Patrons

Bob Chilcott
Composer and conductor Bob Chilcott is one of the most widely performed composers of choral music in the world. He has a large collection of works published by Oxford University Press which reflects both a wide taste in music styles and a deep commitment to writing music that is singable and communicative. After a career as a singer, and twelve years as a member of The King’s Singers, he turned to conducting, and between 1997 and 2004 conducted the chorus of The Royal College of Music. Since 2002 he has been Principal Guest Conductor of The BBC Singers. He has conducted choirs in 30 countries over the last decade, recently in Russia, Canada, USA, Japan, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, and Norway.

Iván Fischer
Hungarian conductor and composer Iván Fischer is the founder and Music Director of the Budapest Festival Orchestra as well as the Music Director of the Konzerthaus and Konzerthausorchester Berlin. Other posts he has held include Artistic Director, Music Director and Principal Conductor, Northern Sinfonia (1979 – 82) with Tamás Vásáry; Music Director, Opéra National de Lyon (2000 – 2003); Principal Conductor, National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC (2008 – 2010).
http://www.bfz.hu/en/about-us/ivan-fischer/

David Hill
Choral conductor and organist David Hill was organist and Director of Music at Westminster Cathedral (1982 – 1987); at Winchester Cathedral (1987 – 2002) and at St. John’s College, Cambridge (2003 – 2007). He is currently Chief Conductor of the BBC Singers, Music Director of the Bach Choir and Principal Conductor, Yale Schola Cantorum.

Douglas Coombes
Born in Bristol, conductor and composer Douglas Coombes worked in BBC Education, writing and producing programmes such as “Time and Tune” and “Singing Together”. Later, as a freelance musician he founded the New English Concert Orchestra giving concerts in halls and schools. He directs numerous conducting courses for teachers and choral directors, performs to and with young people, conducts concerts for the UK charity Barbardo’s and is involved with many music organisations, including the Association of British Choral Directors.

George Caird
Since 1970 George Caird has combined a career as an oboist with one as a music educationalist. He taught at the Royal Academy of Music from 1984 and, in 1987, was appointed Head of Woodwind and Orchestral Studies at the RAM. Subsequently he was appointed as Principal of Birmingham Conservatoire (1993 – 2010). In 2011 he was appointed Music Director of the Rotterdam Classical Music Academy (Codarts).

Mrs Sarolta Kodály
Sarolta Kodály is the Hon. President of the International Kodály Society and oversees everything concerning Zoltán Kodály and the work of the Kodály Museum in Budapest.

Gilbert de Greeve
Born in Belgium, Gilbert de Greeve studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Antwerp and in 1970 he was appointed professor there. A former President of the International Kodály Society, he continues to be active as a performer, composer and lecturer and he works tirelessly in the service of music.

Dr. László Norbert Nemes
Dr László Norbert Nemes is leading Director of the Kodály Institute of the Liszt Academy of Music and is the Head of the Kodaly Institute. He is a regular tutor on BKA residential courses.

For a full biography please click here.