Having sung the now infamous lead to ‘Stand By Me’ at the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Paul Lee is renowned for his smooth yet strong vocals. Paul was one of a few soloists to sing with The Kingdom Choir in front of a global audience of over two billion people and his voice has since become the backdrop for broadcasters all over the world. His rendition has been described as moving, emotional and beautifully controlled.

Paul has worked in the UK Gospel music industry for the last 35 years with many artistes from a range of genres including Gospel, Classical, Pop and Soul. In addition to lending his vocals to innumerable music, film, TV, radio, and studio recordings, Paul has provided backing vocals for classical performances and a DVD recording for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee from Buckingham Palace. He has also sung for the Princess Royal in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Singing for over 20 years with the internationally acclaimed and award-winning choir, the London Adventist Chorale, under the direction of Ken Burton, Paul was a member when the choir won the prestigious title ‘Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year 1994/5’ and ‘BBC Radio 2 Gospel Choir of the Year 1995/6’.  For the last three decades Paul has performed on numerous TV shows across multiple networks across the world including premier gospel TV series “People Get Ready”, commissioned by Channel 4 Television, BBC show “Top of the Pops” and has been a regular on ‘BBC Songs of Praise’

As a former regular of the UK Music Circuit, Paul has recorded and performed with many artists including music legends Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Maxi Priest and Boy George to name a few. Internationally, Paul has toured with the American opera singer Jesse Norman as well as the Japanese composer and film score writer Shiro Sagisu. He is currently broadcasting as host and producer of ‘The Arise & Shine’ Show on London’s Premier Gospel Radio and the Request Show on Adventist Radio London.

Diana is a Mexican cellist, graduated from the Music Conservatory of the State of Mexico in Toluca Mexico, initiates her musical excursion at an early age. By 1994 defines her attention to the cello under the wardship of cellist Maestro Adolfo Ramos. However is with the awarded and talented cellist Maestro Viacheslav Ponomarev (+) with whom she achieves a great development on the instrument. She also has received cellist instruction by Maestro Ivan Tchernichev, Maestro Vitali Roumanov, Maestro Lazlo Frater (+), Maestro Sergei Louzanov and Maestra Fabiola Flores.

She has been part of multiple chamber music ensembles including the Cellist Orchestra from the COMEM under the baton of Maestro Ivan Tchernichev; the Female Quartet from the COMEM; the Police Department from the State of Mexico Quartet; to mention a few. Maestra Roldan was part of the Symphonic Orchestra of the State of Mexico when training as an orchestra cellist (2003-2005); this experience gave her the opportunity to travel with the same orchestra in an European tour in 2003 under Maestro Enrique Batiz baton.

Around the middle of 2012, along with her brother – an amateur guitarist – they decided to become regular contributors of ADRA and ACFE , two philanthropic institutions, by donating the money collected at concerts by the selling of a CD they recorded named “Mi Alabanza” (My Praise). This is an ongoing contribution and collaboration.

By the years 2016 and 2017, maestra Roldan widespread her studies into musical theology. She took two specific courses related to religious music and theology around music at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan and at Washington Adventist University, Washington D.C. She has taken this knowledge and developed a Music and Praise Conference for the Seventh Day Adventist Church section Valle de Mexico in Toluca, Mexico.

Nowadays she is a soloist and orchestra cellist at the Philarmonic Orchestra of Toluca, under the conducting of Maestro Gerardo Urban y Fernandez; also a soloist and orchestra cellist at the Chamber Orchestra of the State of Mexico University under the conducting of Maestro Vicente Saquicoray; exercises private cello teaching and both cello and voice at the Female Quartet AD LIBITUM. Maestra Diana Roldan decides to always use her cello as part of her gratitude and praises to God for her new life, her new identity and her new destiny in CHRIST.

Kieron Daniel has a deep commitment to the art form of music. He began playing at 4 years old and by 10, was a proactive member of his local church’s music team alongside his brother Hamish.

Kieron is considered a string instrumentalist and his love for music inspired him to study and perform professionally. He enjoys composing and arranging music for orchestra and string ensembles.

To date Kieron plays 6 instruments and is currently a teacher at a Secondary School in North West London and the East London School of Music. He is grateful to be blessed with these musical gifts.

Georgina is a worship leader who loves nothing more than to speak to her God through song and bring others to a place where they can freely do the same.

“I believe praise & worship is simply the word of God set to music. It is also the language that everyone can understand as it speaks to our soul in ways that the spoken and written word often can’t.”

