Jane Walton

Born and raised in Greater Manchester, Jane is from a musical family. Both her parents were music teachers and her father was well-known in the area as a conductor and church organist. She was surrounded by music making from an early age and now combines a thriving teaching practice with conducting and performing.

Jane was a founder member of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, taking part in national and international tours. She went on to work for the choir when she left, becoming General Manager from 1993-1995. She has also performed on Radio 4’s Daily Service and with the BBC Northern Singers (more recently the Britten Singers) and was in demand as a soloist across the North West. She was also a member of the William Byrd Singers and the choir at St Ann’s Church in Manchester, assisting with the training of junior choristers.

Since arriving in Bristol in 2001, Jane has taken on singing teaching at Redmaids' High Junior School, Colston’s Girls’ School (where she also directs the choirs) and has a number of private pupils. She has conducted Henleaze Ladies’ Choir since January 2007 and for the past six years she has run St Monica Trust’s Cote Lane Singers, a community Choir based at the retirement village in Westbury-on-Trym, with whom she was involved in the Christmas special of ‘Old People’s Home for 4-year olds’ on Channel 4 in 2017. Until recently she directed Bristol Voices, a choir for primary school children which was run as part of the outreach programme from Bristol Cathedral. Jane is a firm believer that everyone should have the opportunity to sing to the best of their ability and reap the physical and mental benefits.

In May 2018, Jane accepted the role of Vocal Secretary for the Bristol Festival of Music Speech and Drama, the duties of which involve being a Trustee of the Festival and serving on the Management Committee.  Her personal experiences with her son have led to her becoming a Trustee of Bristol Autism Support, an organisation set up to support parents and families affected by autism.

She combines these roles with her position as Chair of the Local Governing Body at Filton Avenue Primary School and a Trustee of Trust in Learning (Academies), as well as volunteering with the Beaver colony at a local scout group.