Current Members of North8
Caitlin Mayall – Soprano
Caitlin is a choral conductor, singer and qualified Kodály music teacher. She gained a Double First Class degree in Music from Leeds University, and received scholarships from Sing for Pleasure and the British Kodály Academy. A classically-trained soprano, Caitlin founded North8 in 2018 to create a space for young professionals to develop their solo and ensemble singing skills. She directs Leeds Vocal Movement and runs Music at Heart, Leeds´ only Kodály music school. Alongside singing, teaching and conducting, Caitlin writes original jazz, gospel and folk music and organises family-friendly gigs.
Paige Miller – Soprano
Paige started singing at a young age and was a member of many successful children’s choirs and female choirs, winning internationally renowned competitions, including the BBC Radio 2 Choir of the Year and the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. Paige then moved on to study Music at the University of Huddersfield where she sang in the University Chamber Choir. She has recently completed her PGCE in secondary music education and is currently teaching Music and Drama at a specialist performing arts school locally.
Debbie Bury – Alto
Debbie studied singing with Zuilmah Hopkins, gaining distinction in ABRSM Grade 8. She was a member of Tees Valley Youth Choir for 4 years, with annual European tours, and national competitions, coming 2nd in the final of the BBC Choir of the Year at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff. She sang in the Leeds University Chamber Choir and currently sings with Leeds Vocal Movement. Debbie has Grade 8 violin, taught by Geraldine Murray, and played in Tees Valley Youth Orchestra for 6 years. She also has a diploma on piano, having been taught by her grandmother, Jean White. Debbie is a doctor, training in emergency medicine in West Yorkshire.
Kate Martin – Alto
Kate has been a choral, jazz and folk singer for over 15 years, performing gigs and concerts across the country with choirs such as the National Youth Choir and Leeds University Chamber Choir. She studied Art History to master’s level at the University of Leeds and then moved into communications in the charity sector. She now works as a Business Analyst for Citizens Advice and a portrait artist in her free time – keeping singing largely for pleasure!
David Tomlinson – Tenor
David was born to a musical family in West Yorkshire. He trained as an oboist at the RNCM, performing in a range of ensembles from wind quintets to symphony orchestras. His love of singing began here; performing with the Hallé choir under Sir Mark Elder and James Burton. David trained to teach in York and now sings with The Chapter House Choir of York Minster. In his spare time, he enjoys amateur dramatics and spending time in the great outdoors.
Jeremy Thackray – Tenor
Jeremy began singing as a chorister at Southwell Minster, Nottinghamshire, in 1999. He has since performed with the Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers, the New Cambridge Singers, and Leicester’s Coro Nostro, and currently sings baritone with the chamber choir Pinsuti in Ilkley and Skipton. He works for the National Lottery Heritage Fund and when not singing might be found cycling or writing fiction.
Robert Webb – Baritone
Robert is a conductor and music teacher from Leeds. After studying Music at Merton College, Oxford, where he was a choral scholar under Peter Phillips (Tallis Scholars) and Ben Nicholas (Reed Rubin Director of Music), Robert returned to Leeds to train as a music teacher, and holds instrumental and singing teaching posts at The Grammar School at Leeds and Roundhay School. He is also Musical Director of Skipton Choral Society and Ilkley-based chamber choir Pinsuti.
Daniel Walters – Bass
Daniel is a singer and multi instrumentalist who performs a variety of styles including classical, rock, folk, blues, gospel, a cappella, and barbershop. He holds a First Class degree in Music from the University of Huddersfield. After his degree, he studied piano and voice with Dr. Robin Harrison, before gaining a PGCE. As well as singing with North8, he works as a freelance instrumental and vocal teacher, and community musician across Kirklees and Calderdale.
Tim Gillies – Bass
Tim started singing in a local children’s choir when he was 6 years old, and continued choral singing all the way through school and university. Tim has a degree in Music and a Master’s in Musicology. He has sung with choirs such as Leeds University Chamber Choir, Bradford Festival Choral Society and Borealis. In his day job, Tim works as a Business Adviser and in his spare time he conducts the Bradford Concert Band.
Past Members of North8
Sam Gilliatt – Tenor (2018-2022)
Having grown up in and around Manchester, Sam studied Music at University of York where he performed regularly with chamber choirs The 24 (dir. Robert Hollingworth, which has led to collaborations with I Fagiolini in both recording and performance) and Yorkshire Bach Choir (dir. Peter Seymour) and was a baritone and musical director/arranger for the university a cappella ensemble Vox. He has also taken part in Genesis Sixteen and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain Fellowship Octet as well as having multiple opera and musical theatre performance credits to his name. In further choral engagements, Sam has sung with ensembles including De Profundis, Echo, Kantos, Recordare and has performed solos in various Bach cantatas with Liverpool Bach Collective (dir. Philip Duffy). In addition to singing, Sam also works regularly as a conductor, running various groups around Manchester and has recently joined the team of musical directors working with Barnsley Youth Choir. He is also one of the Halle’s pool of conductors for their Corporate Choirs.
Eleanor Watts – Mezzosoprano (2018-2020)
Eleanor Watts is a mezzosoprano based in Leeds. She gained two postgraduate degrees at the Royal Northern College of Music in vocal performance, and was awarded a distinction for her Postgraduate Diploma. She has sung with ensembles in the London, Leeds and Manchester areas, including Chelsea Opera Group, Manchester Chamber Choir, Clothworkers Consort of Leeds and the Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed as a soloist and chorus member in a number of operatic productions. Eleanor studies the piano and accompanies other singers for lessons and private study, as well as local groups.
Colin Danskin – Tenor (2018-2019)
Colin is a singer, teacher and conductor based in York. He is currently on the Solo Voice Ensemble Singing MA programme at York University run by Robert Hollingworth, of I Fagiolini, and studying voice with Susan Young. He completed his undergraduate degree in Music at the University of Cambridge where he sang at Selwyn College, and studied with Giles Underwood. During his time as a secondary school music teacher Colin led choirs both in and out of school and sang with London choirs including The Lacock Scholars and Khoros. His conducting and singing benefited hugely from conductor training with Sing for Pleasure. Colin also sings, plays the trumpet and calls ceilidhs with folk band The Coach House Company.
North8 