Samuel Hayes - Director

Sam Hayes was born in 1982 and studied at Guildford County School before coming up to Queens' College Cambridge as Organ Scholar, aged seventeen. During his time at Queens' (including two years as Director of Music in Chapel following his graduation) he made two recordings with the Chapel Choir, released on Guild Music, both demonstrating his penchant for 20th-Century and contemporary English repertoire. He was also active as a conductor with the University Music Society, the University Chamber Orchestra, the University Gilbert and Sullivan Society and the St Margaret Society Chorus and Orchestra. An accomplished organist, he achieved the Associateship, Fellowship and Choral Directing Diplomas of the Royal College of Organists in the space of a year, and, in the latter, was awarded both of the major prizes. He has participated in International Masterclasses in Choral Conducting at the University of Uppsala, Sweden, and the Conservatoire Camille Saint Saëns, Paris, and has, to date, received conducting tuition from Michael Gläser, Stefan Parkman, Stephen Cleobury, Denis Rouger, Patrick Russill and David Hill. In addition to his work with The Larks Ascending, he founded Appassionare, a Chamber Choir, in 2003. He currently holds the position of Director of Music at Great St Mary's, the University Church in Cambridge, and supervises papers for the Music degree course. Outside of music, his interests include photography, gastronomy, walking and classic cars.