The Mayor’s Concert

Join us for this free concert at Hailsham Parish Church which will include performances by Hailsham Choral conducted by Jozik Kotz, guest soprano, Nicola Sharkey and Organist/Pianist, Brian Cotterill.

Hailsham Choral

Hailsham Choral is a choir of about 60 singers based in Hailsham, East Sussex.

You can find references to a choral group in Hailsham from the early 1930s, but it faded from view during the war – they probably had even more troubles recruiting tenors and basses then! The present Society was founded in 1961 and is still going from strength to strength.

They perform at least four main concerts during the year, with programmes featuring anything from Bach (Christmas Oratorio, St. John Passion) to Beatles, Rossini (Petite Messe Solennelle) to Gershwin, Rutter (Requiem, Magnificat, carols) to Rogers and Hart.

They’re a sociable lot too, music workshops, coffee mornings, quizzes, even the odd pint of beer or glass of wine (or two)!

If you’re looking for a fast way to increase your circle of friends, as well as an opportunity to sing hugely enjoyable music please join us.

Nicola Sharkey

Nicola Sharkey grew up in Dublin where she studied singing with Dr Veronica Dunne at The College of Music. After winning the prestigious Golden Voice of Ireland award, she travelled to Italy where she spent a year studying with Maestro Campogalliani, developing her interest in the Bel Canto repertoire. Following her Italian adventure, Nicola spent several months working with professional coaches at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, before making her British operatic debut with Welsh National Opera as Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a role she has subsequently sung many times, notably under the baton of Sir John Eliot Gardiner.

Nicola’s operatic career has taken her all over the UK and Europe singing leading and title roles in many of the best-known operas of Verdi, Bellini, Donizetti, Puccini, Gounod and many more. These have included Violetta La Traviata, Gilda Rigoletto, Giulietta I Capuletti e I Montecchi, Lucia Lucia Di Lammermoor, Maria Maria Stuarda, Mimi La Boheme and Marguerite Faust, to name a few. She has sung leading and supporting roles with most of the UK and Irish opera companies and appeared at many festivals. She memorably played the part of The Ball in Benedict Mason’s Playing Away for Opera North, which went on to win ‘Best Opera’ at the Bienale Festival in Munich.

Nicola has had an extensive career and has worked with some of the most innovative opera and music theatre companies and with some of the most talented directors and conductors in the field. She also spent a very happy year touring the globe as a stratospheric soprano with the world-famous Swingle Singers. Nicola is also renowned for her radio, TV, concert, oratorio and recital work. She has also released two CDs with her husband, organist and pianist Brian Cotterill, with whom she performs regularly in recitals and concerts.

After many thrilling years of professional singing, Nicola now holds a Masters degree in Humanistic Integrative Psychotherapy and runs her own private practice in Farnham.

Brian Cotterill

 Brian Cotterill grew up in Farnham where he studied piano with Marjorie Livock and organ with David Victor-Smith whilst a head chorister at St Thomas-on-The Bourne. At University College, Cardiff he studied organ and harpsichord with Robert Court and composition with Alun Hoddinott and Timothy Taylor, during which time, as Organ Scholar, he held the position of Organist at the University Parish Church.

Brian has held several organist posts, including three highly successful years as Director of Music at St Peter’s Parish Church, Farnborough and three equally rewarding years as Organist at St Thomas-on-The Bourne, Farnham. A qualified teacher he has musically directed (and written) many school shows and has performed in the USA, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria and in many parts of England and Wales. In 2012 Brian notably played the organ for Mass in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and took part in a Papal Mass at Frascati Cathedral, outside Rome. Brian also holds a professional Braille music qualification and has transcribed for and taught music to the visually impaired.

A keen composer, Brian has written and arranged works for the Maidenhead Chamber Choir, the Albion Brass Consort in London, Canzonetta, the Farnham Youth Choir and the choirs of St Peter’s, Farnborough, St Thomas-on-The Bourne, Farnham, Lanesborough School in Guildford and St Edmund’s School in Hindhead. He also spent three years as the resident organist of Vox Chamber Choir and another three years as the Musical Director of the Guildford Cathedral Singers. During his seven years as Director of Music at Lanesborough School (the choir school of Guildford Cathedral) Brian was also the Musical Director of the Surrey Songsters and a regular visiting organist at Guildford Cathedral.

From 2013 – 2017 Brian was Director of Music at St Edmund’s School in Hindhead. In 2014 he took his Chapel and Chamber Choirs on tour to Venice where they performed in St Mark’s Basilica. In 2016 they toured in Tuscany where they performed in Florence and in Lucca Cathedral. Brian is also the official accompanist of Song Circle, a chamber choir formed from members of BBC Symphony Chorus. He currently teaches piano at Edgeborough School in Farnham and is in ever-increasing demand as an organ recitalist and accompanist.

Brian’s recently published book “Preludes, Pistons & Pedals” is a humorous reflection on his life as an organist, a collection of 16 stories of mishaps which have befallen him during his 40-year career. It is available on Amazon.co.uk priced £8.99.

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