The David Clover Festival of Singing
Our Events
Chairman
Chris Hudson MBE
Owner & Team Principal of Sheffield cutlery & giftware manufacturer Chimo Holdings. Chair of Trustees of the Work-wise Foundation – an employer-led Charity supporting young people into employment in manufacturing & engineering. Awarded an MBE in 2018 for services to Sheffield & Young people. Master of the Worshipful Company of Pewterers in 2020/21. Sings bass with Dore Male Voice Choir. As Chairman is working to widen the awareness & appeal of the David Clover Festival of Singing and the appreciation of its unique contribution to singing at all levels locally & nationally.
Venues
Valerie has had a long and varied career in music, starting as a music teacher, in Sheffield and knew David Clover well. Always singing she has enjoyed success in music festivals and appeared as contralto soloist for many Choral Societies. Valerie worked as a popular singing teacher privately and in schools. She has worked with actors to develop their singing skills. Since moving to Southwell she continues to sing in the local Choral Society and Southwell Minster Chorale and enjoys taking part in and organising workshops. Valerie was an early winner of The David Clover Festival.
Secretary
Kathryn Wells
Kathryn is a retired Early Years teacher with a passion for singing. She studies with Vivien Pike and sings with St. John’s Church, Ranmoor, Sheffield and with Sheffield Bach Choir.
She is mother to four children and grandma to two grandchildren, enjoys many crafts including ecclesiastical embroidery, crocheting and dressmaking. Once upon a time you would have found her in a field with a Scout Group, but nowadays she is more likely to be in the garden tending perennial borders and beautiful pots of annuals.
Treasurer
Georgina began singing at the age of nine as a chorister at Sheffield Cathedral. In 2006 she founded Doncaster Minster Girls’ Choir and went on to study music at Manchester University, where she conducted the Catholic Chaplaincy Choir. Since leaving university she has taught singing privately, was appointed Chorister Tutor at St John’s Church, Ranmoor in 2017 and runs sight reading workshops for Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus. She has been the musical director of Sheffield Music Makers since 2022 enduring the link with David Clover, who dedicated his life to singing and musical education. Junior Music Makers was the name David gave to a group which he initiated to encourage young musicians in Sheffield schools.
Vivien Pike
Friends
Geoff Littledyke: Born Worsborough, Barnsley, 5th of 6 children. Sang in church choir from age 7 to leaving home.
Have sung with Dodworth MVC, Dore MVC, Sheffield Chorale, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, Southwell Choral Society, and Southwell Minster Chorale.
Have had successes in competitive music festivals in Northern England and Wales, and performed solos for choirs and choral societies in Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
What Previous Entrants Have Said
The Singers Platform works well having the whole competition in a church with a fantastic acoustics and
lovely helpers. The atmosphere backstage is really welcoming and the pianists so supportive with well-structured, efficient scheduling.
The Voice for Life workshop was immensely enjoyable with different techniques shown from a real singer. It gave me a chance to enjoy my own voice and a reminder to practice every day.
The work we did has changed my perspective. Everyone was friendly and welcoming and overall a sense of excellence came through. Everything was well demonstrated and I enjoyed the focus on technique rather than repertoire.
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