Richard Nye (New Musical Director )
Richard began his musical life as a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral. Whilst at school, Richard was guided in composing for voices, by the Cheltenham-based composer Tony Hewitt-Jones and he later went on to read music in London.
Whilst in London, Richard studied choral conducting with Richard Stangroom and went on to direct the college choir. Following his studies Richard began a career in teaching that took him from London to Dorset via West Sussex and the Isles of Scilly (where he helped create a music service that is still running to this day). Since 2018, Richard's choral music has been featured at the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music and is published by Banks and Chichester Music Press. A collection of secular choral works will also be available from Tim Knight Music in early 2024. His instrumental work has been performed at London's South Bank Centre and at concert halls as far away as New York and Taipei. More recently, his choral work I Saw a New Heaven was broadcast on Ukrainian radio and his electronic work EXPRSN, was broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
Richard left teaching in 2021, conducting the choir of his school in their carol service at Wimborne Minster on his final day.
He is delighted to now be conducting the Gillingham Singers.
David Grierson (Accompanist)
David is a graduate of both Exeter and London University. He was, for many years, Head of Music and Drama at Shaftesbury School as well as being a part-time OFSTED inspector. Following a lengthy tour of duty in China, where he taught in both international and Chinese schools, he returned to North Dorset in 2009.
David is well known as an accompanist, conductor, musical director, writer and occasional speaker; his exploits whilst overseas were serialised in the Blackmore Vale Magazine, winning him an enthusiastic following!
David founded and leads the Shaftesbury Community Choir and is a member of the Phoenix Café Orchestra and of the sax ensemble Saxophony.