Music Directors
Fiona Firth (soprano) studied at Guildhall School of Music, Trinity College of Music and the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatorio, Milan. Her solo operatic career has seen her perform throughout Europe, including English National Opera and Bayreuth Festival. She has performed widely in the UK, has recorded for BBC Radio and given several British premieres. Fiona is in demand as a singing teacher and workshop leader with many private students going on to perform professionally. She was Sing Up Area Leader for Bucks and Milton Keynes and has raised hundreds of pounds for charities through community performances. As Director of Singers4all she conducts children's and adult's choirs and provides high quality performers for events.
Edwin Pitt Mansfield trained at Junior Guildhall and then Trinity College of Music and has sung with many of the UK’s professional choirs and opera companies. These have included Opera Holland Park, Raymond Gubbay, The Armonico Consort and many of London’s professional church choirs. In addition to a busy private practice in Watford, he is teacher of singing at Stowe School, Sir Henry Floyd Grammar, Morley College, Waddesdon School and conducts the choirs for Amersham Music Centre. He is an Examiner for Trinity College London and the South East Area Representative for The Association of Teachers of Singing.
Sponsors and Patrons
Voice Bucks Youth Choir is privileged to have the support of many professionals who are passionate about youth singing. It plays an important part in strengthening the choral provision in Buckinghamshire and is working with other organisations including the Bucks Music Hub, Milton Keynes Music Hub, Chiltern Music Academy, the National Trust and schools and colleges in the region.
Patron Rosemary Joshua is considered one of Britain's finest "Baroque" sopranos and enjoys an international reputation. She has made many recordings and works with the world’s top conductors both on the operatic stage and in concert.
Patron Rosemary Joshua is considered one of Britain's finest "Baroque" sopranos and enjoys an international reputation. She has made many recordings and works with the world’s top conductors both on the operatic stage and in concert.
Patron John Daszak is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most versatile tenors with key successes in recent seasons in Wozzeck in Berlin with Daniel Barenboim, and in performances at The Royal Opera House, La Scala and The Metropolitan Opera House, New York.
Patron John Daszak is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most versatile tenors with key successes in recent seasons in Wozzeck in Berlin with Daniel Barenboim, and in performances at The Royal Opera House, La Scala and The Metropolitan Opera House, New York.
Support
VBYC Coordinator Heather Ashford studied French and History at Warwick University , and is now working for a master's degree in Ethnomusicology at The School of Oriental and African Studies. She has been singing since the age of 7, and has always had a very active musical life in local choirs and music groups. Asides from singing with the London Symphony Chorus Heather also plays piano, viola and saxophone. She took part in the VBYC 2015 Summer Course.