About Us

Peter Millar
Music Director
Star Singers Holywood

Peter was educated at RBAI in Belfast. During this time he played guitar, started to write songs and sang with some like-minded friends in several bands. One of these became “Hooker” - initially an acoustic, country-folk trio, which evolved over some thirty years into a bluesy five-piece rock band. He then attended Stranmillis College, where he was heavily involved in the many college productions of music and theatre. Frome there he graduated with a Bachelor of Education in English and Dramatic Art and went on to teach in a Belfast high school, where he was responsible for producing a series of musicals.

He is a member of Phillip & James Parish Church Choir in Holywood. During concerts, in which the choir collaborated with members of the Ulster Orchestra and choral group "Melisma", who got together with him to form “Eclection” - an exciting musical venture that combines the many talents of the musicians involved.

Peter is greatly looking forward to Holywood Star Singers' second year.

Malcolm Neale Manager Star Singers

After three years studying Piano and Percussion at the Royal College of Music in London, Malcolm began his career in 1975 as Timpanist/Percussionist in the Belfast BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra.

When the orchestra disbanded in 1980, Malcolm moved to the Ulster Orchestra as Principal Percussionist until 2005 during which he served as President of the Northern Ireland Musicians Association and as a Director of the Board of the Ulster Orchestra.

Malcolm has performed with most UK and Irish orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Ballet, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.

After helping to establish Camerata Ireland, the pan-Ireland chamber orchestra with Barry Douglas , the Belfast born international pianist, Malcolm served as Chief Executive from 1999 until 2008.

An exciting time was spent touring with the orchestra to over twenty countries including China, the USA and Europe. Malcolm was also responsible for directing the now established and successful Camerata Ireland International Festival at the Clandeboye Estate in Bangor.

Having organised and promoted all forms of musical events, including The ‘Millennium Concert in the Park’ for Lisburn City Council which was attended by over 23,000, Malcolm is now Director of Music Events Direct, which organises many and various musical groups and concerts throughout Northern Ireland. Malcolm also continues to perform professionally with his bands, Jazz Extra & Big Band Extra, together with Royal Ballet, Ulster Orchestra & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Malcolm’s personal singing experience up to now has been a boy soprano in his local church choir and with the Royal college of Music Choir in London, many years ago.
Also, his younger brother Stuart was a founder member of Kajagoogoo! Malcolm claims to have written some of no. 1 hit, Too Shy Shy! (denied by Stuart)

Malcolm is very excited to be involved with Star Singers, especially for the opportunity within the local Holywood community for anybody to ‘have fun’ and ‘have a go’ singing rock in a choir, without having to read music or having to audition.

Ken is a teacher at Dundonald High School. An ex-International motorcyclist, he graduated from the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, with a degree in Music before completing a Post Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of Ulster, Coleraine.

Ken is on the Senior Leadership Team at Dundonald High School where he teaches music and is in charge of the Moderate Learning Difficulties Unit.

During his time teaching Ken has been involved in the UTV School Choir of the Year competition, organising musical events and joint community projects in the Dundonald area, including the show ‘Anything Goes’ and playing in the Dundonald Community Band.

He has recently been involved in the Rock-Challenge project in which his school team performed at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast on 29^th March.