Songs of Destiny

William Petter Conductor

William Petter (1982–2016) was Musical Director of the Sine Nomine Singers from 2013 to 2016. A chorister at New College School, Oxford, he read neuroscience at University College London before studying as a tenor at the Royal Academy of Music, and sang with Philharmonia Voices, the choirs of Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral, The Sixteen, Britten Sinfonia Voices and London Voices. He directed the professional choir of St Magnus the Martyr for ten years, as well as Concordia Voices and Sine Nomine, and in his last years composed a body of sacred music, recorded after his death. He died on 10 October 2016, a month after his 34th birthday; the choir's concert of 17 December 2016, Sing Lullaby, was given in his memory.

More at williampetter.org.

William Petter Tenor

William Petter is a freelance choral director, tenor and singing teacher based in London. He began his musical life as a chorister at New College, Oxford, under the direction of Edward Higginbottom. Whilst studying for a degree in Neuroscience at University College, London, he started singing as a tenor, and went on to study as a postgraduate at the Royal Academy of Music, for which he gained the highest award, distinction with DipRAM. William has been musical director of the Sine Nomine Singers since September 2013. He also directs Concordia Voices, an amateur chamber choir based in Hampton Hill, and the professional choir of St Magnus the Martyr, who have recently recorded their first C.D., Regina Cœli, which includes previously unrecorded liturgical music by 19th century operatic composers. He directed the Orpington and District Free Church Choir from 2007‒2012, performing many great works with them including Bach’s Easter Oratorio, Handel’s Messiah, Stainer’s Crucifixion, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah, as well as Mozart’s Requiem, Solemn Vespers K339, and Piano Concerto No 23 in collaboration with Forest Philharmonic. He teaches singing at Orchard House School and St Michael and All Angels, Bedford Park, as well as having a flourishing private practice. As a singer, he enjoys a busy oratorio career, working for groups including Oxford Bach Choir, Oxford Harmonic Society, Hull Bach Choir, Queens Park Singers, Chigwellian Singers and Benson Choral Society. He gives recitals and has performed Die Schöne Müllerin in Oxford, Petts Wood and Burgh House, Hampstead, and an English song recital in Oxford, for which he was given an award by the John Ireland trust. He also enjoys consort work, working with groups including The Sixteen, the Choir of the Enlightenment, Philharmonia Voices, Britten Sinfonia Voices, London Voices, Westminster Abbey Choir, Westminster Cathedral Choir and other London church choirs. Future plans include singing the part of the Evangelist in Bach’s St Matthew Passion for Carshalton Choral Society.

Paul Plummer Piano & organ

Paul Plummer was organ scholar at New College, Oxford before moving to London in 1995 to study piano accompaniment at the Guildhall School; he also attended courses at the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme. Whilst working and studying in London he was Director of Music at St Stephen’s Church, Gloucester Road, where he began and accompanied the weekly Rush-Hour Recital series; he also conducted the West London Vocal Ensemble (later “Hythe Singers”). In 2008 he moved to Germany to work as repetiteur at the opera house in Kiel; then from 2010‒12 served as Studienleiter (Head of Musical Preparation) at the Tiroler Landestheater, whose Intendantin (General Director) was mezzo-soprano Brigitte Fassbaender. Since 2012 he has been freelance again, and now lives in South London, working as a vocal coach privately, for the Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Young Artists’ Programme, and for various young singers’ programmes in Germany and Italy. Visit him at www.paulplummer.co.uk.