Introducing our new St George’s Hospitals Staff Choir Leader: Genevieve Dawson!
22 January 2025
Since re-launching in 2022, our St George’s Hospitals Staff Choir has gone from strength to strength. Recently, our St George’s singers starred on national television, when they featured on the Christmas Day 2024 broadcast of ‘Good Morning Britain’. In 2023, they performed at the Aviva Studios in Manchester, as the finale act for a national project featuring 18 other NHS Trusts! They also share their music closer to home, performing regularly at St George’s Hospital as well as rehearsing weekly on site, writing their own songs or learning pieces suggested by the group.
The Choir is funded by St George’s Hospital Charity and produced by Arts St George’s (our Arts Team), making it free to all St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Staff.
Taking on the baton from our brilliant former Choir Leader, Georgia Duncan, the fabulous Genevieve Dawson began leadership of the group at the start of January and we are excited to introduce her to our community!
Tell us a bit about yourself?
"I'm a songwriter-composer, performer, and community music worker originally from Edinburgh and now based in London. I've worked with choirs for more than ten years, and I love the power of collective singing as a source of joy and fun. Apart from choirs, I write songs, play in various bands, teach singing 1-1 and work on several social justice projects as a facilitator."
What are you most looking forward to as the St George’s Hospitals Staff Choir leader?
"I love the attitude of the staff I've met at St George's - there is such a warm and generous spirit here - and I know we'll be able to put that into lots of performances and collective experiences."
What will a Staff Choir session led by you be like? What sort of songs will we be singing?
"My sessions start with fun warm ups, getting into our bodies and out of our heads - followed by really easy and uplifting simple songs to get us going. After that we'll usually learn some parts of a slightly more complex arrangement of a song that we'll work on together over time. I draw on pop, gospel, soul and folk repertoires and try to keep things varied. We'll finish with a short breathing meditation and a check-out song that helps us leave feeling really calm and renewed."
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about joining the Choir?
"Throw any fears you have about singing out the window, and remember how great music makes you feel! If you can speak, you can sing - and nothing feels better than singing with other people. Come along and have a go and see what you think! Everyone in the group is really warm and welcoming - and I'll never make you sing on your own (unless you love a solo moment!)."
The St George’s Hospitals Staff Choir meet every Thursday during term time, from 5-6:15pm.
"I absolutely love every aspect of choir, from walking through the door at the beginning to walking out at the end. The welcome, the fun, the interaction with others, the refreshments, the opportunity to be led by an amazing professional musician" Choir Member
We would love to welcome new members! To find out more, and to sign up to receive regular updates and reminders, please follow this link (make sure to scroll right the way down) Staff Choir - St Georges Hospital Charity.
Arts St George’s (part of St George’s Hospital Charity) is the arts programme for St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. To find out more, follow us on socials @artsstgeorges, or follow Arts St George's - St George's Hospital Charity
