Hertford Choral Society is delighted to announce that Manvinder Rattan has been appointed as its new musical director.

An inspiring conductor and MD, Manvinder has extensive experience rehearsing and performing across genres and repertoires, and is excited about working with the Hertford community.

Alongside his CEO and Head of Conductor Training roles at Sing for Pleasure and his CEO role at The Voices Foundation, Manvinder has been Musical Director of the John Lewis Partnership Music Society since 1995, with responsibility for its 15 choirs and an orchestra.  He was also a judge for BBC2’s The Choir with Gareth Malone and a regular adjudicator for the BBC’s Choir of the Year as well as choral festivals around the country. In addition, he is Musical Director of Serafine Chamber Choir and Sinfonia with whom he released the premiere recording of Oliver Tarney’s Magnificat.  In 2016, Manvinder was awarded an honorary doctorate by his alma mater, York St John University, for his services to music and conducting. In 2021, he received a Fellowship of the Royal School of Music in choral directing.

Speaking of this appointment, HCS Chair Trish Galloway said: ‘We are absolutely delighted that Manvinder is joining us for this next chapter in the choir’s history. He will bring great perspectives, new insights and foster those important traditions of fun and enthusiasm that are hallmarks of HCS.’

Speaking of his new HCS role, Manvinder said: ‘I am immensely delighted and proud to have been appointed to this role. The choir has an impressive heritage and my predecessor is going to be a tough act to follow but I can’t wait to get started and do my best to inspire and lead the best performances I possibly can.’

Manvinder can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

HCS rehearsals for a performance of Haydn’s The Creation will begin on Tuesday 7th September 2021.

Further information about the choir can be found at www.hertfordchoral.org.uk.  New joiners are very welcome; no audition is required.

Charlie Penn-Jones graduated from the University of Birmingham where he studied piano with Joseph Middleton. He maintains a busy freelance timetable as a versatile young musician specialising in work with choirs of all ages and abilities. Charlie is a Britten-Pears Young Artist, previously joining the music staff for Grimes on the Beach in Aldeburgh, and performing on organ conducted by Semyon Bychkov. On stage, he has appeared in Orpheus, an original piece devised and performed by Little Bulb Theatre, and as Keyboard 1 in an exciting new orchestration of Threepenny Opera for the renowned Salzburg festival. He has even made a brief appearance on the BBC’s The One Show, teaching Lee Mack some basic piano vamping!

Alongside his work with Hertford Choral Society, Charlie is the Music Director of Phoenix Chorale, Cambridge - an auditioned SATB choir for young singers, and Assistant Director of Cantate Youth Choir. He is also accompanist to Ely Consort and teaches piano at the Stephen Perse Foundation, where he is also in charge of several boys choirs. He currently works for the Voices Foundation as a choral specialist, and can regularly be found playing various keyboard instruments with the orchestra of Sinfonia Viva.

Whilst living in Birmingham Charlie was Director of Stone Choral Society and a visiting tutor at the Birmingham School of Acting. He is in demand as a recital accompanist and has experience working with students at both the University of Birmingham and the Birmingham Conservatoire. He has also worked with a number of renowned professional soloists including Sir Willard White and Wendy Dawn Thompson. Charlie’s abilities and willingness to tackle any style of music have led him to work with many prestigious musical organisations including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Armonico Consort and the national singing programme, Sing Up! He has also assisted in the running of the Choral and Choral Conducting courses at the international Sherborne Summer School of Music and regularly directs very popular singing courses for the Cambridge Holiday Orchestra Association.

Charlie can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.