South Berkshire Singers
Our talented Musicians
Karen Phillips
Director of Music
Choral music has always been Karen’s passion, probably dating back to her studies in this specialised area with Andrew Parrott and Dame Emma Kirkby during her time at Reading University.
Karen has conducted choirs in the Cathedrals of Westminster, Salisbury and Bristol and in St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, but her tastes in music are varied.
She has sung professionally, recording sound-tracks for films including ‘The Saint’ and ‘Stargate’, and has enjoyed recording backing tracks for rock bands. Having ‘retired’ from full-time music teaching, she now runs St Michael’s Church Choir in Sandhurst and the Cecilia Singers, and attempts to tame the junior choirs at St Teresa’s School in Wokingham.
Simon Dinsdale
Accompanist
Simon is a highly experienced, versatile pianist and organist specialising in vocal and choral accompaniment for rehearsals, exams, concerts, church services and special ceremonies for all life’s events. Used to performing in a wide range of venues both in the UK and abroad, Simon offers a friendly, flexible and professional service.
Living in Reading since 1998, Simon travels extensively throughout the UK as accompanist, continuo player and organist to a number of choirs, and regularly plays at cathedrals up and down the country.
Further afield, concert tours have taken him to Ireland, Germany, Belgium and the USA in recent years.
Simon has been sub-organist at the Royal Memorial Chapel, the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst since 2005. In 2009 he completed a six-day concert tour of New York City and State with the choir of the Royal Memorial Chapel where he performed in a number of the city’s churches, including the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine and the Cadet Chapel at West Point, which houses one of the largest organs in the world.
Last Updated: 21/03/24
