Our Musical Director
Matthew Wood BA DipTh ATCL
Matthew grew up in the choral tradition having been a member of his church choir from an early age. When the cassock and ruff started to fit less easily, he auditioned successfully for the Kent Youth Choir, Kent Youth Barbershop and Kent Youth Chamber Choir, later going on to direct the Kent Youth Barbershop and The Knole Singers, a choir of retired (at age 26!) members of the Kent Youth Chamber Choir.
Following his undergraduate studies at Lancaster and a year of teacher-training in Canterbury, Matthew began a career in secondary education as Director of Music of a number of schools in London and the home counties. During this time he was a member of Vasari Singers, one of the nation’s leading chamber choirs (with whom he has made a number of recordings, as baritone soloist on two) and a deputy lay clerk with Canterbury Cathedral and St. Martin-in-the-Fields. He is a composer of choral music and has produced a number of commissions, including notable works for Lady Sackville and St John’s Notting Hill. Premieres of his choral works have been performed at St Paul’s Covent Garden and St Martin-in-the-Fields.
As a baritone soloist, Matthew has performed throughout the UK and in Europe. His repertoire includes Britten War Requiem, Rossini Petite Messe Solonelle, Puccini Missa di Gloria, Durufle Requiem, Howells Requiem, Schubert Mass in G, J S Bach St Matthew Passion, Gabriel Jackson Requiem, Finzi Earth and Air and Rain.
Matthew brings a wealth of conducting experience to the Grassington Singers from his years as a music educator and, having felt the call to ordained ministry in 2019, is relishing the opportunity, after a few years’ break, to wield the baton once again.