Musical Direction

Jill NeenanJill Neenan is the choir’s Musical Director.  She graduated from the University of Warwick with a BA Honours degree in Music and Drama and, following this, she went on to study advanced vocal technique with Annette Thompson at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.  Jill has experience in a variety of musical genres, including classical, musical theatre, opera and pantomime.  She has performed as a Principal Soloist at the London Palladium and, as a soprano, has taken a number of leading roles in musical theatre, including: ‘Maria’ in West Side Story, ‘Jenny Lind’ in Barnum and ‘Mabel’ in The Pirates of Penzance.  She recently was ‘Annie’ in a local musical production of Calendar Girls. Jill also performed at the Schönbruun Palace in Vienna as part of her international Christmas tour.  She also regularly performs at weddings, christenings and funerals, along with engagements at charity events, concerts, oratorios and numerous corporate events throughout the UK.  In addition to her solo career, Jill has trained and conducted prize-winning choirs of all ages; these have ranged from small madrigal and close-harmony ensembles, to mass choirs of over 400 singers.  For more than 20 years, Jill has taught piano, flute, theory, singing and musical theatre, up to Diploma level.  Jill also composes music for voice and piano and has quite recently toured Ifs, Buts & Babies – a two woman show – with co-writer Avelia Moisey.

IMG_0225 (1)Wendy Lambros is the choir’s accompanist.  Wendy would describe herself as having many ‘strings to her bow’ within the music field.  The instruments she plays have included the piano, cello, double bass, baritone horn, and euphonium.  For over 30 years she has worked as a teacher of piano, singing and lower strings as well as directing and arranging music for various groups and choirs around schools and local authorities.

Having started piano and cello lessons at the ages of 6 and 7 respectively, at age 12 Wendy gained a place at the Purcell School of Music.  On becoming a double bass player she soon earned a place in the National Youth Orchestra and went on to graduate from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.  During her formative years, Wendy had the opportunity to play under world class conductors and in major concert venues around Europe, including playing for the ‘Proms’.

After a further year studying ‘Composition for Film’ at The London College of Music, she began teaching and working around the London area.  As a young pianist, Wendy used to play in an all female Jazz quartet and made extra cash playing in hotels and restaurants around central London.  Later, she formed a string quartet in which she played cello for private functions in beautiful locations such as Luton Hoo, Highclere Castle and Stowe School, to name but a few.

After time off raising four children, she helped to run a local show band called ‘Not Strictly Brass’ in which she played piano and euphonium and arranged music for the band.  Wendy has played for several brass bands and she is currently a player for Bedford Brass as well as a player and deputy conductor for the Wolverton Town Band.  As a professional accompanist, Wendy’s main affiliation is to The Wing Singers who fully utilise her musical flexibility and range across many different musical genres.   She is also a deputy pianist for several local big bands including ‘Orchestral Manoeuvres in Jazz’ and Woburn Jazz.

Her most recent project is ‘Wendy Sings’ where she is singing Gypsy Jazz songs and songs from the American Songbook and she hopes to have the opportunity to entertain out in public soon! More information on that can be found on her website ‘wendysings.info’.