Newbury Choral Society appoints Joe Tobin as new Musical Director

After more than a dozen years under Cathal Garvey, who became so familiar on the Newbury music scene, Newbury Choral Society welcome Joe Tobin as his successor.

Cathal is the new conductor of the Winchester Symphony Orchestra, a role in which he is able to achieve his ambition of orchestral conducting.

Joe is an accomplished conductor, composer, singer and musical scholar, based in central London. He has performed alongside ensembles such as I Fagiolini, the Royal Academy of Music Chamber Choir and the Cambridge Fundraising Choir. He is currently the musical director of Penshurst Choral Society, director of music at St Thomas of Canterbury church, Brentwood, and founder and musical director of the professional choir Lerion Consort.

Hailing from Leicester, Joe was first introduced to music as a boy, singing at St James the Greater Church near his family home. He proceeded to sing tenor and then conducting scholar in his 10 years as a chorister, before moving to the University of York as a music undergraduate.

In his first year at York he founded student chamber choir Animas, which he directed. It remains a thriving and active choir. Joe undertook several other musical disciplines in his degree, editing, arranging and composing many works of music including a full orchestral requiem, as well as studying Thai and Indonesian classical traditions. He secured the graduating essay prize for The Wagner Complex, his fresh insights into the relationship of Wagner and Debussy’s music, and graduated in 2018 with first class honours.

As a postgraduate, Joe studied choral conducting at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Patrick Russill, graduating in 2021 with a master’s degree with distinction, receiving the Sir Thomas Armstrong Choral Leadership Prize and Irene Burcher Prize.

In London, Joe has worked professionally as conductor with numerous choirs, as well as the BBC Singers in masterclass and concert. Alongside the Lerion Consort he has produced a number of recordings and regularly tours the South East with concerts. Joe was previously conductor of the Children’s International Voices of Enfield and interim director of music at St Laurence Church, Catford.

Joe brings vigour and enthusiasm plus a wealth of experience as singer and vocal coach, experienced choirmaster and conductor of note. At his suggestion, NCS is currently tackling Mendelssohn’s St Paul, a typically melodic oratorio written before his more famous Elijah.

He is an ideal appointment for Newbury Choral Society as they continue to attract more singers after the hiatus caused by lockdown.