About YMS
Musical Director
David Pipe
Our Musical Director is David Pipe. David read Music at Cambridge University as Organ Scholar of Downing College before going on to study organ at the Royal Academy of Music. He subsequently served as Assistant Director of Music at York Minster, then Director of the Keyboard Studies Programme and Cathedral Organist in the Diocese of Leeds, and is now a highly regarded freelance organist and conductor.
David holds a number of distinguished positions in the organ world: he is an examiner for the Royal College of Organists, Head of Organ Studies at the University of Huddersfield, and was founding Artistic Director of the Leeds International Organ Festival. He has given recitals at major venues across Europe and the USA, with appearances including the Bergen International Festival, St Albans International Organ Festival, and Vox Organi festival in Germany, and appears regularly as organist and conductor on national television and radio.
His recordings — including solo discs of works by Liszt, Brahms and Huw Morgan — have attracted critical acclaim internationally, with performances described as 'electrifying'. In 2018 he was elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, an honour awarded to past students who have made a distinguished contribution to the profession.
David has been Musical Director of York Musical Society since 2012. He is increasingly in demand as a conductor, workshop leader and adjudicator, and his skill, good humour and enthusiasm have made the YMS annual choral workshop a firm favourite with singers from across the region. His adventurous approach to the organ was on vivid display in April 2025, when he performed a sold-out concert at York Minster pairing a recital of rock classics by Black Sabbath and Deep Purple with a live performance by symphonic metal group Plague of Angels.
Accompanist
Shaun Turnbull
Our accompanist is Shaun Turnbull. Shaun’s passion for the organ began in the summer after his GCSEs, when the breadth of colour and power of the instrument captivated him and set him on a path that would lead him away from a planned career in the sciences to study at Birmingham Conservatoire, where he gained both graduate and postgraduate qualifications.
Shaun spent nine years as Assistant Director of Music at Blackburn Cathedral, directing ensembles, playing for services including live television and radio broadcasts. His time there included the notable honour of serving as organist for the Office of Royal Maundy in 2014, attended by Her Majesty The Queen. He subsequently served as Assistant Organist at Ripon Cathedral before relocating to Yorkshire, where he has built a busy and varied musical portfolio.
Shaun has been accompanist to York Musical Society since 2021 and is also Musical Director of the Paulinus Singers, a choral society based in Ripon. He performs concert and recital work regularly across the north of England, and brings to his work with YMS both technical accomplishment and a genuine enthusiasm for the choral repertoire.
Patrons & dignitaries
President
The Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York
Patrons
Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice, Mrs Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Sir Ron Cooke
The Rt Revd Dr Flora Winfield, Bishop of Selby
Vice-Presidents
The Rt Reverend Glyn Webster
Gillian, Lady Barron
Dr Philip Moore
Honorary Life Members
Leslie Bresnen
Helen Gillie
Lesley Wilson
Trustees
Our committee is made up of current choir members who each take on a role helping to manage the day to day running of the choir. As a registered charity, our committee members also serve as trustees of the charity.
Nicola Hedges (Chair)
Nicola Brunger (Treasurer)
Margaret Antoun
Lynn Bradshaw
Jonathan Draper
Dr David Knowelden
Pauline Hagen OBE
Rose Hilton
Revd Canon Timothy Robinson