About
City of Derry Choir International Festival. Credit © Lorcan Doherty
The choir
The Epiphoni Consort was founded in 2014 by Tim Reader to fill a gap between the amateur and professional tiers of London’s choral circuit. Its members comprise a number of people who sing to a professional standard but have other full-time careers.
The group has won awards in Tenebrae’s prestigious Locus Iste Competition and in the London International A Cappella Choir Competition, and has appeared on television on the BBC4 documentary “The Joy of Rachmaninov” and the BBC2 documentary “Terry Pratchett: Back In Black”, singing Tallis’s forty part motet Spem in alium. The choir’s three recordings “Sudden Light”, “When Love Speaks” and “Precious Things” on the Delphian Records label have been received with critical acclaim from Gramophone, Choir and Organ Magazine, BBC Radio 3, BBC Music Magazine and numerous online reviewers.
Recent performances have included Rachmaniniov All-Night Vigil, Durufle Requiem with Echo Ensemble and Walton Belshazzar’s Feast at Fairfield Halls with Kensington Symphony Orchestra.
I rate my audience experiences based on whether it makes me want to be up there making music with the performers. I give you an emphatic yes
Johannes Roose, Conductor, Melbourne Sinfonia
Artistic Director
Artistic Director Tim Reader studied singing, accompanying and conducting at the University of Exeter, graduating in 2000. He returned to studies in 2018 for the Master’s programme in Solo Voice Ensemble Singing – “SVES”! – with Robert Hollingworth at the University of York, graduating the following year with a merit.
Tim spins many plates professionally; by day running a small website consultancy for charities and arts organisations; by night/weekend as a conductor and occasional singer London and beyond. He is also training to be a life coach.
He has conducted The Epiphoni Consort since its founding in 2014 in performances at Westminster Abbey, St Martin-in-the-Fields, St Paul’s Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, The Barbican, QEH Southbank Centre, St John’s Smith Square, for two BBC TV programmes and on the choir’s three CDs.
He is a member of the choir at St John’s Wood Church, in the shadow of Lord’s Cricket Ground, where he regularly and gratefully conducts when the Director of Music is away!
Choir administrator
Becky Ryland-Jones is a graduate of Royal Holloway University of London, where she studied Music and German, and enjoyed singing in the Founders Choir for three years, as well as helping to run the university orchestras. Becky is currently establishing a freelance career in London, both as a singer and in arts admin. She is also a Duty House Manager at Wigmore Hall, where she has worked since 2018. Outside of Epiphoni, Becky is developing solo recital work, and freelances on the London church depping circuit.
Committee
Milly Pelmore – Chair (interim)
Milly has sung with Epiphoni since nearly the beginning and throughout the 10 years of the choir has met some of her favourite people, including her husband Chris. Although a move to Oxfordshire with a dog means life looks a little different now, Milly is happy to be involved in shaping Epiphoni’s 10th anniversary year (and beyond!). When not singing, Milly is a triathlete and teaches PSHE alongside sports coaching.
Barbara Gunter – Friends
A serial committee joiner, Barbara has sung with the choir for 6 years and currently oversees the Friends scheme. Barbara has worked for DHL for 20 years in a variety of roles, including warehouse operations management, marketing, digital marketing, CRM & platform management, innovation, events management & change management, and has moved to Germany more than once along the way. She’s a trained workshop facilitator & has compered a number of large events. When not working or singing, she is generally found drinking pretentious coffee, running, or hiking, and has been known to dabble in stand up comedy.
Amatey Doku – Secretary
Amatey joined Epiphoni in 2019 and is the Secretary for the committee, responsible for the smooth running of Committee business. He currently works for the Nous Group as a consultant and in his spare time plays keys with his band, B & the Jukeboys, mainly at weddings.
Sarah May – Treasurer
Sarah has sung with Epiphoni since 2018 and also sings in the choir at St Matthew’s Westminster. She works as a forensic accountant for Grant Thornton and has taken on the role of treasurer for Epiphoni.
Chris Pelmore – Concerts Manager
Chris has sung tenor with the choir since 2015, joining for the LIACCC competition. Chris is the friendly face of our new Friends scheme and can always be found out front before a concert greeting our audiences on arrival.
Charlotte Webb – social media –
Charlotte has sung with Epiphoni since 2021, and supports the choir with all things social media. She works as an NHS Speech Therapist with Adults who have communication or swallowing impairments following a Brain Injury. When not working or singing, she can mostly be found reading (or scrolling TikTok).
Greg Windle – Social
Greg has sung tenor with Epiphoni since 2018 and is glad to join the Epiphoni committee as social coordinator. He works as a researcher in social housing and otherwise enjoys cooking and eating.
Richard Holdsworth – Concerts manager
Epiphoni is up there with the best professional choirs such as Tenebrae and Sonoro.
Arts Desk, Christmas Truce 2018