James Lobban Conducting Scholarship

The James Lobban Conducting Scholarship, instituted in the 2011-2012 academic session, is awarded to a student of the University of Aberdeen who is studying conducting, and provides an opportunity for the student to work with the Musical Director of Aberdeen Bach Choir and to assist with rehearsing the Choir through an entire season.

James Lobban, a graduate of the University of Aberdeen, was Conductor of Aberdeen Bach Choir from 1969 until 2005, shortly before his death. He was a keen music scholar and took a great interest in the work of the Music Department of his alma mater. The James Lobban Conducting Scholarship is funded by a legacy left by James to Aberdeen Bach Choir.

The first James Lobban Conducting Scholar was Cole Bendall.

James Lobban Conducting Scholar for 2012-3 - Lucy Hole

Lucy Hole, 2012-3 James Lobban Conducting Scholar

Lucy Hole is a second year student at the University of Aberdeen reading Music. She is a soprano and is currently studying with Jean Webster. Lucy is a University of Aberdeen Chapel Choir Scholar, President of The University of Aberdeen Gilbert and Sullivan Society and a member of the University’s Opera Society.

Lucy was born and raised in Oxfordshire. Prior to university she spent a year in the Yorkshire Dales, setting up and running St.Wilfrid’s Church Choir, Burnsall Village Community Choir and Burnsall VA Primary School Choir, whilst assisting leading St. Michael’s Church Choir, Grassington. Throughout her year in Yorkshire she led the choirs to perform at local concerts and in many events in the region. As choir director at St. Wilfrid’s Church, she was invited with the choir to participate in BBC Songs of Praise at Halifax Minster.

During her time at university, Lucy hopes to specialise in early sacred music, which she particularly enjoys studying and performing. She also enjoys theatrical music and performed as Madame Thérnardier in Radley College’s production of Les Miserables. Following this, she was invited to join Radley College on their music tour of Barcelona where she sang in Barcelona Cathedral. Her other performances include Mrs Potts in Beauty and the Beast, Fruma Sarah in Fiddler on the Roof and a soloist in Hot Mikado at the Oxford Playhouse for Oxfordshire Youth Music Theatre. She sang with Opera Anywhere's Christmas productions of Amahl and the Night Visitors and The Selfish Giant. Whilst in Yorkshire Lucy was a member of Leeds Youth Opera. There she played Annina in Verdi’s La Traviata and Filipevna in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. She also sang for the recording of Gareth Malone’s television feature for Children in Need 2011. In addition Lucy was delighted to have been asked to sing in the chorus of Tannhauser with the Northern Wagner Orchestra. In 2010, Lucy was presented with the Frances Kitching Trust Special Award – the first time it had ever been awarded to a singer, having previously been awarded only to instrumentalists.

Lucy’s interest in conducting began during sixth form at secondary school, when she was asked to lead the Junior Choir. Since then, she has attended conducting workshops and courses under tuition of Michael Rose, Prof. Paul Mealor and Ralph Allwood MBE. She currently conducts Robert Gordon University Singers. Lucy is thrilled to have been awarded the James Lobban Conducting Scholarship, and very much looks forward to working with Aberdeen Bach Choir and learning from Peter Parfitt.