Emily Renshaw-Kidd takes up the reins as Artistic Director of Canterbury Cantata Trust

Following over 10 years as founder and Artistic Director of Canterbury Cantata Trust, Professor Grenville Hancox MBE has handed over the role to his successor Emily Renshaw-Kidd. Grenville has been a long-time mentor, inspiration and friend to Emily through her music degrees at Canterbury Christ Church University and their numerous musical partnerships; they share the same passion for and ethos of “caring through singing”. Following a handover period, Emily is now working as Artistic Director for the charity and will begin to undertake the tasks that this role presents, acting as a principal singing ambassador for the charity. We thank Grenville for his huge dedication to the advancement of music for wellbeing and the trust is delighted that he has accepted the position of Honorary President of Canterbury Cantata Trust.

Emily said: “I am extremely honoured and excited to become the new Artistic Director for Canterbury Cantata Trust. My present involvement with the trust as Musical Director of the Canterbury Cantata Choir and lead facilitator for Canterbury Skylarks' Sing to Beat Parkinson’s group gives me a deep understanding and admiration for the trust, whilst giving me plenty of ideas for building and developing relationships and projects in the future. My involvement in several other local singing groups and my role as Director of Music at Langton Boys’, will enable us to create even more new opportunities for bringing the community together in a caring way, through singing and music. The Langton’s involvement and participation in the Skylarks sessions is a most unique and exciting partnership; not only is it helping to build an understanding of the benefits of music on conditions such as Parkinson's in our 'leaders of tomorrow', but it also bridges generation gaps, whilst encouraging an altruistic outlook as well. It is our hope that future students will work together with members of Skylarks to create a recognised methodology for Singing with Parkinson's and encourage other people far and wide to become facilitators and recognise the benefits of music on many health conditions"

The launch of the Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy in Canterbury was a great success, receiving excellent coverage and the Skylarks singing session, led by Emily, was mentioned by Mark Mardell, a member of the podcast group, 'Movers and Shakers', alongside Jeremy Paxman, Rory Cellan-Jones and others. We look forward to the coming together of all the trust's singing groups, building many more musical friendships and exciting projects.