Find out more about our Musical Directors!

Mark Jefferson BA(Hons.) MMus QTS Musical Director 2023 - present

Mark was brought up in Dudley, West Midlands and studied piano with Molly Childs. He then went on to read music at the Universities of Surrey and East Anglia. Whilst in London, he studied piano with Peter Croser and organ with Richard Stangroom. It was his work with the latter that led to a deep and abiding interest in Choral Conducting and the completion of a Master of Music Degree in Choral and Orchestral Conducting with Professor Peter Aston. As an accompanist, he was an organ scholar at three London colleges. He has worked with teachers at both the Royal Academy and the Royal College of Music. He has performed at many well-known venues in the UK and across Europe both as a conductor of choirs and orchestras and as an instrumentalist. He has worked and studied with conductors such as Owain Arwel Hughes, Jeremy Jackman and Kuno Areng. Until his recent move to the South, in between those times when he wasn’t being a Headteacher or teaching his GCSE and A Level students or tutoring budding music theatre performers, Mark was – for 22 years - conductor of the St. Edmundsbury Male Voice Choir, one of the largest male voice choirs in the country undertaking concerts throughout the UK and Europe. As a musical director, Mark has worked as a Lecturer in Music Theatre and Voice at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Clapham and has many years’ experience musically directing both professional and amateur productions in a wide range of musical theatre repertoire having musically directed 52 different shows.

Andrew Cleary Musical Director 2018 - 2022

Andrew is a versatile musician and currently works as a freelance teacher, accompanist, Organist, Choral Director and conductor. Andrew graduated from the University of East Anglia. Whilst there he was Organ Scholar at Norwich Cathedral and he worked with the Norwich Philharmonic Choir and the Aldeburgh Festival Chorus. In 1990 he moved to study at the Royal College of Music, directing the vocal Ensemble Nouve Musiche. He became Assistant Organist at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Trafalgar Square making regular broadcasts for BBC Radio and television and directing the St Martin’s Scholars. He is Musical Director of the Portsmouth Military Wives Choir, and the Portsmouth Milton Glee Choir. As a Choral Director he has worked with Tenebrae and the King’s Singers and on RSCM courses as a tutor. He has also worked with the National Youth Music Theatre. He is currently Associate Lecturer in Music and Music Theatre at the University of Chicherster, Music Director of the Fareham Philharmonic Choir, Music Director and Organist at St Peter’s Church, Bishop’s Waltham and Organist and Repetiteur of the Lee Choral Society. He was the founder and Musical Director of the Portsmouth Cathedral Girls’ Choir and conducted the Portsmouth Grammar School Chamber Choir at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. Andrew’s musical interests and tastes are wide. The Portsmouth Grammar School Glee Choir won the Portsmouth Schools’ Glee Competition in 2010. The Chamber Choir at Christ’s Hospital were placed third in the Finals of the Barnado’s National Choir Competition in 2014 and 2015. Whilst Director of Music at The Portsmouth Grammar School he worked closely with the Chamber Choir and London Mozart players commissioning works from Sally Beamish, Cecilia MacDowell and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Andrew is a Past-President of the MMA; a Member of the King’s Theatre Trust, Southsea. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an ISI Schools Inspector. In addition, Andrew has completed the London Marathon four times, once in under 3 hours. He also enjoys cycling and sailing.

Brian D. North B.Ed. Musical Director (retd)

1986 - 2017

Brian, who was born and still lives in Portsmouth, England, studied piano from the age of eight and took up the organ at the age of 12 whilst at grammar school, winning two scholarships. At the age of fifteen, he was appointed organist and choirmaster at Milton United Reformed Church. He took up a place at the Portsmouth College of Education, training to be a teacher, continuing his piano and organ studies. Whilst at college, he also started singing studies eventually passing Grade 8 with distinction. The time at college also afforded opportunities to study Double Bass and Percussion and he participated in many concerts, both classical and contemporary and also several Gilbert and Sullivan productions. In 1974, he was appointed Organist and Choirmaster to the Parish Church of St. James, Milton, a post which he held until November 1992. During that time, his teaching career continued with his appointment as Deputy Headteacher at Solent Junior School. He has subsequently been Organist and Choirmaster to the Parish Church of St. Thomas, Bedhampton and currently is Director of Music at the Church of Resurrection, Cosham. His association with the Milton Glee Club began in 1975 when he joined as a singer with his wife Mary. However, within a short time, the regular accompanist fell ill and he was appointed Honorary Accompanist. He continued in this capacity until the untimely death in 1986, of the founder conductor, Stanley Mortimore. He was then appointed Musical Director, a post he then held for 31 years. This has afforded opportunities to conduct other choirs, the London Concert Orchestra, The Central Band of the Royal British Legion, The Band of H.M. Royal Marines, The Mantovani Orchestra, The London Show Orchestra, the Hampshire Constabulary Band and laterly the Concert Band of the royal Marines Association. Sadly, he decided that, due to health reasons, the time had come to retire and the Christmas Concert 2017 was his last concert. There have been many memorable occasions throughout the years from performing at the Royal Albert Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, the Cathedrals of Portsmouth and Chichester, on the huge stage on Southsea Common a few years ago and many times at Portsmouth Guildhall, for The Princess Royal along with many, many talented musicians and Royal Marine Directors of Music. Since his retirement from the choir, Brian has been appointed as a Life Vice President and he continues to use his vast knowledge to assist the management team with music preparation.

Stanley Mortimore Founder Musical Director 1948 - 1986

The Glee Club started in October 1948 under the leadership of Stanley Mortimore. Eight people met at that first rehearsal. The Club is a registered charity, whose objects are the advancement of the appreciation of the public in the art and science of music, and in particular the art of choral music by the presentation of concerts. In the early days, the choir regularly entered the Portsmouth Music Festival, frequently winning cups; these events were, of course, in addition to their fund raising concerts. Stanley Mortimore stayed with the choir, apart from a period of 3 years job relocation in Plymouth, until his untimely death in May 1986. After a short period of reflection, Brian North was appointed as Musical Director, and has taken the choir from strength to strength. In Memory of Stan, the choir launched the Mortimore Award which is presented to a promising young musician every year to help fund their attendance at the European Youth Summer Music School. The recipient is chosen in association with with the Portsmouth Music Festival.