Jonathan is a bass (who, being so adaptable, sings first or second bass as and when the need arises!)
I joined Viva in Summer 2024 I joined Viva because having sung most of the large choral works, I was looking for a small choir/vocal ensemble which would perform both secular and sacred music sung unaccompanied, and I was also keen to explore the partsong repertoire. I was also looking for a change in conductor/musical director and change in choir. And, a change in County. And with that, a change in choir members. Viva rehearses just over the Nottinghamshire border – in Loughborough. I liken it to a change in job – I needed a change as I had sung with several choirs for a number of years now in and around Nottingham, and it was all getting too familiar. I think it does you good every so often to try out different choirs and have a change of musical director. I’ve learned different things with each musical director I’ve sung under: each has their own approach to doing things, their vision for the choir, teaching the repertoire to the choir, interpreting the repertoire, adding their style to the repertoire, and also general things about how they conduct rehearsals and how they motivate the choir. In other words, similar to a change in boss in a work environment. I was also looking to join a group which set a high standard and which would ‘stretch’ me vocally and musically and ‘keep me on my toes’ as they say. I certainly found this in Viva! I thought I was at the top of my game both vocally and musically (sorry to brag about this!) but joining Viva has certainly challenged this!
What I enjoy most out of Viva is the sound the choir produces, the repertoire and the concert programming. At times it feels like hard work, particularly when you’ve arrived at the rehearsal at the end of a hard day at work. But I know at a Viva rehearsal I will be stretched vocally and put through my paces, and would not be ‘watching the clock’ to see how much time there was left to the end of the rehearsal.
My background in singing started at a very young age! My mother came from a large Welsh musical family – so I suppose singing is in my blood! She had a couple of uncles who were awarded choral scholarships to Kings College Cambridge in the 1930’s under the late Boris Ord, and through this family I am related (albeit in a very small way!) to the famous Counter-tenor Estyn Davies. My godfather had musical connections – he attended the same school as the Beatles did in Liverpool, and it is said he used to go out drinking on Friday lunchtimes with John Lennon and Paul Macartney. In latter years, a famous musical comedian, dancer, animal lover and TV presenter has been part of wider family, and thus music and singing have been an important part of family gatherings. At school, I joined the school choir at a very young age, and that’s where the singing bug started! This grew when my voice broke, when I then had to learn a new singing part, and discovering four part harmony was a revelation to me! I also had piano lessons and got up to grade 5, but the human voice was my favourite instrument. At University I joined the Chorus and the Light Opera Society. When entering the world of work and earning proper money, I took up singing lessons and achieved a distinction in Grade 8 singing (the only singing exam I took under the Grade system), and I also passed the Associated Board Advanced Certificate Exam in singing. I still have singing lessons and enjoy giving solo voice recitals with my regular accompanist.
I have sung with other choirs – including Nottingham Harmonic Choir (still sing with them), Nottingham Bach Choir, West Bridgford Operatic Society (still sing with them), Cranmer Company of Singers, and a vocal ensemble like Viva – Farnaby & Co (still sing with them).
Outside of Viva my other interests are: walking and rambling in the countryside (I’m the treasurer of a national walking group and I try to go on day walks into Derbyshire at least one Saturday a month). Hillwalking in Scotland – I’ve climbed about 80 munros in Scotland – mountains over 3,000 ft/1,000 metres. Travelling abroad – especially to Germany, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Scandinavia, The Balkan countries (the photo of me on the website is taken in Montenegro – Bay of Kotor), and Ireland (both the Republic and Northern Ireland). Basically anywhere where I can get a cheap flight to! I’m also interested in public transport, and enjoy social activities such as going to the pub, going to the theatre, going to concerts, cinema visits & meals out. And of course to fund all these trips abroad and various musical activities I do a day job – data analyst/GIS mapping analyst/demographics/population data/business & economic data.
Highlights of singing with Viva has to have been the last concert in January 2025! At the concert the choir all came together, it felt as though we were all singing as one group – a perfect symbiosis!
My favourite repertoire for sacred music by Bach. Handel vocal music & Handel’s Operas. Choral music by English composers of in the late 19th and early 20th century eg Vaughan Williams, Gerald Finzi, Hubert Parry, Sir William Walton. English Partsongs. English Solo Song of the late 19th and early 20th century – songs written by composers such as Peter Warlock, Vaughan Williams, Gerald Finzi, Ivor Gurney, Michael Head. I also like discovering English solo songs which have rarely been performed and which may have fallen out of the repertoire, for example songs by Martin Shaw, CV Stanford and Eric Coates. And of course, I like solo songs by Schubert! I would like in the future to sing Aaron Copland's 4 motets for SATB sometime. I think there are very few local choirs that I know of who have the capabilities of performing these motets other than Viva!
