John Cole
Hon. Artistic Director
John Cole has been a driving force in the musical life of Somerset for more years than he would care to put a number to. Born in Taunton, he was 'put to the piano' under the care of the renowned Herbert Knott whilst still quite a small boy. Mr. Knott bravely endured this penance for some 11 years, until the needs of higher education and the sciences led to a parting. However, John had been imbued with a deep love of music by then, and so became a Gentleman Chorister at All Saints, Margaret Street, while a medical student. He also sang Figaro with Purley Opera and wrote and played in university revues.
On return to the West Country in 1960 he became involved in the musical life of the County. Having conducted his first choir at the age of 8, he enjoyed in turn the musical directorships of Wellington and Taunton Operatic Societies, Somerset Summer Chorus and Taunton Choral Society. He has performed and directed for Somerset Opera in over 60 productions, and founded the chamber choir Amici, which he still conducts and leads to new heights. He was 50 before he decided to add legitimacy to his musical activities through the acquisition of professional musical qualifications.
But one of his greatest achievements was the assembling of an ensemble of professional musicians to play for his choirs. Known originally as the Taunton Philharmonic Orchestra, it provided support to an extremely high level to the Choral Society and Amici for ten years. In 2005, as the Vision for Taunton (now Project Taunton) plans were unveiled, he decided the time was right for it to become a professional orchestra in its own right, and OrchestraWest was born. Its inaugural concert was in February 2006.
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