Meet our music team
Diane Haslam - Music Director
Diane was born and raised in Mansfield and was a founder member of Cantamus Girls Choir, but her singing, teaching and choral directing career has taken her much further afield.
After graduating from the Royal Northern College of Music, she joined the Netherlands Opera in Amsterdam where she sang for 7 years. She subsequently moved to the US, living in Ohio, Indiana and South Carolina, where she continued her opera
and solo recital work, developed a private voice studio and taught Vocal Studies at the University of South Carolina and Newberry College. In Aiken, South Carolina, where she lived for 16 years, she founded and directed four choirs.
Diane’s book on singing; The Heart of Singing, was published in 2010 and has served as the core text for further education courses in colleges around America, including at the Long Island School for Performing Arts in New York. She has travelled widely leading workshops in solo performance, choral singing, and vocal technique.
Diane returned to England from the US in October 2020. She is also Music Director of the community choir Sutton Melody and teaches singing in her private voice studio, Vocal Dimensions.
Stuart Ellis - Principal Accompanist
Stuart started playing the piano at the age of 9 when his parents bought him some music lessons for his birthday and has enjoyed playing ever since, developing his skills through the graded system of exams to diploma standard.
He has a long experience of teaching the piano, as well as accompanying choirs, instrumentalists, singers and church congregations. Stuart has also enjoyed conducting church, school and community choirs. He is the Principal Accompanist for Eastwood Collieries Male Voice Choir and accompanies Nottingham Playhouse Choir.
Professionally, Stuart worked in the financial services industry before becoming an ordained Methodist Minister. He later qualified as a primary school teacher, moving into headship before becoming a CEO of two multi-academy trusts. Having retired from frontline education in 2024, he is pleased to be able to pursue his musical passions.
Greg Place - Assistant Music Director
Music is a central part of Greg’s life, and is set to become more of a focus as he approaches retirement. Singing initially at school, then as a choirboy. At university he became Choirmaster, and so it has continued. Currently he is Choirmaster at St Peter’s Church in Ravenshead. He also plays the French Horn in various local groups.
With his wife Jenny, he joined the MCS in 1987, and has now been the Assistant Music Director for more than 25 years.
Born & bred in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, he currently lives in Ravenshead and is a GP in Annesley.
Greg is most often, regardless of the weather or location, to be found wearing shorts!