Founder-director of The Kinder Children’s Choirs of the High Peak, Joyce Ellis is a former opera and concert singer now working in music education.

A finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Competition and the Royal Overseas League Competitions, she was well-known on the oratorio platform in the UK.

Joyce was a member of Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Glyndebourne Touring Opera from 1973-1976, before joining Opera North as a founder member in 1978. She has worked as a soloist under the baton of many major conductors throughout Europe, and is one of the few English contraltos to sing at La Scala. Milan.

Joyce founded the Kinder Choirs in recognition of the fact that there are few quality choral organisations in rural areas. She is passionate that children’s choral music be taken seriously within the professional music industry and within the education system. As someone who failed the audition for her high school choir at the age of 11, she knows that many children take time to find their voices. A gifted, enthusiastic and committed teacher, Joyce works patiently with children who would otherwise be termed ‘tone deaf’, many of whom eventually play a full part in the Kinder Choirs.

Carol was born and educated in the High Peak. She subsequently gained a degree in Economics from London University.

Carol Prowse has extensive experience of running projects and major events and has worked with the Kinder Choirs for over 15 years. She has led on many development projects for the organisation, including the successful collaboration with local schools, for which she secured Arts Council funding, ongoing organisational development programmes and the overseas tours.  In addition she has led on securing funding to underpin the infra structure of the choirs, as well as facilitating the purchase of capital equipment and project and development work. There have been many successful partnerships with national agencies such as ACE, Youth Music, the Alan and Babette Sainsbury Trust, the European Parliament and most recently “Sing Up”, as well as local Trusts and sponsors.

Carol worked in the City of London in banking, before returning to the High Peak, where she was employed by the local authority.  She is a Director and Company Secretary of the High Peak Theatre Trust, one of the UK’s leading regional receiving theatres (Buxton Opera House).  For 5 years Carol was a Non Executive Director of the High Peak Dales NHS Primary Care Trust and is now the Senior Independent Director at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust (Stepping Hill Hospital).

 With Joyce Ellis, Carol organised a series of highly successful International Opera Galas, which raised substantial funds for the development of the Buxton Opera House. The last Gala was attended was attended by HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Kathleen started to play the piano at the age of 4 and at 10 years of age she was accepted into the Royal Manchester College of Music Junior School, where she studied piano and flute.On leaving school Kathleen continued her studies at the RNCM.

After graduating she chose to specialise in accompaniment, studying with John Wilson and David Lloyd .She gained her performer’s diploma and also during this time, her ARCO organ diploma in London.Kathleen was, until recently, the accompanist with the Manchester Boys Choir; a post she held for 20 years. She travelled extensively with them, performing in Canada, Russia, Australia, the USA, as well as many European cities.

She has been associated with Kinder Children’s Choir for many years, accompanying them on several foreign tours. Kathleen works freelance in the Manchester area, accompanying at music festivals and working with several choirs. She also works as exam accompanist for Salford Music Service and teaches piano privately.