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 of Charles Villers 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 the Elgar Society Journal wrote “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 fresh-voiced Exeter College Choir achieve a superb blend under their intelligent young conductor”.
This year George marked 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 organ restoration. For six years, George was Head of Choral Music at Wellington College. He is now Director of Music at the West London Free School, a specialist music school known for its outstanding choral provision, which was named The Sunday Times London Comprehensive School of the Year for 2025.
Alongside his role as Musical Director of Godalming Choral Society, George is proud to hold the directorship of Wokingham Choral Society, where his predecessors include Edward Gardner Paul Daniel and Stephen Layton. Recent highlights have included 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 this year he broadcast on Radio 3 accompanying the Rodolfus Choir in music by Schubert, Haydn, David Briggs and Roderick Williams, and he will be heard again live on BBC Radio on New Year’s Eve 2025.
Elgar's 'Dream of Gerontius' at Guiildford Cathedral with the British Sinfonietta. Photo:: Adam Gault Photography Ltd
