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Photographs from our 80th Anniversary concert,
St. George's Church, Edgbaston, 11th May 2019.
Above: Quinborne Choir
Opposite from left to right: Terence Ayebare (bass), Darren Hogg (organ), Elouise Waterhouse (mezzo-soprano), Nicola Starkie (conductor), Abigail Kelly (soprano), Nicholas Drew (tenor), Matthew Frost (trumpet).
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Our Musical Director
Nicola Starkie is a versatile musician with a huge passion for choral music. An inspiring and experienced conductor, she enjoys working with professional and amateur singers of all ages and levels of experience and is known for her encouraging approach, attention to detail and imaginative programming.
Alongside her work with Quinborne Choir, Nicola is Musical Director of Ludlow Choral Society and Quinton Community Choir, which she founded in 2006. Nicola teaches Music at Edgbaston High School for Girls and directs the 100-strong boys’ choir at King Edwards School, Birmingham. She also sings with acclaimed choir Ex Cathedra and enjoys arranging and composing.
Nicola studied Music at Downing College, Cambridge where she was Organ Scholar and responsible for directing the Chapel Choir. She trained as a secondary music teacher at Birmingham City University.
After a career break to be at home with her three children during their pre-school years, Nicola studied Choral Conducting at Birmingham Conservatoire where she was the recipient of the MMus Course Prize and the Michael Beech Conducting Award. Her principal studies in Choral Conducting were with
Paul Spicer and she also received vocal coaching from Maureen Brathwaite. During this time, Nicola formed Polaris, an upper voices ensemble specialising in music from the Baltics and Eastern Europe.
While choral music has become Nicola’s main area of musical interest, she is glad to keep her hand in as an accompanist for soloists or ensembles and is part of the music team at her local parish church.
Outside of music, Nicola is busy with family life and loves cycling and walking in the countryside.
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Our Accompanist
Darren Hogg was born and educated in Birmingham. He trained at Birmingham Conservatoire from 1989 to 1993 studying organ, harpsichord and piano accompaniment with David Ponsford and David Saint.
Darren is currently Organist at St Leonard's Church, Frankley, having previously held posts at Halesowen Parish Church (St John the Baptist), St Augustine's Church, Edgbaston and St Alban's Church, Conybere Street, Birmingham. He is one of two Organists at Lodge Hill Crematorium, Selly Oak, Birmingham and deputises at Birmingham Cathedral, the Blue Coat School and St Mary's Collegiate Church, Warwick. He is Accompanist / Assistant Director of Music for Birmingham Choral Union, Solihull Chandos Choir and the Quinborne Choir and often works with the City of Birmingham Choir, The CBSO chorus, Birmingham Festival Choral Society, the Armonico Consort, Notorius Choir and Sing Live UK. He was Accompanist / Assistant Director of Music for the Midland Music Makers Grand Opera Society (now Midland Opera) from 1992-2002. He has performed with many other societies in the Midlands, including the Birmingham Bach Choir, the Canoldir Male Voice Choir and the Heart of England Singers. He has featured as Organist on BBC One Songs of Praise, Radio Two Sunday Half Hour, and Radio Four Daily Service.
Darren has won various competitions, including the 1991 Birmingham and Midland Institute (B.M.I.) Organ Performance Prize, and the 1992 Gordon Clinton English Song Competition Piano Accompanist Prize.
Darren regularly gives recitals. Past venues have included, Lichfield Cathedral, Birmingham Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey, Leominster Priory, St Martin's in the Bullring (Birmingham Parish Church), St Alphege Solihull (Solihull Parish Church), St Alban's Church Conybere Street, St Augustine's Church Edgbaston, Halesowen Parish Church and Bournville Friends Meeting House.
From 1994-2001 Darren was a tutor of Organ and Piano at the Birmingham Conservatoire Junior School. He now runs his own private teaching practice (Organ, Music Theory and Piano). He is a member of the Birmingham Organists' Association and has also served on the Association council. In 1992, the Association awarded Darren the Leonard Gibbons Memorial Prize for Young Organists.
Darren is a full member of the Musician's Union (M.U.) and is married to Barbara, a Mezzo-Soprano and primary school teacher. They have a daughter, Abigail, who was born in November 2004.
Outside the world of music, Darren and Barbara are members of the Campaign for Real Ale (C.A.M.R.A.).
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