Charles Naylor - Chairman
Charles brings a lifetime of experience from his career as a Global Communications and Marketing professional having worked for firms including Credit Suisse, HSBC, Centrica and Shell. But he also understands the joy of choral singing and the many advantages that a musical education brings having been a choral scholar at St John’s Cambridge and a professional opera singer at the Vienna Staatsoper and Glyndebourne before changing to a career in business.
Rodolfus appoints 13 new Trustees
In the 40th anniversary year for the Rodolfus Choir and with the 45th year of our choral courses next year, we are delighted to announce the appointment of 13 new trustees to our board.
Our new colleagues will bring a rich and diverse array of experience to support our strategy to grow the reach of the Rodolfus Foundation into all communities in the British Isles, and in selected international locations. We will do this by encouraging more children and young people to attend our existing courses and by establishing more courses in different locations. With over 12,000 alumni so far, we aim to continue to bring the joy of excellent choral singing to the widest possible community.
Welcome to: Kate Ashby, Kieran Cooper, Suzie Crookes, Alex Eadon, Alex Goodwin, Nicholas Harries, Simon Holt, Simone Krüger Bridge, Simon Neill-O’Brien, Hope Pugh, George Richford, Megan Rickard and Richard Tanner.
Our new Trustees will join Jenny Hasnip, Laura Oldfield, Joseph Steadman, Binath Philomin and Sophie Taylor-Denton, although we sadly say goodbye and thanks to Niall Weir and Simon Toyne who will be retiring as trustees after many years. They have both given invaluable support to the Foundation. (Charles Naylor, November 2024)
Current Trustees
Jenny Hasnip - Treasurer
Jenny has been a keen amateur singer throughout her life since first singing in the church choir as a child.
“The appeal of the choral courses with singers then having the chance to join the Rodolfus Choir is close to my heart and being part of the Rodolfus Foundation is a privilege.”
Jenny is an accountant and school bursar and lends these skills and experience to the Foundation.
Jenny Hasnip - Treasurer
Binath Philomin
Binath is an undergraduate at the University of Cambridge, where he reads Classics and is a Choral Scholar in the Choir of King’s College. He began his musical career as a chorister at Christ Church, Oxford. At the age of 13, he was awarded a music scholarship to Eton College and sang on his first Rodolfus Choral Course in 2017. Having completed his Gap Year at King’s College School, Cambridge, he has continued to work at the school as a Boarding House Tutor while studying for his degree.
As a musician from a minority ethnic background, Binath has always had a passion for outreach and wishes to further develop the provision of musical opportunities for children of all upbringings. He has recently worked on the Junior Choral Courses and will be working with Tenebrae from January 2022 to help deliver their choral education programme in state schools.
In his free time, Binath is a keen cricketer and aspiring cook.
Binath Philomin
Niall Weir
Niall Weir is the Rector of St Paul’s Church, West Hackney in the East End of London, where he has served the majority of his ministry as a Priest in the Church of England. He is committed to the Rodolfus Foundation and its vision of sharing the joys and disciplines of the English Choral Tradition with as many young people as possible - especially with those on the margins of society - principally because he knows that he owes his life to these things. Niall enjoys singing and is honoured to have done so with the choirs of Norwich, Christ Church Oxford, Winchester and St Paul’s Cathedrals. He is co-founder of Hackney Choral, a local engagement project based at St Paul’s Church and run in partnership with the Music Department of St Paul’s Cathedral.
Niall Weir
Laura Oldfield
Laura is a secondary school music teacher, professional classical singer, blogger and poet. A choral course alumna, Laura now sings with Tenebrae, Tenebrae Consort, The Eric Whitacre Singers, The Monteverdi Choir, Polyphony, Alamire, Solomon's Knot and The Cardinall’s Musick as well as regular session singing, appearing on many film soundtracks as part of London Voices. She also enjoys performing contemporary music, recently singing Stockhausen's Stimmung alongside Ben Parry in London Voices.
Laura Oldfield
Sophie Taylor-Denton
Sophie is a secondary school music teacher, as well as a professional choral and session singer. Sophie began her choral journey in the Catholic Church as a choral scholar at Nottingham Cathedral as well as the Rodolfus Choir, NYCGB and LYC. Her professional singing engagements include liturgical work in various London churches, television, festivals, UK tours and backing singing for popular music artists.
A Rodolfus Choir alumna, Sophie spent four years in the travel industry as an account manager. Her switch to teaching was instigated by a Rods event, when she helped with a primary school workshop for the Barnes Music Festival - and she has never looked back! She is passionate about bringing choral music to singers from disadvantaged backgrounds, having had bursary support as a youth in order for her to participate in high-profile choral singing engagements.
Sophie Taylor-Denton
Joseph Steadman
Having been a keen singer while at school, Joe combined his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in law with choral scholarships at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and The Queen’s College, Oxford. Joe is now a barrister at Wilberforce Chambers in London, where his practice focuses on business, property and trusts disputes. He continues to sing regularly, in particular with the choir of St Mark’s Regent’s Park and the Lacock Scholars.
Joseph Steadman
Simon Toyne
Simon is Executive Director of Music of the David Ross Education Trust, where he is responsible for the development of a music programme for over 13,000 children across 34 state primary and secondary schools in the East Midlands. He conducts the Chapel Choir of Malcolm Arnold Academy and the DRET Youth Choir, working regularly with the Gabrieli Consort, Britten Sinfonia and Nevill Holt Opera, and has developed the award-winning ‘Singing Schools’ programme. His work at DRET has included establishing a common music curriculum, creating a network of partner organisations, developing a team of specialist music coaches and instigating a talent development programme.
Simon Toyne