Our MD Chris Bartram

Chris Bartram

“It’s great working with Soon Amore as their Musical Director. In our rehearsals, the members’ evident enjoyment of singing, combined with their real enthusiasm for progressing and developing the choir, provide a rewarding environment and experience for me as MD.

“I see my role as one of supporting the choir in all aspects of its development. I aim to do this partly by working with music from a wide variety of genres, styles and traditions, as I firmly believe that a good choir should be able to do it all!

“Through a broadening repertoire I want to work to develop our overall balance of sound, the variety of timbres, textures and dynamics, so that Soon Amore is able to deliver exciting and lively programmes to its audiences!”

Chris - a brief bio

Chris taught for many years in music education across early years, primary, secondary, and adult sectors. Since completing an MA in Music in the Community in 1999 he has worked on numerous local and national arts projects, including with the National Centre for Early Music, Opera North, Youth Music, Accessible Arts & Media and Jessie's Fund. He was also a Senior Lecturer in Music at York St John University, where his various teaching roles including running the community music programme. His expertise in ‘singing for wellbeing’ has included directing the ‘Hands & Voices’ singing and signing choir for Accessible Arts & Media, and the community choir ‘Communitas’ for Converge, the York St John University’s centre for delivering programmes for users of mental health services. He currently runs the highly successful ‘A Cuppa & A Chorus’ sessions at the National Centre for Early Music, and also at St Sampson’s Centre in York. Chris plays professionally with the alt-folk trio White Sail and soul-jazz-blue band Groovetone.