Josie Carpenter

Axminster Choral presents Mozart’s Missa Brevis and Te Deums by Charpentier and Purcell on Saturday, March 16 at the Minster Church, with musical director, Judy Martin.

Conductor Judy Martin makes her fourth appearance with Axminster and District Choral Society at 7.30pm, conducting three great works with soloists based in Devon who have previously been pupils or colleagues of hers in various other choirs.

Judy has been rehearsing the choir of more than 80 singers since Christmas and will also be conducting an orchestra of leading musicians drawn from professional players based in the South West. The five noted soloists all have strong connections with Devon.

Judy has known Josie Walledge (nee Carpenter) since the early 1990s. They both sang in the famous Oxford choir, Schola Cantorum. In 1997, Judy started a new professional octet as the church choir for St Mary Magdalen Church, Oxford; Josie was one of the founder members.

Josie was brought up in Colyton, and she now lives in Exminster with her husband, Christopher, and her two children. Christopher is also a soloist at the concert and he has given many solo performances.

Judy met and worked with Edward Woodhouse 10 years ago, when he attended a residential cathedral course in York Minster which she was directing.

Both Philippa Dand and Anselm Carr-Jones were Gap Year Choral Scholars in the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, when Judy was the director of music.

Tickets (£10) are still available from Archway Books in Axminster or the Red Cross in Seaton and may be available at the door on the night.

Further details from 01404 881838 or the website, www.axminsterchoral.co.uk