Paul Provost
Paul Provost joined Derby Choral Union as Music Director in September 2019. Paul is Rector Chori of Southwell Minster, having previously held posts at Guildford Cathedral, Winchester College, St John’s College, Cambridge, and Manchester Cathedral. Most of his career has been devoted to liturgical music making, as part of which he combines his loves of conducting, choral training, singing, and accompanying. He has been fortunate to work with giants of the Cathedral world – notably David Hill, Malcolm Archer, and Katherine Dienes-Williams – having studied the organ with Christopher Stokes and David Sanger. He is keen to promote a broad spectrum of liturgical art music, from plainchant to contemporary works, in particular emphasizing the educational aspect of choristerships.
Paul has always maintained a busy concert schedule, working with local orchestras and choral societies as well as the Britten Sinfonia, Southern Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and Florilegium, and he has toured extensively in Europe, notably working at the Festspielhaus in Bregenz and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and also in the USA. Paul has recorded with Hyperion and Regent labels, has enjoyed many radio and television broadcasts, and continues to be charged by the thrill of live broadcasting.
Once a cellist, Paul feels a strong affinity with orchestral musicians, and indeed makes the effort to bring his instrument out from time to time - often Duruflé’s Requiem is the subject, however other projects present themselves on occasion. Married to singer Ruth Provost, and with two small children, a busy schedule is punctuated with walking breaks in the Lake District.
