Meet the Committee
Peter Shipp - President
I am Peter Shipp and from 1997 I owned the bus company East Yorkshire Motor Services where we were happy to support the HCU. I sold the company and retired in 2018 and have been delighted to maintain the connection as I love music and especially classical music.
Helen Farrall - Chair
I’m Helen and Chair the Executive Committee which manages the choir. I enjoy running and playing the piano (but not at the same time!!).
Suzanne Brown
- General Secretary
I’m Suzanne and I am your first point of contact if you want to join the choir. I enjoy growing vegetables, cycling and the countryside, especially the Yorkshire Dales. I also speak 3 languages, very useful for choral singing!
Laurence Rugg - Orchestra Secretary
I’m Laurence, accompanist and orchestra secretary. I am a keen pianist and cellist. I am also an enthusiastic gardener. My taste in music is dominated by a love of opera and I am a regular visitor to Opera North, English National Opera and Covent Garden. I bake my own bread and love unwinding with a baking session and glass or a few of red wine.
Robert Shooter
I’m Robert and I am a tenor in Hull Choral Union. Previously I have been a tenor in the Halle Choir and other choirs and opera chorus and I have the LRAM as a Singing Performer. I also like playing piano and during lockdown passed Grade 8 piano, with teaching and encouragement from Paul Dewhurst. I love walking, gardening, creative writing, going to drama, classical concerts and opera.
Sandra Medforth - Librarian
I am Sandra and the librarian of the Choir. This involves collecting and distributing the music, which we mostly hire from the excellent Encore Music Services, Hull Culture and Leisure. I had not done any choir singing since school days, but like singing, so when I retired I decided to join Hull Choral Union!
Nick Wright
Hi, I`m Nick and have been a Tenor singing member for over 50 years!
My wife is also a singing member, and our son was a member too prior to going to music college.
I have seen massive changes in musical tastes over this time and my aim is to help HCU adapt to these changes in audience expectations and preferences for us to continue to provide high quality performances in our region.
Richard O’Connor - Friends Secretary
I'm Richard, the Friends Secretary for the choir. If you or someone you know would like to support us as a Friend of the Hull Choral Union, please get in touch (HullChoralUnion.Friends@gmail.com). I'm a bass in the choir and also enjoy gardening and learning Chinese."
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