A GREENOCK choir has welcomed a new musical director, who has experience of leading groups across the country.
Nicholas Wilks has taken on the role at Greenock Philharmonic Choir following the departure of Andy McTaggart, who led the choir for six years.
After studying conducting and clarinet at the Royal Academy of Music, Nicholas went on to serve as musical director of Finchley Children’s Musi Group, Hampshire County Youth Orchestra, the Channel Islands Youth Orchestra and Winchester Symphony Orchestra.
He has been broadcast widely on BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4 and has worked with many high-profile names.
Nicholas’ performances include Alec Roth’s Earth and Sky at BBC Proms, Brahms’ Requiem with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Bryn Terfel.
A passionate advocate for music education, he volunteers for charity Big Noise in Govanhill and is a trustee at Buskaid – a string teaching project in South Africa.
He said: “I am privileged to be taking on the musical directorship of the Greenock Philharmonic Choir.
“Having sung with the choir for the past year I am enormously impressed with the singers’ dedication to achieving the highest standards of music-making, and their commitment to their audiences.
“We have an exciting season ahead of us, including a rarely heard completion of Mozart’s Requiem, and a mixture of old and new carols at our Christmas concert.”
Nicholas’ first outing with the choir will be the Come and Sing Coronation Music event on Saturday, August 19 at St John’s Episcopal Church.
He added: “It’s a wonderful opportunity to sing some favourite music such as Handel’s Zadok the Priest alongside some hidden gems by earlier and later composers.”
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