The Music Team
Musical Director – Kieran Seymour
Kieran started musical life as a chorister in Suffolk, singing each week and developing his craft and gaining a love of singing.
As he grew, solo tenor and later bass/baritone were the goals that Kieran was aiming for, having opportunities around the country to sing in fantastic locations with sublime choirs and choral societies. Kieran’s choral needs were still met, having a strong relationship with the company Run By Singers, aiding them with singing holidays around Europe.
While at university, Kieran began to conduct, learning under Renaissance Singers conductor David Allinson. From there he has conducted various ensembles as a teacher, including orchestras and choirs. This position with Radcliffe on Trent Male Voice Choir is Kieran’s first position with a group outside of the setting of a school.
Associate Musical Director –Deborah Davies
Deborah chose to join us in 2018 as Associate MD and in September 2020 was appointed Musical Director, which she continued until 2024, when she and Kieran exchanged responsibilities. She had previously established the Cranmer Company of Singers which has made well over 100 Cathedral visits within the U.K., and together with the Cranmer Chamber Orchestra put on many concerts in venues ranging from Southwell Minster and Belvoir Castle to local Churches and village halls. She has attended overseas festivals in Italy, Gozo and Catalonia; been invited by the Mayor of Avila in Spain to sing in their beautiful Cathedral and city; been invited to sing in Finland, hosted by a Finnish choir and has raised in excess of £55,000 for charities through her music-making activities.
Deborah established the Good Friday Charity ‘Come & Sing’ annual events at Bottesford Church, attracting as many as 190 singers from many counties each year to raise funds for those in need.
Deborah also directs the semi-professional Chamber Choir, Cantica Viva. This choir of music teachers, organists and conductors meets once a year to sing at Cathedrals within the UK and sang to great acclaim at the choir’s inaugural weekend at Bath Abbey in 2018.
She also creates a small Children’s Choir each year to sing at local village Christmas concerts and services.
Deborah’s qualifications include: M.A. in Music Psychology; B.Ed.; Music.Tch.Cert.; Associate of the Royal College of Music in Organ Teaching; Dip.Tch.in Ec./Geog.; Certificate in Social Welfare Law.
Accompanist – Sue Bennett
Sue has had a love of all things piano since she was young enough to sit underneath the piano to listen to her mum playing and first took lessons. She has a thriving piano studio in Kneesall where families learn together and play together through Mother Tongue teaching (the Suzuki method), with children as young as 3 getting involved.
Her playing life revolves around accompanying the Radcliffe on Trent Male Voice Choir and the Ollerton based Dukeries Singers. She also runs her own choir, the Kneesall Knightingales, who sing at local events, entertain care home residents and were the inspiration for the Kneesall Music Marathon, a fund raiser in support of Kneesall’s historic church. Sue has also run music theory courses for choir members who want to further develop their knowledge and understanding.