George de Voil
Wokingham Choral Society has a history of appointing outstanding musicians to lead the choir, including the conductors Stephen Layton, Paul Daniel, and Edward Gardner, our President and currently Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. And now, we are delighted to continue that tradition with our Musical Director, George de Voil.
George de Voil’s reputation as a conductor took off in 2014 when he made the world première recording with symphony orchestra of Stanford's Mass in G, Op. 46. The disc was praised by BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone, and led to George being named a Classic FM "Young Artist to Watch". MusicWeb International praised his “stylish” direction, calling his recording of Parry’s Songs of Farewell “exciting and full of conviction”, while Martin Bird declared in the Elgar Society Journal, “George de Voil is something of a find… He may be young, but his innate musicianship, his feeling for line, for balance, for phrasing, for the placing of chords, is exciting…”. Choir & Organ remarked, “the choir achieve a superb blend under their intelligent young conductor”.
This year George marks a decade as Director of Music at St James's, Sussex Gardens, in London, with its fine professional choir. Under his leadership, the distinguished musical tradition of this church has been revitalised, with an exciting concerts programme and a major rebuild by Mander Organs of the 1882 Hill instrument. For six years George was Head of Choral Music at Wellington College, where he built the reputation of the Chapel Choir, leading a number of successful foreign tours. Alongside his role as Musical Director of Godalming Choral Society, he is proud to hold the directorship of Wokingham Choral Society, where his predecessors include Edward Gardner, Paul Daniel, and Stephen Layton. Highlights for 2024-25 include directing Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius in Guildford Cathedral, Britten’s St Nicholas with the choir of St George’s School, Windsor Castle, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah in the Memorial Chapel at Charterhouse.
A prizewinning Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, with a first class degree from Oxford University, George has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, and given organ concerts in Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral, as well as across the UK and Europe. On New Year’s Day in 2025 he broadcast on Radio 3 accompanying the Rodolfus Choir, with music by Schubert and Haydn alongside a new commission by Roderick Williams. George studies orchestral conducting with Russell Keable and is on the full-time teaching staff of King’s College School, Wimbledon.