Jo Sercombe

Jo trained at in Music at Southampton University and it was there that she discovered her love for singing gospel and jazz. She now works locally and nationally as a singer and Musical Director, specialising in community music projects, vocal practice and gospel music. She founded and directs the Bath Community Gospel Choir and LIFTED; her all-female a cappella gospel vocal ensemble, who recently competed the BBC’s Last Choir Standing’ competition. She also teaches ‘Choral Voice Work for Actors’ at Bath Spa University and runs rock ‘n’ roll singing sessions in Sheltered Housing complexes with the Golden Oldies Charity.

Jo is passionate about making singing accessible to all regardless of skill or experience and specialises in working with those who have no formal music training. Her busy workshops schedule is a testament to her flair for encouraging creativity in others as she travels the country working with adult singing groups, community choirs, and leisure-time learning institutions including the Farncombe Estate Centre in the Cotwolds and All 4 Music in Bristol.

Her energetic approach and engaging personality are a winning combination in the extensive work she has done with young people during her career, including stints as musical director for theatre summerschools for Theatre Royal Bath, Bristol Old Vic, and The Royal & Dearngate Theatre Northampton and most recently as part of Arts Council England’s Find Your Talent team at The Octagon in Bolton. She was also the vocal tutor for the ‘Creative Factory’ music project run by Bath Festivals Trust and has lead song-writing and vocal projects with primary-aged children and local young people in Codford, as part of the Arts Council’s ‘Big Ideas’ project. As an experienced choral director Jo has inspired many young people to enjoy group singing in new ways, working with Mike Brewer, founder of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain on his ‘Worldsong’ Project and delivering workshops for BBC Blast’s young people’s workshop programmes.

Jo believes singing can be energising for people of all ages in many different environments and has collaborated with corporate clients the Nationwide Building Society, Simply Health, and KPMG on their staff training programmes to deliver enriching motivational events based on singing together – often with surprising results, as teams of HR managers and leading accountants throw caution to the wind to explore their voices with enthusiasm and a great sense of camaraderie! She’s even taken to singing upon the high seas, working with world cruise passengers sailing round the Far East and the Caribbean on The Sage Rose and Van Gogh cruise liners.

Alongside her many workshop and teaching commitments, Jo performs regularly as a jazz vocalist with the Mike Daniels Quintet and GBH Bigband in the Bath area and guests for The Kroon Kat Lounge at Bath’s thriving music and comedy venue Komedia.

www.josercombe.com