About Us

Glossop Music Festival was formed in 2013 and has become a much-loved, regular feature in Glossop’s cultural calendar. Founded by the violinist Tom Elliott, it has evolved from the highly successful ‘Glossop Concert Society’, which ran for the previous 25 years.

The aim of the Festival is to bring the highest quality music to the widest possible audience. We host individual chamber concerts throughout the year, together with a week-long Summer Festival of orchestral concerts, late-night events, an informal pop-up pub gig, a choral workshop with the Hallé and an education programme of workshops and concerts for local schools.

The supremely talented virtuoso pianist Viv McLean is the Festival’s President, and his regular appearances are always much anticipated.

We are extremely grateful for the generous support of an ever-growing family of Friends, individuals and businesses, whose contributions enable us to attract exceptional performers and deliver events of the highest quality.

Chloé van Soeterstède conducting the Glossop Festival Orchestra

President

Viv McLean

Vice President

Mike Bull

Artistic Team

Claire Surman

ARTISTIC TEAM
Claire completed the postgraduate opera course at the Royal College of Music with distinction, having won the Lies Askonas Prize, Agnes Nicholls Harty Trophy and Ted Moss Lieder Prize.

She made her Welsh National Opera debut in 2011 as Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) and her Glyndebourne Festival Opera debut as Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Other roles include: Tatyana (Eugene Onegin), Violetta (La Traviata), Gilda (Rigoletto), Leïla (The Pearl Fishers), Mimì (La Bohème), Governess (Turn of the Screw), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro), First Lady (Die Zauberflöte) and Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus).

Solo concert highlights include performing with the London Philharmonic Orchestra/Vladimir Jurowski (Royal Festival Hall), the OAE/Sir Simon Rattle (Royal Festival Hall), in Raymond Gubbay’s Last Night of the Spring Proms Concerts (Symphony Hall, Bridgewater Hall), and with the Berlin Philharmonic/Sir Simon Rattle (Berlin, Salzburg Festival).

Claire appeared as a guest artist for the television series ‘Sopranos’. Claire now combines performing with a thriving teaching practice here in Glossop. She is passionate about quality classical music experiences for all, and in 2013 she established GLOSSOPERA. Claire is thrilled to also now be working with Glossop Music Festival to continue developing world-class music in the High Peak.

Benjamin Powell

ARTISTIC TEAM
Since winning the British Contemporary Piano Competition in 2010 Benjamin has gained a reputation for intelligent and expressive performances with a strong commitment to contemporary music.

Emma Dixon

ARTISTIC TEAM
Emma studied cello at the Royal Northern College of Music with Jenny Curtis and Kim Bak Dinitzen. She has performed as a chamber musician and orchestral player on modern and baroque cellos throughout the UK and Europe.

Passionate about music education, Emma has always combined working as a performer with being a cello and musicianship teacher, working with students of all ages from beginner to advanced level for institutions including the RNCM, Pro Corda, Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester Camerata and the Hallé.

She holds a Certificate in Dalcroze Eurythmics and is currently studying internationally for a further Licence in Dalcroze. Emma is delighted to be the Director of Strings for Dark Peak Music Foundation, working with dozens of young musicians on a weekly basis as ensemble director and with a particular focus on the development of string playing in the Dark Peak area and on creating opportunities for young people to encounter and fall in love with music.

Emma grew up in Sheffield and lives in Glossop with her husband and three children.

Rachel Whibley

ARTISTIC TEAM
As a bassoonist, Rachel has performed with many of the UK’s top orchestras, lived in Ireland for 4 years working with the RTÉ and Ulster orchestras, and is currently a member of Manchester Camerata and Northern Chamber Orchestra.
Alongside her performing career, Rachel is co-founder and managing director of Carrot Productions, the world’s leading performers of The Snowman and Wallace & Gromit films with live orchestra. Their shows are scheduled across the world, including performances in Japan, Australia, Taiwan and New Zealand.
In 2020 she created Schooltime Showtime: The Snowman, an online package for schools impacted by the pandemic. This was followed in 2021 with Schooltime Showtime: Wallace & Gromit, created in partnership with Aardman Animations.
Last year, 58 performances of ‘Musical Beasts’ – a new show featuring a sextet adaptation of Peter & the Wolf, costumed and performed from memory – were scheduled in SEN schools and concert halls. Most recently, Rachel created and produced a show celebrating the work of Gerry Anderson, resulting in a sold-out performance at Birmingham Symphony Hall.
Recent film adaptations and premieres include Aardman’s ‘The Flight Before Christmas’ and Terry Pratchett’s ‘The Amazing Maurice’, staged at Alexandra Palace, London, in April 2023.
https://www.carrotproductions.com

Musicians

Chloé van Soeterstède

Conductor

Sophie Rosa

Violin

Viv McLean

Piano and President

Eva Þórarinsdóttir

Leader

Katie Stillman

Leader

Sarah Brandwood-Spencer

Leader

Board of Trustees

Marion Barter

TRUSTEE
Retired buildings historian and conservation professional. Loves concert-going and singing with choirs.

Charlotte Cotterill

TRUSTEE

Sam Griffiths-Jones

TRUSTEE
Professor of Computational Biology at the University of Manchester.

Cilla Hollman

TRUSTEE

Carl Raven

TRUSTEE
Professional Saxophonist, and Saxophone Teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester University and Chetham's School of Music.

Chris Strogen

TRUSTEE
Semi-retired solicitor combining a consultancy helping older clients with wills, trusts and probate, together with voluntary work in the Glossop area.

Tone deaf since birth (!), he is delighted to be able to apply some professional skills and time to supporting the festival in bringing the highest quality of classical music to the whole community.

Chris grew up in Manchester and has lived in Glossop for the last 30 years. He enjoys walking and cycling throughout the valley.

Andy Zuntz

TRUSTEE
Retired Local Authority Chief Officer and Housing Association Group Chair.

Honorary Life Members

Mike Bull, Jeff Snowdon, Judith Fuidge, Simon Hurrell, Rev Fred Whitehead

Friends of Glossop Music Festival

Glossop Music Festival is enormously grateful to the following Friends for their continued support:

Helen Aczel, Alison Allcard, Mark Allison, Mark Adlard, Jeff and Pat Barlow-Ralls, Marion Barter, Christopher & Barbara Bohan, Helen Bowdur, Mike & Gill Bull, Ian Chesters, Tim & Maureen Cox, Ruth Cram, Lesley Cropper, Angela & Jeremy Dale, Jane Dixon, Kate Dowland, Susan Eversfield, Penelope Fish, Roger Fletcher, Elizabeth (Anne) Fox, Sam Griffiths-Jones, Mark Henderson, Nina Hill, Cilla Hollman, Ghislaine & Michael Howard, Simon & Louise Hurrell, Janet Lee, Jim & Pat Joyce, Ian Laybourn, Caro & Michael Millington, Lesley Mitchell & Nick Minns, Linda Otridge, Christopher Parrack, Esme Pickford, Jennifer Powell, David Reeve, Victoria Stec, Nadia Syddall, Andy Zuntz & Karen Mitchell

More from Glossop Music Festival

About Us

President

Vice President

Artistic Team

Musicians

Board of Trustees

Honorary Life Members

Sponsors

Friends of Glossop Music Festival

More from Glossop Music Festival