Chair - Alan Ford
Alan is our enthusiastic chairman and a very experienced choral and operatic baritone.
Whilst studying medicine in London, he sang with the BBC Chorus, participating in many Proms.
As a soloist, he has performed in the Faure Requiem, Dvorak Te Deum and the Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols. Opera roles have included the Vicar in Oxford Opera Studio’s production of Britten’s Albert Herring, Noye in Noye’s Fludde and Falke in Die Fledermaus.
Alan regularly attended the AIMS International Summer School between 2000 and 2017, performing operatic solo roles in Falstaff, Cendrillon, Albert Herring, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Trial by Jury, The Bartered Bride, Menotti’s “The Medium” and Sondheim’s “Sweeny Todd”. He has subsequently attended Oxenfoord Summer School where he has had masterclasses with Dame Ann Murray, John Mark Ainsley, Malcolm Martineau, Nicky Spence and Mary King.
He enjoys singing Art Song (especially English) and German Lieder. He has given Recitals at Romsey Abbey, Christ Church, Freemantle, Southampton and Brockenhurst Village Hall.
Most recently he performed as a soloist at a Military Wives concert on November 11th 2022 at the Army Flying Museum at Middle Wallop, singing songs written by composers who were killed in (George Butterworth) or hugely damaged by (Ivor Gurney) the Great War.
Alan also plays the violin and is chair not only of our choir but also the New Forest Orchestra and Brockenhurst Music Society.