Hedingham Singers will bid a fond farewell to a hugely popular and influential member of their team on July 2. 


Musical Director, Elisabeth Miller, is hanging up her conductor's baton and stepping down from the rostrum after being involved with the local music scene for over 30 years, and with The Singers for the last four and a half years.


Elisabeth's finals concert with The Hedingham Singers will be "A Summer Celebration of Song" at 7.30pm at St Andrew's Church, Halstead.


Bob Lilley, Hedingham Singers chairman, said on behalf of the group: "When Elisabeth joined the Hedingham Singers in late 2011, we were all somewhat overwhelmed that she decided to take the position given her own reputation and having been the MD of the Braintree Male Voice Choir for so long.

 
"However, without doubt, in the time that she has been with us the Hedingham Singers have improved in leaps and bounds both in their ability and repertoire. 


"This final concert at Halstead will be very special not only for the choir but also I think for Elisabeth. 


"She has earned her retirement and we shall all miss her very much, but we all wish her well in her restful days to come."


Music has been a prominent factor throughout Elisabeth's life, her father was a professional singer, her mother a professional singer and dancer, and her brother also had a career in music. 


Whilst a pupil at Mary Datchelor Girls School in London, she was a member of the school choir which performed at the Royal Albert and Festival Halls and she learned to play the harp and joined the London Schools Symphony Orchestra.


Elisabeth then spent three years at the Royal College of Music in London where she graduated with an ARCM and GRSM, continuing to study the harp, the piano, singing, plus taking up the conductor’s baton.


However, singing was always her first love, and this she has enjoyed throughout most of her life, particularly playing leading roles in every one of the Mozart Operas and Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas, as well as in many other well known musicals.


Whilst bringing up two sons, she fitted in singing at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden plus making regular singing appearances in Rome. 


Unfortunately, a throat operation ended her singing career, and so she turned to conducting, first with the Cressing Singers Ladies Choir and then becoming Musical Director and Conductor of Braintree Male Voice Choir in 1989 until December 2013.


Elisabeth joined the Hedingham Singers in 2012 and soon widened the repertoire from Abba to John Rutter, numbers from top shows and films including Mary Poppins and Les Mis and standards such as 'The Way You Look Tonight'.


Her favourite pieces include 'Phantom of the Opera', 'The Lord Bless You and Keep You' plus 'Waltzes from Vienna', a very special piece as her parents met on the London stage in a production of the same name.


Once retired Elisabeth plans to devote more time campaigning for better Access and Inclusiveness for people with hearing loss, such as working Induction Loops in public places, more sub-titled films, stage plays and keeping NHS hearing aids free for people who need them.