Many wonder about the transferable skills that you could gain from singing in a choir : I think that’s the other way round – what skills can you offer the choir, and the opportunity being in a choir brings to build on and improve these skills? I’m thinking of people skills – organising people, chairing meetings, motivating people, dealing with people with strong views and different opinions? Then there are things like Finance – all choirs need a Treasurer! And Marketing & publicity, website design – I’m particularly interested to see how the recent steps which Viva has taken in using social media and digital media to publicise its concerts will develop in the future.
What I enjoy most out of Viva is the sound the choir produces, the repertoire and the concert programming. At times it feels like hard work, particularly when you’ve arrived at the rehearsal at the end of a hard day at work. But I know at a Viva rehearsal I will be stretched vocally and put through my paces, and would not be ‘watching the clock’ to see how much time there was left to the end of the rehearsal.
My background in singing started at a very young age! My mother came from a large Welsh musical family – so I suppose singing is in my blood! She had a couple of uncles who were awarded choral scholarships to Kings College Cambridge in the 1930’s under the late Boris Ord, and through this family I am related (albeit in a very small way!) to the famous Counter-tenor Estyn Davies. My godfather had musical connections – he attended the same school as the Beatles did in Liverpool, and it is said he used to go out drinking on Friday lunchtimes with John Lennon and Paul Macartney. In latter years, a famous musical comedian, dancer, animal lover and TV presenter has been part of wider family, and thus music and singing have been an important part of family gatherings. At school, I joined the school choir at a very young age, and that’s where the singing bug started! This grew when my voice broke, when I then had to learn a new singing part, and discovering four part harmony was a revelation to me! I also had piano lessons and got up to grade 5, but the human voice was my favourite instrument. At University I joined the Chorus and the Light Opera Society. When entering the world of work and earning proper money, I took up singing lessons and achieved a distinction in Grade 8 singing (the only singing exam I took under the Grade system), and I also passed the Associated Board Advanced Certificate Exam in singing. I still have singing lessons and enjoy giving solo voice recitals with my regular accompanist.
I have sung with other choirs – including Nottingham Harmonic Choir (still sing with them), Nottingham Bach Choir, West Bridgford Operatic Society (still sing with them), Cranmer Company of Singers, and a vocal ensemble like Viva – Farnaby & Co (still sing with them).
Outside of Viva my other interests are: walking and rambling in the countryside (I’m the treasurer of a national walking group and I try to go on day walks into Derbyshire at least one Saturday a month). Hillwalking in Scotland – I’ve climbed about 80 munros in Scotland – mountains over 3,000 ft/1,000 metres. Travelling abroad – especially to Germany, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Scandinavia, The Balkan countries (the photo of me on the website is taken in Montenegro – Bay of Kotor), and Ireland (both the Republic and Northern Ireland). Basically anywhere where I can get a cheap flight to! I’m also interested in public transport, and enjoy social activities such as going to the pub, going to the theatre, going to concerts, cinema visits & meals out. And of course to fund all these trips abroad and various musical activities I do a day job – data analyst/GIS mapping analyst/demographics/population data/business & economic data.
Highlights of singing with Viva has to have been the last concert in January 2025! At the concert the choir all came together, it felt as though we were all singing as one group – a perfect symbiosis!
My favourite repertoire for sacred music by Bach. Handel vocal music & Handel’s Operas. Choral music by English composers of in the late 19th and early 20th century eg Vaughan Williams, Gerald Finzi, Hubert Parry, Sir William Walton. English Partsongs. English Solo Song of the late 19th and early 20th century – songs written by composers such as Peter Warlock, Vaughan Williams, Gerald Finzi, Ivor Gurney, Michael Head. I also like discovering English solo songs which have rarely been performed and which may have fallen out of the repertoire, for example songs by Martin Shaw, CV Stanford and Eric Coates. And of course, I like solo songs by Schubert! I would like in the future to sing Aaron Copland's 4 motets for SATB sometime. I think there are very few local choirs that I know of who have the capabilities of performing these motets other than Viva!
Many wonder about the transferable skills that you could gain from singing in a choir : I think that’s the other way round – what skills can you offer the choir, and the opportunity being in a choir brings to build on and improve these skills? I’m thinking of people skills – organising people, chairing meetings, motivating people, dealing with people with strong views and different opinions? Then there are things like Finance – all choirs need a Treasurer! And Marketing & publicity, website design – I’m particularly interested to see how the recent steps which Viva has taken in using social media and digital media to publicise its concerts will develop in the future.