Christopher Braime
CEO of Studio Falkland Lodge (SFL) Community Music Partnership
Biography
Christopher Braime, head of SFL Community Music, was born in Beverley and initially studied as an oboist and conductor, gaining a foundation scholarship to attend the Royal College of Music, London. Until recently Christopher was predominantly a professional freelance conductor, holding many musical directorships and guest conductor positions throughout the country. However, in 2019 as a result of the pandemic, he moved into the world of music production and videography, and through his studio, The Studio Falkland Lodge (based in Crystal Palace, South London) he now combines both of these fields focussing mainly on guest conducting and extensive production work.
Over the last 20 years, Christopher has become increasingly involved with community music projects and has seen the transformative effects music can have on people's lives. He wanted to form an organisation that brings together all areas of the music industry - creating opportunities for those who simply do not have them - and to help people to find new skills and joy within music.
In 2022, the groundwork on a new organisation to explore this work, Studio Falkland Lodge Community Music, began. Christopher hopes to see this organisation take shape and begin to make a real difference to people’s lives.
Elspeth Wilkes
Rehearsal Director
Choir on the Hill
Biography
Born in Leigh-on-sea, Essex, Elspeth studied at King’s College, London, Trinity College of Music and Royal Academy of Music. She has performed at the Royal Opera House; the Royal Albert Hall; St Martin-in-the-Fields; several West End theatres and at the Ravenna festival, the Edinburgh Festival and the Dublin Theatre Festival winning an ‘Oscar’ award.
Elspeth has worked with BBC Wales, Royal Ballet and the Royal Shakespeare Company. As a musical director/repetiteur she has worked with Opera up Close, Opera Brava, Merry Opera Company and Opera de Bauge.
Most recently, Elspeth was accepted on to the music staff at ENO and is the conductor of Thurrock Choral Society and assistant conductor of Barnes Choir and Putney Choral Society.
Elspeth enjoys quizzing in her spare time and has appeared on Mastermind, The Chase, The Weakest Link and Countdown!
Kevin Withell
Lead Partner
Education and Discovery
Biography
Kevin is a conductor and music educator based in Southampton. He read music at the University of Southampton, where he specialised in conducting and orchestration, as well as writing a dissertation on Music and the Holocaust. Kevin remained in Southampton to complete a Masters degree in conducting with additional modules in composition and music education.
As a conductor, Kevin directs the Southampton Youth Orchestra, Langtree Sinfonia and Southampton University Concert Band, and is a regular guest conductor for Charity Symphony Orchestra, as well as being in regular demand to take rehearsals with Ealing Symphony Orchestra and London Gay Symphony Orchestra.
As a composer, Kevin has conducted the premieres of his own settings of the Requiem Mass (2011) and Gloria Mass (2013), both performances featuring Worthing Choral Society and local guest singers and orchestras, as well as producing numerous compositions and arrangements for the orchestras he directs.
Kevin teachers for Southampton Music Services, balancing peripatetic brass and piano teaching with primary music curriculum education. He is delighted to be the new programme lead for Education and Discovery with the SFL Community Music Partnership and is relishing the opportunity to reinvigorate primary, secondary and community musical access and experience.
June O’Sullivan, MBE
Advisor
Education and Discovery
Biography
As CEO and creator of the UK's leading childcare social enterprise, June continues to break new ground in the development of LEYF's scalable social business model. She remains a tireless campaigner, looking for new ways to influence policy and make society a better place for all children and families.
June developed the LEYF Pedagogy and champions community-based, multi-generational early years education as the basis for greater social and cultural capital to deliver long-term social impact. She continues to advise Governments as well as a range of organisations, academics and services at home and overseas about how best to implement a social enterprise vision for Early Years.
June is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Trustee of The Book Trust, and her local library, Upper Norwood Library Trust. She is currently a member of the London Mayor’s Advisory Group on Child Healthy Weight and the Mayor’s Skills Partnership Board as well as a Commissioner for the Future of Westminster Commission. June was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours in 2013, for her services to London’s children.
Read June’s blog: http://www.leyf.org.uk/blog
Follow her on Twitter www.twitter.com/JuneOSullivan