Musical Director
Mark Beesley our Music Director studied with the late Elisabeth Abercrombie, and Dennis Wicks (both pupils of Yani Strasser), and with Laura Sarti and Robert Alderson. He has sung as a soloist with many leading conductors and singers at the Royal Opera house, Glyndbourne and the English National Opera.
As a professional singer and singing teacher he greatly enjoys passing on his many years of practical experience in the singing profession.
He now works as a freelance singer, and has appeared in many of the leading opera houses in Europe, as well as having a thriving private teaching practice.
Mark says "It has been my great pleasure and honour to be the Music Director of the Crowborough Singing For Fun choir since 2010".
In that time I have seen and heard the choir develop and continue to grow from strength to strength. I particularly like conducting this choir because of the wide breadth of repertoire they like to tackle from madrigals and classical choral works right through to arrangements of current popular songs. This large and friendly choir rise to the occasion and do themselves justice.
As a professional singer and singing teacher he greatly enjoys passing on his many years of practical experience in the singing profession.
He now works as a freelance singer, and has appeared in many of the leading opera houses in Europe, as well as having a thriving private teaching practice.
Mark says "It has been my great pleasure and honour to be the Music Director of the Crowborough Singing For Fun choir since 2010".
In that time I have seen and heard the choir develop and continue to grow from strength to strength. I particularly like conducting this choir because of the wide breadth of repertoire they like to tackle from madrigals and classical choral works right through to arrangements of current popular songs. This large and friendly choir rise to the occasion and do themselves justice.
Accompanist
Our accompanist, Mike Aston, is a graduate of Cambridge University and he also holds a piano teaching qualification from the Royal College of Music London. As well as running a busy private teaching practice in Yorkshire for many years, he also taught piano at two independent schools and lectured on music in the Continuing Education Department of Manchester University. Away from teaching he has performed at a soloist, accompanist, chamber music player and as half of a piano duo partnership.
Oxford University Press have published several albums of piano duets under Mike's editorship, and these include new arrangements made by him. In recent years he has enjoyed presenting talks on various musical topics around the UK as well as in Italy and Canada. Now mostly retired he continues to do small amounts of teaching as well as helping to raise funds for local charities.
Oxford University Press have published several albums of piano duets under Mike's editorship, and these include new arrangements made by him. In recent years he has enjoyed presenting talks on various musical topics around the UK as well as in Italy and Canada. Now mostly retired he continues to do small amounts of teaching as well as helping to raise funds for local charities.