Who We Are
Committee Members
Steve Hulbert
Chair
Steve joined Sitwells in 2018 after moving back fo Derbyshire following a 33 year sojourn in the south. His interest in singing started as a child when he sang in the church choir at Frecheville in Sheffield. Later he sang at the Schools Proms in London and also at Winchester and Coventry Cathedrals whilst in a choir in Hampshire. He has also sung in musical theatre groups and he is very happy to have joined a choir that now provides a good mix of sacred and secular repertoire.
Linda Potter
Concert Secretary
Linda began her singing career at the age of 4 singing ‘Run Little Goblin’ to an appreciative audience on The Isle of Wight. Since then she has progressed to many solo opportunities in oratorios and also recitals as a member of The Three Lindas and as a solo artist. She has been a member of the Sitwells for many years despite an extended break, but rejoined just after Covid to the joys of singing standing 2m apart and much use of masks. Sitwells is a home from home for Linda.
Martina Corcoran
Members’ Secretary
Martina has enjoyed singing all her life.
Musical Director
Dexter Drown
Dexter Drown is an imaginative and versatile conductor who has been praised for his utterly magical performances of passion, confidence, and flair.
Alongside his work as conductor of the professional chamber orchestra, The Sinfonia Stellaris, Dexter has worked with musicians from the Orchestra of the Swan on premiere recordings of new works, led concerts with contemporary music ensemble The Hadit Collective, Ensemble Ad libitum de Chambéry, and conducted the Midland Sinfonia. As well as his work with professional orchestras, Dexter is the Musical Director of the Midland Concert Orchestra and follows in the footsteps of Malcolm Sargent as Musical Director of the Leicester Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to his passion for Orchestral music, Dexter is a distinguished and inspiring choral conductor and choir trainer. He has worked as chorus master for conductors including Sir Karl Jenkins, Toby Purser, and George Jackson in some of the UK’s most prestigious venues, such as The Bridgewater Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Usher Hall, and St David’s Hall. Dexter has worked with Ensemble Vocal Interlude (Grenoble), Chaddesley Voices, and is the Musical Director of Solihull Chandos Choir, Stourport Choral, conducts the East Oxford Community Choir and Orchestra, and is on the faculty of the Chester Choral Week, sharing his love of choral music with singers across the country.
In conjunction with his work with large choruses, Dexter is the conductor of the Nottingham Trent University Chamber Choir, helping shape the next generation of choral musicians, and the Musical Director of The Sitwell Singers and the award-winning Derwent Singers. His experience in choral excellence has been recognised with an invitation to adjudicate at the Bangor International Choral Festival.
Proudly State Educated, Dexter is as passionate about learning as he is about music making. He is the Winner of the Michael Beech Conducting Award and the Abingdon Music Festival Conducting Competition. Dexter gained a Master’s in Orchestral Conducting with Distinction at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and has been fortunate to participate in the Garsington Opera Conductor Mentorship Programme and Masterclasses with Kazuki Yamada, Nicholas Collon, Paul Murphy, Peter Stark, Kenneth Keisler, and Daniel Bortholossi.
Deputy Conductor
David Henshaw
David enjoys conducting and singing, both in choirs and as a soloist. He conducts Derby Hospitals Choir, is Show Musical Director for Melbourne Operatic Society and Organist & Choirmaster at St. Peter’s Church, Chellaston. He has sung many operatic and Gilbert and Sullivan rôles and also sings with the Loughborough-based groups Concorde and operaHouse.
His second hobby is mending things.
