PATRICK BArrett

FYC ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Patrick Barrett is a conductor specialising in choral music and opera. He is currently Chorus Director of the RSNO Youth Choruses, the Royal Opera House Youth Opera Company and the Irish Youth Choir (14-17 years).

Recent highlights include conducting the RSNO Youth Chorus in performances with Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Benjamin Grosvenor, and Nicola Benedetti, as well as preparing them for the recording of Gaspard’s Christmas by Jonathan Dove. Patrick also led Farnham Youth Choir to two gold medals at the World Choir Games 2024 in New Zealand. He has premièred new works by Errolyn Wallen, Jonathan Brigg, Emma O’Halloran, and DJ R.Kitt, and is a regular guest conductor with the National Youth Choirs 9-15 Years.

Patrick’s commitment to youth choral music extends to preparing choruses for the Edinburgh International Festival, and for the Dunedin Consort, where his work often features in major international performances. As a dedicated music educator, Patrick has worked with organisations including The Sixteen, BBC Singers, Wigmore Hall, and Aldeburgh Young Musicians, and has spoken at the Post Primary Music Teachers Association in Ireland.

In opera, Patrick collaborates with leading UK companies such as the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, and Garsington Opera, where he prepares youth choruses for main stage productions and world premières, including Carmen under Antonello Manacorda and Otello under Sir Antonio Pappano.

Previously, he was the conductor of the University of Birmingham’s Upper Voices Choir, University of Reading Chamber Choir and Brockham Choral Society.

MATTHEW RICKARD

FYC ACCOMPANIST

Matthew Rickard has been accompanist to Farnham Youth Choir since September 2016. He studied at the University of Surrey and the Royal Academy of Music, where he specialised in piano accompaniment. Matthew has a busy freelance career as accompanist, chamber musician and piano teacher. He has recorded several CDs for the EM Records and Toccata Classic labels, some of which have been broadcast on BBC Radio & TV. In addition to FYC, Matthew is also accompanist to Horsley Choral Society, and recently gave two concerts with them in Madrid on a joint tour with Oxshott Choral Society.

MARGARET O’SHEA

FYC Assistant director and Conductor of the Junior Choir

Margaret is the Director of Music for Ark Schools, which is a charity that aims to transform children’s lives through education.

A graduate of Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Northern College of Music, Margaret is a qualified teacher and a passionate advocate for inclusion in education. Margaret is Director of Music for Ark Schools where she is responsible for the overall leadership and creative vision of its wide-reaching music programme. Margaret firmly believes music holds a unique place in supporting young people to develop resilience, empathy and a rich understanding of the world around them. She is currently curriculum lead for Oak National Academy and a trustee of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain. In her spare time, Margaret is an avid consumer of all things ‘pop culture’, and a fair-weather hiker.

Susan norman

junior choir accompanist

Susan completed a Master’s degree in Music, graduating with a specialisation in Piano Accompaniment, at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with prize-winning accompanist Scott Mitchell. She was the recipient of the Piano Accompaniment Prize.

A particular highlight of her career so far was leading the band for a production of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years which was taken to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010. Susan was the Assistant Music Director for the critically acclaimed Opera Up Close 2013-14 production of Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. Susan has performed in such prestigious venues as the Royal Albert Hall, The Tower of London and Wigmore Hall.

Susan is currently the Principal Accompanist at Downe House School, Berkshire. She is an accompanist and piano teacher for Berkshire Maestros, and choir accompanist for Newbury Chamber Choir. Susan continues her studies under international renowned accompanist Simon Lepper.

CLAIRE ROBINS

training choir conductor

Claire Robins is a conductor and music teacher based in Surrey.  A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, Claire is a qualified teacher with experience across secondary and primary phases with a passion for encouraging all children to sing.  

She is a Vocal Health First Aider, a Kodály specialist in music education and runs a private teaching studio. In addition to FYC, Claire is also Conductor of Leith Hill Timeline Choir.

sally Hollyer

training choir assistant

Sally graduated from the University of Hertfordshire in 1993 with a BEd (Hons) and has had a long career as a Primary school teacher. She is experienced in teaching in all year groups from reception to year three and has led music within each school she has taught. Currently, she is Deputy Headteacher as well as music coordinator at St Bartholomew's CE Primary in Haslemere. She enjoys running extracurricular music clubs and currently leads a staff choir and school orchestra as well as a children's choir who have performed at venues such as The Barbican and the Royal Festival Hall. 

Sally lives in Petworth with her husband, two daughters and dog, and enjoys playing the piano and guitar in her spare time.