Director of Music- Biography
Samantha Lewis is a Shropshire-based mezzo-soprano and was appointed Director of Music at St Oswald’s Parish Church, Oswestry, in January 2026. Born in Oswestry and a former chorister at St Oswald’s, this role represents a meaningful return to her roots and an opportunity to give back to the community that first shaped her musical journey.
Samantha is a Master’s and Advanced Postgraduate Diploma graduate of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where she studied under Yvonne Sandison and Paul Wingfield. During her studies, she undertook conducting tuition and developed a strong passion for leading voices, alongside gaining extensive experience as a performer in recital, opera, oratorio, and song.
A sought-after soloist, Samantha leads a busy and fulfilling professional life. She strongly believes that maintaining her own performance practice directly enhances her work as a teacher and musical leader, benefiting both the choir and the wider community. Since her appointment, she has greatly enjoyed working with the choir, and together they have already made significant progress, receiving highly positive feedback. One listener commented, “The choir sounded absolutely amazing — every note felt like an offering,” signalling the beginning of something truly special.
Samantha also has a strong passion for integrating British Sign Language (BSL) into musical performance and education. She has begun incorporating BSL into her own singing and teaching, advocating for greater accessibility in live music. She explains:
“BSL is such an important language to learn. With over 18 million people in the UK who are Deaf or hard of hearing, we are too often denying them the chance to experience live music. Learning BSL through song not only enhances performance, but also makes both singing and language learning more accessible, while welcoming a wider audience — a true win-win.”
Samantha is greatly looking forward to her future years at St Oswald’s and to continuing to develop the choir’s musical and community impact.
For more information about Samantha’s professional journey, please check out her website