“The scholarship made a massive difference. I’m a singer and a pianist, and when I first started conducting choirs, I thought ‘well, I understand singing, I can read the score, and I can play the piano; here we go’. You really have no idea what you’re doing, but my SfP training has given me the right to call myself a conductor. It’s a really holistic approach to conducting; I feel very confident taking on quite epic works now, thanks to my training. And you build a network of professional contacts, alongside the supportive one of SfP friends, tutors, mentors… I hate to sound such a cliché, but it’s been life-changing, absolutely life-changing…”
Neil continues to lead choirs across the north of England, in addition to pursuing his singing career.