‘HALLELUJAH! ’ SHARING THE JOYS OF SINGING
chamber and church choirs, but whilst in Australia I led a choir so honed my skills as a conductor and choir leader. Though it’s not all music and the arts…I enjoy hanging out with and walking my two Whippets and love a DIY or craft project. But music is where I’ve made lasting friendships and it’s through the arts that my partner and I have experienced amazing opportunities.
Talking of which, your move to Australia must have been a major life change? I moved to Australia because I was appointed to the role of General Manager of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. I was really interested to experience working in Australia (having been lucky enough to visit a number of times) and fortunately my partner was up for the move. I was attracted by the challenge of turning around this significant Australian choral organisation and am pleased to say they celebrated 100 years in 2020.
David Francis is the new CEO of the world famous Three Choirs Festival; the spectacular celebration of music that rotates annually between the Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester cathedrals. 2025 sees the festival back in Hereford City and we learn a little about how David will orchestrate his own global experiences into his exciting new post.
Tell us a little about life growing up. I was born in Kingston upon Thames and our family home was in East Molesey - most famous for Hampton Court Palace. My father’s job provided our family with the opportunity to live overseas so my sister and I regularly had to navigate new schools in new countries. I was fortunate to attend schools in the UK where there was a really strong commitment to music and, as a family, we sang in our local church choir, so that’s the basis of my love of music, singing and my career in the music industry.
Where do you live now? I’m currently living just outside Malvern in a beautiful countryside location. It’s a great base from which to travel to the three cities which host the Three Choirs Festival: Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester.
How do you balance your home and work life? Music is as much a hobby as a profession for me. Having always been an active singer outside work, many evenings and weekends have been given up to rehearsals and concerts across the years. I have been a member of the BBC Symphony Chorus and love the experience of singing in a large choir. I have also sung in various
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We ended up staying in Australia 10 years. During that time I developed Four Winds Concerts, in rural NSW, from a biennial classical music festival to a year-round presenting organisation, with a significant music education program. We really loved living in New South Wales and we were fortunate to find ourselves in a beautiful coastal location among a really amazing community for the majority of our time in Australia.
My final role in Australia was CEO of a Music Conservatorium in the city of Wollongong (about 90kms south of Sydney). I was appointed President of the Regional Conservatorium network in NSW and lobbied hard for increased funding for Regional Conservatoriums, who deliver such incredible access to quality music and music education for communities across regional and rural NSW. We returned to the UK on my appointment to Three Choirs; the time is right for us to be closer to family once again.
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