Having sung for some years as a schoolboy chorister, Kiaran rediscovered his love of choral singing when he joined the Shifnal Chorale on his retirement three years ago. He is one of our small but mighty band of tenors, and is appreciative of the welcome and support provided by the Chorale to those, like him, with a non-musical background. He is a Midlander, and has lived near Shifnal for the past 20 years.

Dr. Motje Wolf 

Motje Wolf is a German-British Mezzo-Soprano, Choral Conductor and Researcher. She has been fascinated of working with choirs for most of her adult life, especially working on choir sound and enhancing repertoire. She was Director of Music at St Margaret’s Church Leicester and All Saints with Holy Trinity Loughborough and worked for Leicester Cathedral and Rutland Music Hub in their choral outreach projects in schools. Here in Shropshire, Motje enjoys working with Shifnal Chorale and the Yeoman Singers Shrewsbury. Motje also offers workshops for schools and runs a vibrant Singing Studio focusing on individual voice training based in voice science (www.singingwiththewolf.com).  As a former choral scholar and lay clerk of Leicester Cathedral Choir, she appeared on BBC Radio 4 and Channel 4. She performed twice for Her Late Majesty The Queen and members of the Royal Family. As a soloist, Motje loves to perform 19th  Century Art Song and Early Music with her Ensembles Fabula Musica (www.fabulamusica.com) and Anthology of Song (www.anthologyofsong.com).
Motje works as Senior Lecturer at De Montfort University. Her research centres around voice pedagogy, choral pedagogy and making music with sounds. She co-founded a Special Focus Group on Singing in Music Education for the European Association of Music in Schools. Additionally, she sits on the board of trustees for Sing Up and the editorial board of the International Journal of Research in Choral Singing.

Originally from Birmingham, Marcia Hall has lived in Shifnal for many years. Graduating from Bangor University, she went straight into Secondary School Education as a Music Teacher.

Although Marcia learnt to play the violin and piano in her early years, it was only later in life that she took up singing seriously, with Joyce Rogers as her teacher.

Marcia has also been involved with Amateur Musical Companies, notably the Trinity Operatic Society in Wolverhampton, where she was first a member of the chorus, then as a soloist, before finally becoming their conductor for 11 years.

Since retiring, Marcia has gradually become more involved with Shifnal Chorale and is now their Deputy Conductor and alto soloist.

Tim Sagar held a choral and organ award at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he read Classics to pass the time between Evensongs. He also studied the piano with Martin Roscoe. Tim has played in many cathedrals, at the Royal Albert Hall, for Classic FM and for BBC Songs of Praise. He was Director of Music at Newcastle under Lyme School from 2005-2023 conducting productions including Into the Woods and Les Misérables with their full orchestrations, leading singers through major works including Duruflé Requiem and Vierne Messe Solennelle, and on to Cambridge choral awards success. Tim is also Assistant Organist at St Mary's Collegiate Church, Stafford, and in demand as an arranger, accompanist, theatrical musician and recitalist, including in the Hanley Victoria Hall Organ Proms series.

David Fisher is a highly experienced pianist and organist who lives in Coalbrookdale, Ironbridge. He is a Graduate of Trinity College in London where he also gained the FTCL and FRCO diplomas as an organist.  David was our principal accompanist for many years, only interrupted by a period of illness during which he has been very grateful to Chris Blake for playing in his absence.  He now looks forward to deputising as/when required, and is meanwhile enjoying retirement apart from continuing his organist work playing for weddings and funerals (for which he can usually be available).

Sue’s involvement with Shifnal Chorale dates back to the early 1990s when she was brought in as their occasional accompanist, becoming permanent in 1996 alongside Musical Director husband Chris. Together they headed up the chorale for almost ten years.

Sue’s passion and involvement with music spans over forty years – from individual performance, private teaching and group leadership to community support at town and district level. Resident in Shifnal since 1992, Sue has been Organist and Director of Music at St Andrew’s Church for over twenty years. She was involved with the Shifnal Arts Festivals 2011-2013, and since 2015 has been Co-editor of the Shifnal Parish Magazine.

Sue is proud to be involved with the Chorale as they move forward under the inspirational leadership of Director Alex Woodrow.

Chris has been an organist, accompanist and choir director for over forty years. He was Musical Director of the Chorale from 1996 for just under ten years, and has often come back since to help out as accompanist or to sing with the tenors.  As an organist Chris is self-taught, and by the age of sixteen was already assistant organist at St Mary’s Church, Albrighton.  In 1969 he established the St Mary’s Ecumenical Choir together with Hugh Smith, and for over forty years accompanied the choir as they led services during the vacations in some of the greatest cathedrals in England, including Lincoln, Norwich, Bury St Edmunds and Wells.

Chris is still involved playing the organ at various Churches in the area and is always happy to play for Weddings and Funerals on request.