Musical Director

Sofi Jeannin Mmus (RCM) was appointed the Society's Musical Director in April 2006. She succeeded Ron Ferris who had held the post for almost nine years before retiring.

Born in Sweden, Sofi initially trained as a pianist and singer at Inger Wikström Nordiska Musikkonservatorium, continuing her studies in Lindesberg. She went on to study musicology in Sweden and France between 1995-1999, going on to attend the Choral Conducting class of Bertrand Dutour de Salvert at the National Conservatoire in Nice. While in Nice, she conducted the church choir of Notre Dame du Port, founded a Swedish female chorus in Cagnes sur Mer, and taught choral singing at the Conservatoire, where she also studied singing and écriture. In June 2003 she won the Lavoisier competition organised by the French Ministry of Culture, enabling her to go to England to explore her interest for the British choral tradition.

Studying for Paul Spicer at the Royal College of Music, she completed the MMus course in Choral Conducting, having obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in July 2004. She teaches singing at the Blythe Centre of Music and Visual Art at Imperial College. Having conducted the RCM chorus, chamber choir, opera chorus and various ensembles both at the RCM and outside, she was awarded the Worshipful Company of Musicians' Medal in July 2005. In the autumn of 2005 she travelled to Romania on two occasions to conduct the Philharmonic Chorus of Arad, for Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle and an a cappella concert including works of Tchaikovsky, Bartok, Messiaen and Poulenc. Future engagements include a tour to France with her chamber ensemble and a performance at the RCM Lachemann festival in 2006.

Last updated: September 2006

Sofi Jeannin