Music Directors

The directors of our two ensembles

Music director of the Bloomsbury Band

David Morris holds a Masters degree in Performance Practice from Trinity College of Music, where he studied clarinet with Hale Hambleton.

David teaches the clarinet and saxophone and delivers vocal coaching at Key Stage 2 in North London.

Until recently David was also staff conductor at the East Barnet Music Centre, where a number of his arrangements and compositions were performed.

Previous conducting roles include band director at East Barnet Music Centre and as an assistant conductor for the Chandos Chamber Choir, for whom he composed several choral miniatures.

David is currently assistant music director of the Palace Band and MD of BT's London staff choir.

David is passionate about collaborative lifelong learning and participation and the natural place of music in society.

Music director of the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble

Michael McGowan succeeded Shea Lolin as BWE director of music at the beginning of February 2022.

Michael is a New Zealand born trumpeter and conductor. He has been resident in the UK since 2006, when he joined the Central Band of the Royal Airforce. In 2017 he moved to the British Army, joining the Royal Corps of Army Music to study with Rob Wiffin on a year-long Music Direction Course. On graduating he was awarded the academic prize, music direction prize and best overall students prize. He also completed his FRSM in Military Band direction.

Since then he has held appointments as the bandmaster of the Band of the Parachute Regiment, the Band of the Irish Guards and the band of the Welsh Guards. In these roles he was involved in a series of recording projects including, for example, a new edition of Gordon  Jacob's Original Suite for Band with the Band of the Irish Guards

In May 2003, Michael was commissioned as a Director of Music and appointed the Officer Commanding the Countess of Wessex String Orchestra. In this role, among other duties, he was responsible for the music performed at investiture ceremonies and state banquets.

He has recently taken up a new role as senior instructor of initial training at the Royal Military School of Music in Portsmouth where he is responsible for the development of the next generation of British Army musicians.

 

Deputy music director of the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble

Chris Spencer started taking regular rehearsals with BWE in the autumn of 2024 and his first concert was at the end of November that year. 

Chris is a clarinet player. In his teenage years, he was principal clarinet in both the Kent Youth Wind Orchestra and the Kent County Wind Orchestra. 

In November 1998 he was recruited as principal clarinet by the Band of the Grenadier Guards. Whilst with the Guards he took part in many state ceremonial events and was a regular soloist.

He has broadcast on TV and radio and has toured much of the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and Europe.

In 2013 Chris took up a teaching appointment with the UAE armed forces. He then returned to the UK in 2021 as principal clarinet with the Band of the Scots Guards. He is also principal clarinet with the Household Division Orchestra.

With the Band, Chris played for the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II. With the Orchestra he performed at Windsor Castle for the coronation of King Charles II. 

Away from military service, Chris has worked professionally with various ensembles from symphony orchestras to West End Shows.