Hayley Swanton - Soprano

Soprano Hayley Swanton is often recognized for her energetic and refreshing approach to classical repertoire. Since moving to Manchester, she has worked as a soloist with many established choral societies including the Altrincham Choral Society, Chesterfield Philharmonic Choir, Southport Bach Choir, Keele Bach Choir, Tatton Singers, Pershore Choral, St George's Singers, and King Edward Musical Society.

Hayley was a finalist in the 2020 Oxford Lieder Young Artist and 2019 Patricia Routledge National English Song Competition. Her duo partner is pianist Jonathan Fisher. Recent highlights for them include being featured on Julian Dawes’ Love, Life, and Lyric album produced by Simon Weir at Classical Media and regularly performing Dawes’ works at the 1901 Arts Club in London.

When she is not singing, Hayley is host of Wythenshawe FM’s Thursday DriveTime show.

Jessica Conway - Mezzo Soprano

Jessica performs regularly as a concert and opera soloist across the UK, having recently graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music under Hilary Summers with a Masters with Distinction. She has appeared as a soloist with groups including Dunedin Consort, Leeds Philharmonic and Manchester Baroque.

Most recently, Jessica has performed Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St John Passion and his Magnificat. She was delighted to be an artist on Dunedin Consort’s Bridging the Gap scheme and recently appeared at the Korkyra Baroque Festival with award-winning group Octavoce. Jessica regularly tours Italy with renaissance vocal quartet Ad Parnassum and sings with Norway’s Edvard Grieg Vokalensemble. She has had many roles in operas by Monteverdi, Purcell and Mozart. Whilst at the RNCM, Jessica worked closely with early music specialists Roger Hamilton and Paula Chateauneuf and has had masterclasses with Dame Ann Murray, Della Jones, Amanda Roocroft, James Baillieu and Julius Drake. Jessica has an academic Music degree from the University of York and has previously studied singing with Patricia MacMahon and Lynne Dawson. She attended St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh where she was the recipient of the Elizabeth Ehrlich Prize. 

Michael Vincent Jones - Tenor

Michael is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, his studies were kindly supported by the Richard Newitt Fund. In 2018 Michael played the role of Dieter in the world premiere of Adam Gorb’s The Path to Heaven and performed the role of Lurcher for a recording of Cellier’s Dorothy with Victorian Opera under the baton of Richard Bonynge. He has worked with English National Opera, the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, Iford Opera (as a young artist), Hull Urban Opera and Radius Opera. Most recently he performed the role of Don Jose with Bolton Symphony Orchestra in a concert performance of Carmen. 

Edward Robinson - Baritone

Midlands born baritone, Edward Robinson studied with Quentin Hayes at the Royal Northern College of Music as the Oglesby Trust and Drapers de Turckheim Scholar. Edward’s passion for opera has led him to perform in a number of innovative productions during his career, performing with Opera North, Garsington Opera, Dorset Opera Festival, Clonter Opera, Northern Opera Group and as a young artist at The Buxton International Festival. He has performed at venues such as the Opéra Comique, Paris, Birmingham Symphony Hall and The Sage, Gateshead, singing in much of the great choral repertoire. He premiered a solo work at the Leeds Lieder Festival, and gives recitals as a musician for the organisation Live Music Now. Edward has received numerous awards, including the Robin Kay Memorial Prize for Opera Singing - given to the singer the college deems to have the most promising career in opera. When not performing Edward is a facilitator for educational and outreach opera. Leading vocal workshops and assisting choirs, Edward has worked with Pimlico Opera, Chango Music, Clonter Opera Outreach, Live Music Now, Stagecoach and Chant Productions. 

Toby Randall-Paley - Harmonium

Toby studied music at the University of York, specialising in piano accompaniment. Since moving to Liverpool, Toby has worked closely with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and the Oriel Singers as accompanist. He is also part of a piano-duo with Lee Ward, performing in concerts in the Liverpool area. He works closely with Bass-Baritone Armand Rabot and was a semi- finalist with Armand in the prestigious London Mozart Competition.Toby is also a baritone singer and has sung with Liverpool Cathedral Choir, Liverpool Bach Collective and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Chamber Choir.

Jon Barton - Piano

Jon began studying the organ at Liverpool Cathedral with Ian Wells, and then with Matthew Owens and Kevin Bowyer at the Royal Northern College of Music. He also studied piano with Paul Janes and harpsichord with David Francis. Whilst at the RNCM he was awarded a scholarship to continue his studies abroad with Zsigmond Szathmary, Bernhard Haas and Yanka Hekimova. Since then he has performed in many cathedrals and concert halls across the UK, and also features regularly in concerts and functions at Liverpool Hope University. He is Organist of Shrewsbury Cathedral, and Director of Music for the Diocese of Shrewsbury; he teaches at Birkenhead School and not only accompanies Birkenhead Choral Society, but also Formby Choral Society, and Amadeus: the Chamber Choir.

David Holroyd - Conductor

Until summer 2019, David was Director of Music at Merchant Taylors’ School in Crosby. He studied organ and choir-training at the Royal Northern College of Music with Ronald Frost, Gillian Weir and John Bertalot. David’s musical career began at the age of 7 as a choirboy at St Hilary’s Church Wallasey, where in due course he became Organist and Choirmaster. He spent a time as Assistant Organist at Chester Cathedral before moving to Merchant Taylors’ School, Crosby. He has conducted Birkenhead Choral society since 1985, and also conducts Formby Choral Society, and Amadeus: the Chamber Choir, and is Organist at St Peter’s Church, Formby.

Acting on advice and recommendations from Making Music and the Charities Commission, a Social Media Statement has been developed, and was approved by the Trustees at the Committee Meeting on 10th January 2024.

The Social Media Statement covers Birkenhead Choral Society; its Members and Trustees (i.e. Committee) and is designed to help minimise the risks associated with the use of social media.

It is the responsibility of the Trustees to ensure all Choir Members are aware of the Statement, to that end, it will be distributed by email, and printed copies will be available for existing members and new joiners. There is also a link to the Statement on the Member's Page of this website

BCS Social Media Statement