Currently Director of Music and Performing Arts at Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy in Lancaster, Don Gillthorpe leads a thriving department which boasts seven choirs, including a large boys’ choir and robed chapel choir. As part of the school’s wider remit, Don is also an accredited Specialist Leader in Education, supporting music departments in other schools and leading a school-centred Secondary Music PGCE programme.
Don is also Head of Publications for Sing for Pleasure, overseeing a team of composers, arrangers, typesetters and editors to produce a varied series of successful songbooks for children and adults. He is a senior conducting tutor for SfP courses and a specialist in working with boys’ changing voices. A singing teacher and performer, conductor, choral animateur, adjudicator and workshop leader, he is in demand around the country.
Alongside this, Don is Director of Church Music for the Morland Choristers’ Camp (a unique summer course for children from school and church choirs), Assistant Director of Music at Lancaster Priory, and has been a guest conductor for the ABCD North-West Cambiata Choir.