The Crofton Singers

Our chairman is Joanna Newell, a talented
young local musician She has taken
over from Diana Newlands who expertly
chaired the choir for the previous seven years.

Joanna is a former Forest School pupil with a
remarkably varied musical career. Even before
university she taught piano, violin, singing
and music theory to a number of pupils and
was a member of the London Symphony Chorus
and Forest Philharmonic Orchestra.
She studied Music at Cardiff University and, during her time as Vice Chairman of the Music Society, was putting on weekly concerts with other students. She was a member of the Cardiff University Chamber Choir and Chamber Orchestra, the Contemporary Music Group, and the Cardiff University Symphony Orchestra. Joanna even admits to playing the part of a Hot Box girl in the University production of Guys and Dolls!

During her summer holidays, she took a development internship with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and also worked in San Francisco’s 24 hour Virgin Megastore on the Classical Music and Jazz section help desk. After graduation she was offered the post of Development Officer at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, went on to be Development Manager at the Soho Theatre and has recently been appointed as Patrons Manager at Southbank Centre.