Director of Music : Tom Rodgers
Tom Rodgers has been involved in choral music since the mid-1990s when he first started accompanying the Chamber Choir at his secondary school in Hornchurch; it was this choir that gave him a taste for supporting choirs as it took him to Canada on a school tour. At a similar time he accompanied The Sound Company (a local choir). Having achieved a music degree in 2001 Tom worked for some time in Chappell Of Bond Street before taking on his first choral director role in 2006 for the Hornchurch Passion Play. In the same year, he took the role of Director Of Music for St. Mary's Church in Tottenham, North London. He honed their church choir for over twelve years before retiring from the role in 2019.
Tom musically directed the Hornchurch Passion Plays in 2011 & 2015; it was following the 2015 Passion Play that Tom founded the United Singers Choral Ensemble, formed from the members of the Passion Play Choir who wanted to continue singing after the production. The United Singers have grown from strength-to-strength musically but he'd love to welcome more singers into the ensemble.
In September 2018 Tom rescued the Hornchurch "Can't Sing" Choir from closure following the retirement of its founding Musical Director, local musician and educator John Morris. In January 2020 Tom took over the role of Musical Director for the New Essex Choir, based in Barkingside, Redbridge, East London and is looking forward to conducting their first concert, following the global pandemic of 2020.
September 2021 saw Tom receiving the role of Musical Director for Lennox Productions (a fundraising branch of the Lennox Children's Cancer Fund) and official accompanist for the Ingatestone Choral Society. In January 2022 he takes the additional role of official accompanist for the Billericay Choral Society.
In addition to all the choral work he enjoys, Tom also teaches the piano and flute privately and plays the organ for All Saints' Church in Cranham (which also has the added responsibility of leading their church choir).
His aim in leading all his choirs is to bring the joy of music to singers, to teach good vocal technique, develop confidence in whatever style of music being presented and to produce high quality and professional performances. His rehearsals are normally light-hearted yet "intense" - this mixture often leads to much laughter and enjoyment.
Tom musically directed the Hornchurch Passion Plays in 2011 & 2015; it was following the 2015 Passion Play that Tom founded the United Singers Choral Ensemble, formed from the members of the Passion Play Choir who wanted to continue singing after the production. The United Singers have grown from strength-to-strength musically but he'd love to welcome more singers into the ensemble.
In September 2018 Tom rescued the Hornchurch "Can't Sing" Choir from closure following the retirement of its founding Musical Director, local musician and educator John Morris. In January 2020 Tom took over the role of Musical Director for the New Essex Choir, based in Barkingside, Redbridge, East London and is looking forward to conducting their first concert, following the global pandemic of 2020.
September 2021 saw Tom receiving the role of Musical Director for Lennox Productions (a fundraising branch of the Lennox Children's Cancer Fund) and official accompanist for the Ingatestone Choral Society. In January 2022 he takes the additional role of official accompanist for the Billericay Choral Society.
In addition to all the choral work he enjoys, Tom also teaches the piano and flute privately and plays the organ for All Saints' Church in Cranham (which also has the added responsibility of leading their church choir).
His aim in leading all his choirs is to bring the joy of music to singers, to teach good vocal technique, develop confidence in whatever style of music being presented and to produce high quality and professional performances. His rehearsals are normally light-hearted yet "intense" - this mixture often leads to much laughter and enjoyment.