Meet The Team

Trustees

Operational Steering Group

Choir directors

Wendy Morrow

Wendy is a trained Opera singer. She trained with Dorothy Robertson, soloist with the Scottish National Opera, as well as specialising in voice in her Music degree. Whilst in Scotland, Wendy directed Musical Theatre performances with Edinburgh University Students at the same time as mothering her two daughters who often came to rehearsals with her !

She also plays Harp. Piano, Guitar and Flute to a professional level and works as an accompanist for dance classes as well as a Music Therapist in Camphill Communities for Special Needs Children and Adults.

She sang in the Cambridge University Musicians Choir whilst studying and since then has lead many community choirs including the New Milton Community Choir and the Lantern Community Choir. She worked as a Music Teacher for 15 years and developed the Upper School Musical Curriculum for The Ringwood Waldorf School as well writing Musical Theatre productions with her students.

Wendy became interested in folk Music whilst living in Edinburgh and her own singer songwriting craft has been influenced by this genre as well as World Music. She can often be seen performing at festivals such as the Purbeck, Swanage or Wimborne Folk Festivals as a soloist under the name Wendy Jane or with her band Outlandish

Mark Anstead Co-Director

Mark is an acoustic and electric violinist with the best part of 15 years performing experience, and a graduate of the University of Chichester obtaining a 2:1 degree, including a 1st in his violin performance dissertation and final conducting exam. He is a professional performer and teacher playing for a variety of occasions and events and can use his experience to play a variety of styles of music to suit the occasion from classical to contemporary. In his youth orchestra days, Mark performed as a section leader with the award winning Wessex Youth Orchestra in venues such as the Poole Lighthouse Concert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall and Royal Albert Hall.

Whilst studying at The University of Chichester, Mark played with nearly all of the orchestras: The Symphony Orchestra, The Chamber Orchestra, The Concert Orchestra, The String Orchestra and The Pops Orchestra, in a number of capacities, 1st violin, 2nd violin, co-leader and leader. Mark has conducted some light classics with the University Pops Orchestra as well as the overture to "The Marriage of Figaro" and Karl Jenkins' "Palladio" for string orchestra with the Chamber Orchestra during their tour to Bucharest, Romania in June 2018. He also conducted a musical theatre production of "Thoroughly Modern Millie in May 2018.

As a soloist, Mark has performed, in notable venues, such as; The Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre and the O2 Academy Bournemouth. Mark's regular performing work, includes performing in local care homes and for high profile events and weddings solo, as well as part of a violin duo and The Intermezzo Quartet.

Mark also plays the piano and has supported the Rising Voices Wessex Community Choir from when it was founded in January 2013, and now holds a role of Co- Director where he conducts, accompanies the choir and also assists with the technical side of running the choir; set up and operation of the choirs' PA system for the choir for rehearsals and events. Mark took part in a big choir event, singing in London and Weymouth during the Olympic Celebrations in 2012, and has sung in a backing choir for Russel Watson and Blake at the Poole Lighthouse, home of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

 

Trustees

 

Noëline Young (Chairperson)

 Noëline Young  has more than 25 years of experience in cancer services. Prior to retirement she worked with Macmillan Cancer Support as part of the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative to develop and improve cancer services. She was an experienced Clinical Nurse Specialist who has also worked locally in Poole and Bournemouth Hospitals. Noëline was a Trustee for a national support group for ovarian cancer, Ovacome for 10 years and is a co - founder and Trustee of Rising Voices Wessex. As well as a background as a Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialist, Noëline has personal experience of cancer both as a patient and carer. This has given her a valuable insight into the experience of cancer, the impact it has on those around you and the problems faced following a diagnosis of cancer and during recovery. Noeline has always loved singing and as a teenager was in a youth and church choir, however as a busy working Mum, time and commitments did not give her the opportunity to join a choir. When approached to be a by co- founder Dr Alastair Smith she was delighted to except a new challenge a retirement project; beats singing in the shower!

Rob Taylor (Treasurer)

Robert Taylor is a Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) and has previously been a Trustee of a charity (2011-2016) for which he had the responsibility for financial reporting, budget review, audit, fund-raising and employment matters.

Rob has extensive experience of bid preparation, financial forecasting, financial modelling and reporting and experience of external audit, internal audit and due diligence work. Very good knowledge of the public sector and public sector accounting and good report writing and presentation skills to general and expert audiences and to senior executives of companies and organisations.

Sara Kemp (Vice Chair)

Sara is a Piano and Music Theory teacher as well as Director of Musicalous Limited, a specialist language and events company she founded in 2011. Sara has always loved music and has performed with various choirs and orchestras both in the UK and in Germany. She studied Music and Theatre Studies at Glasgow University where she specialised in vocal music.

Sara sings with several local choirs including the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and found singing to be a welcome distraction during her own personal experience of cancer and caring for family members suffering from cancer. She has attended several Rising Voices Big Sings and is inspired by the enthusiasm of the choir members. She is  looking forward to working on promoting the work of the choir further.

Chani Darnell (Choir manager)

In 2002, whilst working as a community midwife, Chani was sponsored by Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to undertake a degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and to set up a Maternity Acupuncture Service in Poole. The aim was to offer safe, effective and cost-saving alternative treatments to women with specific pregnancy-related conditions. In addition, Chani has a special interest in using Acupuncture to treat people suffering with stress and/or emotional related illnesses. Treatments were used to support patients suffering with anxieties, panic attacks and depressive mood conditions, often associated with chronic or life-threatening illnesses such as Cancer. Part of Chani’s acupuncture training included a post grad clinical placement in Guangzhou, China. This was an intensive yet rewarding experience where Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture are used as mainstream treatments for many diseases, including support therapy for Cancer treatments. Chani was a Supervisor of Midwives and Team Leader in the project to implement Changing Childbirth Initiative 2000. She was awarded the East Dorset Community Services Millennium Award in recognition of services given to local community.Chani enjoys music and singing, and considers the position of Trustee for Rising Voices as an opportunity to take an active role to help and give to the community.

Ian Roberts

Ian is currently a company director as well as a performing guitarist and singer in multiple local acts. Previously, he worked within blue chip companies, performing a variety of leadership roles such as project management, business and process improvements, sales and marketing. After leaving the corporate sector through voluntary redundancy in 2019, he joined his partner's catering business and, together, they have grown this significantly in the last 4 years.

Ian has been involved in and around music in various guises for over 40 years, from singing as a chorister in a church choir, touring France, Italy (and even singing at mass on St Peter's Square in the Vatican for Pope John Paul II), through to playing in rock bands playing in pubs or performing Spanish classical guitar at public events, he immerses himself into everything tonal. Ian's relationship with the choir began in 2022 as a supporting musician at a number of events. He was looking for opportunities to support registered charities and so enjoyed spending time with the Rising Voices choir that he asked to be more formally involved

Clinical Champions

Dr Dexter Perry - Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Dr Maxine Flubacher - Poole Hospital NHS Trust.

Patrons

Dr Alastair Smith, Chris Dowie, Gavin Carr, Fiona Castle OBE and Lucy Braga.