Bristol Choral Society & Hilary Campbell
Biography Bristol Choral Society & Hilary Campbell
Hilary Campbell
is a freelance choral specialist based in London, and is founder and director of professional chamber choir Blossom Street, and Musical Director of Bristol Choral Society, the Music Makers of London and Chiswick Choir. She is currently also working as Associate Conductor of Ex Cathedra. Her guest work includes ensembles such as BBC Symphony Chorus, whom she prepared for a performance of Mozart's Mass in C Minor at the Proms (see reviews here), the Royal Academy of Music Symphony Chorus, Trinity Laban Chamber Choir, BBC Radio 4’s Daily Service Singers, the University of Greenwich Choir and the New London Singers. In 2018, she undertook her first project as guest conductor of the BBC Singers. She also runs an annual project with Master of the Queen's Music Judith Weir at the Royal Academy of Music, in conjunction with Blossom Street and the RAM composition department, and began working there in 2017 as a BMus Lecturer. In addition, she is conductor of P&O Ferries Choir, the group which won the BBC2 series The Choir, whom she met whilst filming for the series.
Hilary gained a Distinction for an MMus in Choral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music; she was also awarded the three choral conducting prizes. At the Academy, she studied choral conducting with Patrick Russill, Paul Brough and Cathal Garvey, singing with Julie Kennard and composition with Ruth Byrchmore. She gained a Distinction for an MA in Vocal Studies at the University of York, and undertook an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in singing at Trinity College of Music. Following her studies, she returned to the Royal Academy as the Meaker Fellow 2012-13, the first choral conductor to have been thus honoured, and this year was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM). She now works there, too, as a BMus tutor. In addition to her regular conducting work, Hilary also acts as an adjudicator, choral workshop leader and guest conductor. She is a founder member of the Voices of London Festival, and cofounder of music workshop scheme VOCALIZE. With Blossom Street, she has released two award winning Naxos recordings, and she is also a published and prize-winning composer.
Hilary has conducted in the UK, Japan, Spain, France, Sweden and Germany, as well as on BBC2, Channel 4, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4. Her debut disc with Blossom Street, Sleep Holy Babe, was the Classic FM Christmas disc of the year 2011 and receives airplay regularly in the Christmas season. Blossom Street's second disc, Down by the Sea, was released in 2013 to critical acclaim ("At the risk of prejudicing any latecomers and with 2013 barely half gone, I declare this release to be my choral album of the year. I’d be stupefied if anything stronger comes long. …Terrific stuff" Norman Lebrecht), as was their most recent recording, A Short While for Dreaming ("Gorgeous sound; highly engaging, dedicated performances." BBC Music Magazine). Previously, she held the post of Musical Director of Dorking Choral Society, Harpenden Music Makers, Streatham Voices and Blackheath Conservatoire's choirs, and Assistant Conductor of Barts Choir.
For her studies at the Academy, Hilary was generously supported by the Derek Butler Trust, Hobson Charity, Kathleen Trust, Royal College of Organists, Hilda Martindale Trust, John Wates Charitable Trust and the Seary Charitable Trust. She was also the recipient of the Bundy Award 2011, the Stanley Vann Scholarship 2010 and the Peter Le Huray Award 2010.
