Conductors
DAVID GOSTICK
Musical Director
David Gostick was appointed Musical Director of Portsmouth Choral Union in 2012. Highlights under his direction have included acclaimed performances of Britten War Requiem, Elgar Dream of Gerontius, Verdi Requiem, the audiovisual spectacular of Jenkins The Armed Man and a staged performance of Mascagni Cavalleria Rusticana. His championing of undervalued repertoire led to our successful recording of Samuel Wesley’s Confitebor Tibi, Domine and the UK premiere of Hummel’s Crossing of the Red Sea.
David conducts the Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir, one of the south’s leading chamber choirs, who have a strong reputation for contemporary music. They have commissioned major works from Cecilia MacDowall and Tarik O’Regan and given performances of 21st century works by Bingham, Dove, Ferguson, Lord, Jackson, MacMillan, Panufnik, Rutti, Sinclair and Todd, working with Kokoro, the contemporary ensemble of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphonic Brass and the Sinfonietta Players. They have recorded two CDs: Landscapes, a collection of music inspired by the British countryside and Noël! Noël! a Christmas collection and have appeared on Radios 3 and 4.
In 2019, David also became Musical Director of the Medici Choir. This central London group works with Brandenburg Sinfonia, and is noted for its spirited performances. PCU will be travelling to London to sing with them in the autumn.
David works with the professional choir at St Bartholomew the Great, London’s oldest extant church, where fine music supports the exceptional liturgy. Previously, for thirteen years, David directed the music at Wimborne Minster, where cathedral-style music is maintained by a traditional choir of men and children.
In the field of opera, David works with several companies as a conductor, répétiteur and chorusmaster. He has worked in particular with OperaUpClose, Co-Opera Co and Salisbury’s Celebrate Voice Festival, but also with The Grange Festival, Dorset Opera, British Youth Opera, Opera Istante and Kentish Opera.
David holds a PhD from the University of Southampton, from research into the social and cultural history of music in Wimborne in the mid-eighteenth century.
Sue Graham Smith
Assistant Musical Director
Sue Graham Smith has worked for many years around the South-East as a freelance musician, and has coached over 50 operas. She has worked regularly with BBC Symphony Chorus, English National Opera, D’Oyly Carte, and Kent Opera; was a ‘Singing for the Brain’ leader with Alzheimer’s Society, and a music examiner for ABRSM. In 2019 Sue formed her own dementia-friendly singing group ‘Singing Memories’, which ran for a year before lockdown.
For several years Sue was Music Director to Opera Brava and for two Anglican churches. She spent 10 years as Assistant Music Director/Pianist to Cantate Youth Choir (Sainsbury’s Children’s Choir of the Year 2000) playing for many concerts, tours & recordings. Sue was also long-term accompanist to Hertfordshire Chorus, Harlow Chorus and Hertford Choral Society, as well as being accompanist to Brighton Festival Chorus until 2024.
On TV/radio Sue has played for BBC Songs of Praise, BBC Radio 4 Christmas Day Pantomime, Gloria Hunniford Show, and Maestro (with celebrity conductors). She has recorded ‘Carmina Burana’ commercially and also its companion piece ‘Officium Lusorum’ by Owain Park (2023).
In 2017 Sue relocated to West Sussex and is currently Accompanist to Chichester Singers and Portsmouth Choral Union. Outside of music, Sue is involved with Harbour Churches and enjoys walking and kayaking.