OUR TEAM
OUR PATRON
DEBORAH BULL, BARONESS BULL, CBE
Eye Bach Choir is delighted to have Baroness Bull as its patron. Deborah is an English dancer, writer, and broadcaster and former creative director of the Royal Opera House. She joined King’s College London as Director, Cultural Partnerships in 2012. In 2015 she was appointed as the university’s Assistant Principal (London), in 2018 was named Vice President & Vice-Principal (London) and in 2021 named Vice Principal (Communities & National Engagement) until her departure in July 2022.
CONDUCTOR AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR
BENEDICT COLLINS RICE
Originally from Oxfordshire, Benedict held two conducting scholarships at Cambridge University before continuing his studies with the heads of conducting at the Royal College of Music, Royal Northern College of Music and Vienna University of Music. He studied for a Master’s degree at Birmingham University where, studying under Simon Halsey, he gained the course’s highest-ever conducting mark.
Benedict is founder and artistic director of The Facade Ensemble, which specialises in 20th-century chamber music. They are currently Ensemble-in-Residence at The Courtauld Institute, and enjoying a reputation for ‘razor-sharp’ (The Arts Desk), ‘first-rate’ (MusicOMH), and ‘stunning’ (Robert Hugill) performances.
FORMER CONDUCTOR AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR
LESLIE OLIVE
Leslie Olive was the Choir’s Conductor and Director of Music from January 2007 until December 2024.
Eye Bach Choir is indebted to Leslie for his patient, encouraging direction and pursuit of excellence throughout his time with the choir and which led us to producing music of a very high standard.
For more information about Leslie Olive you might like to have a look at his own website
ACCOMPANISTS
KAREN SMITH – PIANO
Karen Smith was born in London in 1970 and spent her formative years in Waltham Abbey. It was there that her parents nurtured her musical promise by encouraging piano and guitar lessons. Upon moving to Norfolk at the age of 9 she then set about learning the clarinet and saxophone; by the age of 12 Karen had 2 grade 8 Distinctions – including the highest mark in the country for piano.
During her teenage years Karen played in the Norfolk County Youth Orchestra and Wind Band, the National Scout & Guide Concert Band and the National Scout & Guide Orchestra – her first appearance on a vinyl record was with the NS&G Concert Band in 1983.
TIM PATIENT – ORGAN
Tim Patient is the Director of Music at the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Eye, a post he has held since Advent Sunday 2022.
He was born in Chelmsford but moved to Norwich as a child and began his organ studies in 1977 when he became a Norwich Diocesan Organ Scholar, studying with the late Kenneth Ryder at St. Peter Mancroft Church. After leaving school he went to Westhill College of Education, Birmingham, where he trained to be a teacher. He taught for two years in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham before returning to Norfolk in 1989, where he has been music subject leader at two primary schools.
OUR GUEST SOLOISTS
Here are just some of the talented guest soloist, past and present, who have accompanied Eye Bach Choir during concert performances
AMY BUNGARD
SOPRANO
Amy was a chorister at Ely Cathedral for five years and went on to become a founding member of the girls’ choir at St Margaret’s, Westminster.
During her time as a chorister she has sung at venues such as St Paul’s Cathedral and she went on tours to Umbria, Italy and Sicily. She also sang at Pixie Lott’s wedding in Ely Cathedral.
MEGAN BUNGARD
SOPRANO
SARAH GALLOP
SOPRANO
Since completing her MMus in Vocal and Operatic Performance at Birmingham Conservatoire,
soprano Sarah Gallop has performed across the UK and Europe. Sarah took a step back from performing last year, choosing to focus and enjoy the first months of married life.
JAMES MICKLETHWAITE
TENOR
James Micklethwaite, graduated from the Royal College of Music with Distinction. Whilst studying for a degree in Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, he was a member of The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
MADDIE BOREHAM
SOPRANO
Madeline Boreham is currently studying for her Masters degree at the Royal College of Music where she is the Kiri Te Kanawa Scholar and is generously supported by the Josephine Baker Trust and The Countess of Munster Musical Trust.
CHARLOTTE CLAPPERTON
CONTRALTO
Charlotte Clapperton is a mezzo-soprano from Croydon, London and is currently a student at the Royal Academy of Music. She studies with renowned mezzosoprano, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, and repertoire coach, Matthew Fletcher.
MARK SABERTON
BASS
Mark Saberton grew up in Suffolk and currently lives and teaches singing in Sudbury. He has performed with Eye Bach Choir and Leslie Olive on several occasions most recently in Mendelssohn’s Elijah.
ALEX ALDREN
TENOR
Alex originally trained in medicine at the University of Birmingham, and worked as a doctor at the Royal London Hospital for 2 years, before joining the Royal Academy of Music Opera School in 2016. After graduating in 2019 Alex immediately went on to cover Vašek in The Bartered Bride for Garsington Opera Festival and from there to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden,
MIRIAM SHARRAD
CONTRALTO
Miriam made her debut with the Australian Opera Studio where she performed, among other roles, Dinah Trouble in Tahiti, Dulcinée Don Quichotte, and Niklausse/Muse Les Contes d’Hoffmann.
Since settling in the United Kingdom, Miriam has worked with a number of companies, including, The English Touring Opera, …..
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NATALIE WERNER
Natalie Werner is currently working in her newly appointed role as an Alto Vicar Choral at St Edmundsbury Cathedral….
PHEOBE VERNON
Phoebe Vernon is currently in Year 13 at Abbeygate Sixth Form College in Bury St Edmunds, where she is studying for A-Levels in Maths, Chemistry and Psychology.
ANIKA COX
Anika Cox is currently in Year 13 at County High School in Bury St Edmunds, where she is studying for A-Levels in German, French and English Literature., …..
DANIEL BARRETT
BASS
24-year-old Daniel Barrett is a baritone from Glasgow who has just completed his Masters course at the Royal College of Music – graduating with distinction – and studies with Russell Smythe. Daniel is delighted to be a Drapers de Turckheim Scholar and a Drake Calleja Trust Scholar.
