice Choir
- Artistic Director for Alcester Festival of Remembrance
- Leads music work shops
- Cruise Director of Music
- Has attended 2 Garden Parties and a Dinner at Buckingham Palace.
- Judith is married and has two adult daughters.
Elliott Rooney
BA, Dip. ABRSM (performance)
- Elliott joined AMVC team of accompanists in January 2010.
- He started playing the piano at the age of 6, and studied classical piano under Derek Lawrence until he was 18.
- His interest in jazz started when he joined the Warwickshire youth jazz orchestra as a pianist when he was 16.
- He studied Music at Exeter University and played with the university jazz orchestra and numerous jazz quartets in and outside the university.
- Elliott was awarded the Sir Thomas Beecham scholarship for performance in music at Exeter university.
Helen Pugh
B.Mus PGdip ALCM
- Helen joined AMVC team of accompanists 6 years ago.
- She was brought up in Alcester and plays the piano and french horn.
- She studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music in Cardiff
- Helen is currently working for Warwickshire County Music Service teaching brass instruments in schools in and around Warwick.
- She also accompanies dance schools, operatic societies and choirs in the area.
- She is a member of the Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra and has played in prestigious venues including Westminster Abbey, St David’s Hall, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre and underneath the Statue of Liberty!
- Helen is married and has a daughter.
Sue Underwood
B.Ed ALCM
- Sue joined AMVC team of accompanists 11 years ago and recently returned to work fulltime.
- She is an enthusiastic and accomplished piano accompanist and has worked with many different choral groups and soloists.
- Over the past 30 years she has played all kinds of music, from operatic choruses and arias, to jazz, hymns, and music from the shows.
- She trained as a music teacher and had a change of career and moved into the world of computers working in the IT Department of one of the country’s biggest teaching unions. She now works as a co-ordinator of programmes.
- Sue is married and has a daughter and son.
- Rehearsals: Weds in Alcester Baptist Church at 7.30pm – Monday evenings 8pm (optional)
- We are encouraged by our audiences who tell us that they enjoy our choice of programmes and that we perform with energy, passion and enthusiasm!
- The raising of thousands of pounds in aid of a variety of charities makes our performances very meaningful. There is no fee for engaging the choir.
- A stable number of 80+ choristers is maintained.
- We offer opportunities to very many young talented singers and encourage amateur performers to work along the side of professional performers.
- We have sung with Katherine Jenkins, Dame Shirley Bassey and Willard White and well known British male voice choirs.
- Concert venues include prestigious venues in the UK and abroad.