Tim Knight: Musical Director
Tim was appointed as Musical Director of Leeds Male Voice Choir in January 2014 and he quickly re-established Leeds Male Voice Choir as a popular feature on local music scene. Under Tim’s leadership, innovative and diverse concert programming, expanding audiences and the continued growth in membership have resulted in one of the most exciting periods in the choir’s history leading the choir’s a return to national and international touring after a thirty-year hiatus.
Born in Northallerton, Tim became a chorister in York Minster Choir under Dr Francis Jackson, with the daily round of choral services exposing him to an immense and diverse repertoire.
Tim pursues a varied musical career. As a conductor, he has worked with choirs large and small and held posts with Wakefield Festival Chorus, Vocalis, The York Rose Singers, Thornton Vocal Union, The Eldon Singers and a host of other celebrated Northern Choirs. He runs two choirs he founded, The Heritage Singers and The Heritage Masterworks Chorale.
As a composer Tim’s music is distributed worldwide; he has been nominated ten times in the Classic FM Hall of Fame between 2014 and 2023, and his work has been performed in concert halls, schools and cathedrals within the United Kingdom, Europe and America. He has undertaken a composer in residence visit to Clarke University Dubuque in Iowa for the premiere of his Requiem Aeternam and in 2015 and 2016 acted as a judge in the Canco Mediterrania International Choir Competition in Barcelona.
Tim has also held positions as Principal of Music House in Leeds, Music and Festivals Officer on the Executive of the National Association of Choirs and Chairman for the Royal School of Church Music in the Ripon and Leeds region. In 2019 he acted act as the Artistic Director for Voices Yorkshire, a Yorkshire wide choral festival, a twenty first century version of the Leeds Triennial Choral Festival. He is also in demand as a singing, composition and theory teacher and provides expert workshops leadership to choirs throughout the United Kingdom.
Lucas Kelly: Principal Accompanist
Lucas Kelly joined the musical team in September 2021 as Principal Accompanist. An experienced pianist, composer and teacher, Lucas supports the choir’s rehearsals and concert schedules.
Lucas holds a First Class Honours Degree from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in Jazz Piano, achieving distinction in ABRSM Grade 8 at the age of 15. He has received tuition form some of the United Kingdom’s top contemporary musicians including John Turville, Liam Noble and Ross Stanley and has performed with many ensembles including Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra and the RBC Duke Ellington Orchestra.
He has performed one of his own compositions at the Royal Albert Hall with the Greenhead College Big Band for the finals of the Music For Youth festival. Lucas has provided accompaniment for Halifax Cube Choir, Saddleworth Male Voice Choir and Chapel-en-le-Frith Ladies Choir and currently accompanies Barnsley Youth Choir.
Lucas works as a freelance musician and teacher, including teaching for Artforms Leeds.