About Us
The South Hams Community Orchestra began life as The People’s Orchestra – a group of six friends meeting in the front room of Barbara Wintersgill’s home.
Barbara was the driving force for the group, organising rehearsals, sourcing music and actively finding and welcoming new members. The front room quickly became outgrown and rehearsals moved through a series of venues in Ivybridge; St John’s Church Hall, St Augustine’s Priory, The Watermark Centre to todays’s current venue, Ivybridge Rugby Club.
Increasing numbers required a constitution and a committee to be formed and Barbara became the first Chair, guiding the orchestra through this important period of development. As the members of the orchestra came from several towns and villages across South Hams, in 2018 a decision was taken to choose a name that reflected its members so The South Hams Community Orchestra was formed.
During this process Barbara found our wonderful Conductor and Musical Director, Ian Hiscock. He is an inspirational yet patient enabler, continually spurring us to achieve. He has a wonderful ability to challenge us in all musical dimensions while making the rehearsals full of fun and laughter.
Our performance venues have included Ivybridge, Cornwood, Ugborough, Buckfastleigh and Modbury
Who’s Who?
Ian Hiscock – Musical Director
Responsible for the orchestra’s music. Ian’s objective is to select music that constantly stretches the players’ ability.
Ian studied music at Roehampton Institute, London University and has spent 32 years teaching music in secondary schools. In 2015 he retired as Director of Music at the Crypt Grammar School in Gloucester. He has also worked as a senior examiner for the OCR examination board.
Ian continues his passion for enabling people to make music as a teacher and conductor in the South Devon area, including being co-director of ‘Recorders at Plymouth’, conducting The South Hams Community Orchestra and as harpsichordist in ‘The Greenwood Consort’. As well as conducting commitments he teaches piano, music theory, gives talks on musical appreciation and is at presently studying for an MA with the University of Wales. His musical passions are the music of the baroque, 20th Century English music and the works of Sullivan.
Janna Bulmer – Orchestra Leader
Janna is the Orchestra’s leader and principal violinist
Janna grew up playing cello and recorders in a very musical family with a pianist father, performing from a young age. Later, she studied classical singing with Mollie Petrie in Bristol and then gained a 1st class honours degree in Music at Dartington, specialising in composition and chamber music. Her MA took her to the Greek island of Crete, where she studied the Cretan folk fiddle, the lyra.
Janna plays and sings with a number of chamber groups, including a Cretan folk ensemble, a piano trio and several string quartets, and has performed with many orchestras and pit bands at concerts and shows. She took up the violin a few years ago and was delighted to take on the role of leader for the South Hams Community Orchestra after playing as principal cellist for the Newton Abbot Orchestra for 20 years. She continues to play cello at weddings and functions and has a private teaching practice.
Robin Bacon – Chairman & Lead Cello
Responsible for chairing the committee; the point of contact for all governance issues and organising concert venues.
Robin joined the cello section in September 2022, having revived his cello playing on retirement after a considerable gap. He learned to play from the age of 9, inspired by seeing Jacqueline Du Pre performing the Elgar Cello Concerto and played as a music scholar until the age of 18. However, his 33 year career in the Army was not conducive to cello playing with frequent postings and service across the world, including Hong Kong, Germany and trouble-spots such as Angola and the Balkans.
He has since been immersed in the Charity sector, primarily supporting veterans and their dependants, gaining considerable expertise in fundraising and charity governance. He is also the Chairman of two veterans’ charities, one specialising in horticultural therapy. He and his wife live in Newton Abbot.
Committee Members
- Robin Bacon – Chairman (Cello)
- Ian Hiscock – Musical Director (ex-officio)
- Janna Bulmer – Leader and Ist Violin (ex-officio)
- Keith Preston – Treasurer (1st Violin)
- Sarah Owen – Secretary (Clarinet)
- Judy Jennings – Member (Trumpet)
- David Huntley – Member (Bassoon)
- Kit Nicholson – Website Manager (Horn)