The choir is pleased to announce that we have recently appointed Lionel Pike as M.D. and Conductor. For the past forty years he held the position of Professor of Music at Royal Holloway.
Lionel was a chorister and assistant organist at Bristol Cathedral where his teacher and mentor was Clifford Harker (who had himself been assistant conductor to Sir Malcolm Sargent). Lionel spent many years singing in, and accompanying the cathedral's choral society (the Bristol Cathedral Special Choir) before winning an organ scholarship to Oxford. Here he ran the chapel music of Pembroke College, founded and directed a chamber choir (The Pembroke Consort), helped with the music at New College, and eventually became assistant conductor and accompanist of the Oxford Harmonic Society, where his tutor (Sir David Lumsden) was the conductor. In 1965 he moved to Egham where he became a lecturer (and eventually Professor of Music) at Royal Holloway. He retired in 2005, having spent 40 years in the music faculty, 36 of them running the chapel music and 20 of them conducting the choral society. He made 14 CD's with the chapel choir, took them to sing in most English cathedrals, made radio and TV broadcasts, and toured most of the countries of Europe with them. He is a Limpus prize-winner of the fellowship diploma of the Royal College of Organists, holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford, and has published many articles and books.
David is now firmly established as a freelance professional musician after his brave decision to cease being something in the City. His undoubted talent in all areas of music is in evidence when you hear the range of styles of music he so expertly accompanies.
David studied piano teaching and accompaniment with Leslie Murchie at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 1971 to 1974. Since that time his teachers have included the Polish concert pianist Henryk Mierowski and Irene Kohler and he is now an extremely accomplished performer.
His weekly musical round includes:
David Darby has been the main accompanist of E & D CS since 1971.
David is a native of Egham, whose name is synonymous with music in the town, fully active with the Egham Music Club, who lived in Zimbabwe for 3 years, where he appeared on both national Radio and Television Stations.
David was the chairman of the Society in the 40th Anniversary year, which was a challenging year, he more than any other is responsible for us still being here.
He has had a number of recitals in the City of London which have included a number of major works by Schubert, Beethoven and Chopin.
David Darby's name is synonymous with music making in the Egham area, and for many years he has been a keystone in the activities of Egham Choral.
