Our Musical Leadership
Our musical leadership team works hard to develop the orchestra and produce fun and entertaining performances for our musicians and audiences. We wouldn’t be where we are today if not for their amazing talent and hard work.
Anna Maria Tabor
Musical Director and Conductor
The North Downs Community Orchestra is delighted to welcome Anna Maria Tabor as our third Musical Director. Anna brings a wealth of experience and musical expertise to the role. She plays the oboe, as her first instrument, but also violin and percussion.
Anna Maria Tabor studied at the Guildhall School of Music and later qualified with an MA in Performing Arts and a Masters in Music from the University of Surrey. She has conducted at the Dartington Summer School and continued training with Association of British Choral Directors and Royal Northern College of Music as well as at the Liszt Academy, Hungary. She furthered her studies in symphonic orchestral and wind conducting at Sherborne Summer school of Music with Tim Reynish and George Hurst.
Anna is a highly experienced teacher and workshop leader, having trained a wide range of musicians from primary and secondary level pupils to youth orchestras, advanced music students, amateur and semi-professional players. She is always keen to promote strong musical involvement in the community.
As a musical director Anna has worked with a range of amateur and professional orchestras, ensembles and choirs in the UK as well as musicals and music theatre productions. She has been involved in several festivals including Brighton Festival, Lewes Live Literature and the English Music Festival.
Anna has recently directed performances including Rimsky Korsakov’s Scheherezade with the Mid Sussex Sinfonia; Brahms 4th Symphony with the I Maestri Orchestra, London; and the Grieg Piano Concerto and Beethoven’s 5th Symphony with the Dohnyani Orchestra, Budapest.
Since Anna started with the orchestra in September, the rehearsals have been instructive and fun and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership
Rainer Hersch
Patron
Internationally acclaimed conductor and comedian Rainer Hersch is Patron of the North Downs Community Orchestra.
A professional conductor, musician and comedian who has performed on every major comedy stage in Britain and abroad, Rainer has appeared many times at the Edinburgh Festival, had numerous comedy-concert series at the South Bank in London, and is featured in comedy clubs all across Europe and in TV shows around the world.
Rainer has conducted many professional orchestras globally. He is a professional pianist and an aspirational viola player. The North Downs Community Orchestra is honoured to have Rainer as our Patron; a commitment that inspires us to be the best and most fun we can be.