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
Founder and guest conductor
Founder of the choir, Tim Reader studied music at the University of Exeter in 2000, and more recently at the University of York for the Master’s programme in Solo Voice Ensemble Singing with Robert Hollingworth.
He conducted The Epiphoni Consort since its founding in 2014 to 2024 in performances across London, for two BBC TV programmes and on the choir’s three CDs. He is now one of several guest conductors of the choir.
He is a member of the professional church choir, and occasional conductor, at St John’s Wood Church neighbouring Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
Music is only one part of Tim’s professional activity; by day he runs a small website consultancy for charities and arts organisations, and is also training to be a life coach.
Choir administrator
Becky Ryland-Jones is a graduate of Royal Holloway University of London, where she studied a joint degree in Music with German language. She enjoyed singing in the Founders Choir for three years, as well as helping to run the university orchestras and directing music at a local parish church.
Becky studies singing privately with Joanna Tomlinson, and is currently establishing a freelance career, both as a singer and in arts administration. She regularly fixes singers for freelance church work, and has been a Duty House Manager at Wigmore Hall, where she has worked Front of House and backstage since 2018.
Outside of Epiphoni, Becky is developing soloist and recital work, and freelances on the London church depping circuit.
Committee
Barbara Gunter – Chair
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.
Jess Reader – Secretary
Jess has sung with the choir since 2016 and managed the choir until 2019. She works for the world-renowned The Sixteen, managing their young artists’ programme, Genesis Sixteen and has previously worked for Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, The Hallé Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. As a singer, Jess is a member of the professional choir of St Mary’s Bourne Street. Jess also works as a Support Worker for Streetwise Opera, a music organisation working with people affected by homelessness, and with whom Epiphoni collaborated in 2022 and 2023.
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.
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).
Clare Sutherland – Membership
Clare has sung with Epiphoni since 2022, and supports the choir in communicating with members old, new and somewhere in between! She works for the People team at Wellcome, a scientific research funding organisation, and when she’s not working or singing enjoys reading, long walks in the countryside and knitting scarves for friends and family.
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