choral scholars | Fulham

Remembrance Sunday

Sunday 8 November - 10.30 am

Carols by Candlelight

Carols by Candlelight

Carols by Candlelight

Carols by Candlelight

with Act of Remembrance 11 am

Music by Douglas Guest - For the fallen

JS Bach, Stanford and the Kontakion of the Dead

follow link below for LiveStream

prayer

giving

...at the heart of Fulham since 1828

Choral Scholars

Presley's Scholar Shimona Rose is a lyrical soprano who holds a Master of Performance with Distinction from
the RCM and she has continued tutelage under Amanda Roocroft.
In 2019, Shimona completed the “Poetry and Performance of the German Lied” course at
Austria’s Franz-Schubert-Institut.
The 2018 Opera Scholar of the Year and 37th Australian National Liederfest winner, Shimona recently debuted with New Opera
Singapore as Anne Trulove (The Rake’s Progress) in August 2021. Shimona’s passion lies on the operatic stage but she is also delighted to be pursuing a Master
of Arts in Music Therapy at Guildhall from September 2021, working towards a career in both fields.

Martha Campbell

Irish soprano Martha Campbell studied singing with Robert Craig in her
native Cork alongside her undergraduate degree in viola performance at
the MTU Cork School of Music. Prior to her scholarship at St John's Fulham,
Martha was the soprano scholar at St Mary's Church Battersea, and a Lay
Vicar Choral at St. Fin Barre's Cathedral Cork. She has been a member of several award-winning
choirs, including Madrigal 75 and Irish Youth Chamber Choir. During
her undergraduate studies she toured Germany, Spain and the Middle
East as part of the Erasmus exchange program with the Chamber Choir of
the Hochschule fur Musik Franz Liszt Weimar.
Martha is currently completing her Master of Music degree at the Royal Academy of
Music, where she studies viola with Garfield Jackson and Ashan Pillai. An experienced
chamber musician, she regularly performs in London with the Calathea Quartet, and has performed
at many of Ireland's major venues and festivals, including West Cork Chamber Music Festival, Chamber
Music on Valentia, Finding a Voice Festival and the National Concert
Hall Chamber Music Gathering.

Emma Pelkiewicz

Emma Pelkiewicz trained with Veronica Veysey Campbell at the Royal College of Music, completing her studies in 2019. She has been awarded several choral scholarships, including Clifton Cathedral, All Saints Putney and All Saints Fulham. Day to day, Emma can be found freelancing as a singer and peripatetic teacher throughout London and Surrey. She is also working towards a masters in Music Therapy at the University of Roehampton.

Esmée Loughlin-Dickenson

Esmée Loughlin-Dickenson is a mezzo-soprano from Cornwall. She was the Alto Choral Scholar at Truro Cathedral from 2019 to 2020 under Christopher Gray and upon moving to London took up the position of alto choral scholar at St Luke’s Church, Chelsea. Esmée was recently awarded the Christopher Treglown Fund to help support her studies at the Royal College of Music where she studies with Sally Burgess.

Constantine Akritides

Born in Thessaloniki, Greece, Constantine Akritides is a lyrical tenor, a classical pianist and a biomedical engineer. He began his musical ventures in classical piano at the Conservatoire of Northern Greece, from which he was awarded the National Artist Diploma in Classical Piano. During his university studies in physics, he simultaneously began his studies in lyrical singing at "Neo" Conservatoire of Thessaloniki, from which he graduated with the National Artist Diploma in Lyrical Singing with the Award of Artistic Excellence awarded by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture. During his musical studies, Constantine participated in various concerts and small productions throughout Greece, either as a lyrical singer, or as a classical pianist. He was the tenor soloist in the first panhellenic performance of Saint-Saëns's Messe de Requiem, Op. 54 conducted by maestro Karolos Trikolidis. In collaboration with various orchestras, Constantine performed baroque, classical and operatic works in multiple venues around the country, such as the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, museums, and historic buildings, such as Villa Morpurgo in Thessaloniki. During his studies at Imperial College London, he was a member of the Imperial College Choir led by Colin Durrant, and collaborated with Andrew Robinson in Britten's Saint Nicholas piano duet. Constantine is a member of St John's Choral Scholars
since September 2021.

Throughout his education, Luke has sung in a variety of choirs. Most recently in the Imperial College Chamber Choir while studying physic at Imperial. He received a director’s music award for singing lessons while at Imperial in his second year. Luke has been studying singing under Stuart McIntyre since late 2019. Luke is also a keen clarinettist having completed his ABRSM Dip in musical performance while at school and most recently played in the Imperial College Symphony Orchestra.

Currently studying for a Masters in Experimental Physics at Imperial College London, Joseph has dedicated a large portion of his waking hours to music, singing in the award-winning a cappella group, The Techtonics, and choir at the university. A capable musician, he has many years’ experience singing choral music, an ATCL in flute performance at 18 and many hours of listening to music under his belt, with hopes to achieve many more.

Jonathan Hedley

Presley's Scholar Jonathan Hedley is currently pursuing a PhD in DNA Biophysics at Imperial College London, and he takes an active role in the music scene there. From singing bass in the award winning A Cappella group, The Techtonics, to performing lead roles in operas (recently Papageno in Die Zauberflöte and Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia), you’re certain to find him singing whenever he has free time. He achieved his LTCL Diploma in Singing at the age of 17, and currently has lessons under Roderick Earle at the Royal College of Music.

Matthew started singing in choirs from a very young age. He was educated at the Judd School in Tonbridge, and went on to read Music at Trinity College Cambridge. At university, he sang regularly with the chapel choirs of Queens’ and Emmanuel colleges, where he benefited from fantastic training which included regular chapel services, tours and professional recordings. His main professional role is as Director of Music of a boys’ grammar school in south-east London. He has continued to sing since qualifying as a teacher of Music, in addition to developing proficiency as a director of choirs and instrumental groups. He joined the Schola Cantorum of St John’s Church Fulham in 2009, under the then director Benjamin Woodward. Nowadays, Matthew’s role at St John’s involves assisting the DoM as both an accompanist and conductor.

Domenico (1).JPG

Domenico Gioffré

Domenico Gioffré is Director of Music at St John’s Church, Fulham, where he leads the church’s professional choirs, as well as running a busy music department. A graduate of the Royal College of Music, London, he has performed as a soloist, accompanist and conductor with various choirs and ensembles across Europe and the UK. Having graduated in Classics, Domenico also enjoys teaching languages (Italian, Latin, and Ancient Greek). Since 2013, he has collaborated as an author and translator with the Poetry Society of London.
Domenico is also a teacher at St John's Walham Green CE Primary School, Fulham, teaching music and Latin.
On a side note, he absolutely loves squirrels (and all kinds of rodents).

THE

Robert Presley

CHORAL SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAMME

On Robert Presley's death, a scholarship was set up at St John's in his name, as a living memorial.

Every year the Robert Presley Scholarships are awarded to our best-auditioning applicants.

St John’s Choral Scholarships offer a unique opportunity to develop a high standard of ensemble singing in a relaxed, laid-back environment.

We especially look for people who are passionate about a wide range of choral repertoire (both sacred and secular), excellent musicians, and supportive team workers.

Ideal candidates will be also confident sight-readers with experience of choral singing and a good sense of humour.

We welcome enquiries from students in Higher Education, recent graduates, young professionals.

Our Director of Music is always happy to discuss the nature and details of the scholarships.