Let’s start with an interesting fact about these sisters. At the time of writing this, Karina and Jasmin are both 25 years old – but they are not twins. They have both grown up in Redhill, attending the same primary school, secondary school and sixth form college.

Following college, Karina went to Brunel University to study Physiotherapy. Soon after this, Jasmin attended Queen Mary University of London, where she studied Economics, Finance and Management. Since then, Karina has been working as a Physiotherapist in the NHS and Jasmin has moved to Basel, Switzerland, where she has been working for a global pharmaceutical company.

David Billett

David ministers regularly at Croydon Seventh-day Adventist Church as an Elder, and a lay preacher also ministering in song as a Soloist. David has attended Croydon Church from childhood and has sung with his siblings in several youth groups and choirs overs the years and more recently with his two daughters Serlina and Danielle.  Coming from a musical family he follows in his father’s footsteps (Wilton Joseph Billett) as a bass baritone soloist, and now sings regularly with the Croydon SDA Gospel Choir the Adventist Vocal Ensemble and in the trio The Three Basses, ministering in various parts of the world.  Nurtured as an orator from a young age David delivers his musical ministry with enthusiasm, power and conviction.  He has a passion for traditional hymns and Negro Spirituals that express rich and true Bible based theology, presenting the wonderful story of salvation and redemption. David will minister to us this evening with the presentation of one of his favourite hymns “It is Well” with a classical orchestral  accompaniment.

Danielle Billett

Danielle comes from a musical family and has been singing since the age 2.  As a child, never afraid to face an intimidating audience, she would present her musical renditions with confidence and a presence of mind far beyond her years.  She also plays the piano while teaching herself to play both the acoustic and bass guitar. Her musicianship was noted at high school where she was regularly called upon to perform in song or as a supporting musician.

Danielle is currently at University where she is studying architecture design technology and sings with the University Gospel choir. She also sings with the Croydon youth choir supporting the music ministry of her local church while ministering to various other churches around the country.  Danielle also teams up with her father David Billett and tonight they will present a negro Spiritual fitting for the times we are living in, “Hold On.“

Donovan Gervais was born into music. He often travelled with his parents who were, at the time, members of the award-winning London Adventist Chorale.  His first piano lessons were paid for by his maternal grandmother, who was keen that he develop his musical talent. His musicianship has developed from strength to strength where, along with his main instrument, the piano, he sings and also plays the clarinet, drums and bass guitar the last two instruments being self-taught.

Currently, he accompanies the Croydon SDA Youth Choir and plays for church services both within and outside of the Adventist Church.

Performed in:

• School Jazz band – Instruments: piano, drums and clarinet.
• School Orchestra’s (lower school and symphony) – Instruments: clarinet and drums
• Ensembles – Instruments: clarinet
• St Dunstan’s Combined Cadets Forces (CCF) Corps of Drums (The youngest to ever play for this group)
• Band – Instruments: drums and piano
• South England Conference SDA Drum Corp
• Singing groups – Croydon SDA church youth choir, School choirs and groups including Lower school choir, Chamber choir, College Choir, barbershop quartet

Performances at:

• BBC Radio 4 ‘Morning Service’ recording (held at Croydon SDA Church)
• Dean Street Recording Studios recording a song for the Rush Charity.
• Festival of Sound – Croydon SDA Church
• Jamaica Independence Day celebrations, Emmanuel Centre
• Support the Sound Music School
• Purcell Room South Bank
• St John’s Smith Square
• Southwark Cathedral
• Crystal Palace Festival

Annette Briggs-Smith & Keshia Smith are a mother and daughter act, both members of Croydon SDA Church for many years. They both love music and were members of their respective choirs (Church Choir & Youth Choir) for many years.

Since ending their time with each choir, Annette has gone on to be part of our very own music committee and Keshia works within the professional music industry.

Annaliese is 8 years old and has been singing since she was about 3 years old. She has done solos as well as sang in choir.

Annaliese chooses her own songs and practice them on her own and choreographs her own movements to the songs.

She is self-motivated to sing and considers herself as a gospel singer.

As brothers, Joshua and Caleb Choyen began their ministry as tots in the children’s ministry of Croydon SDA Church.  They continue to be members of the Children’s Sabbath School, Children’s Church and the Adventurer and Pathfinder club, but also as members or their singing group – ‘Blessed 4 God’. Through the counsel and dedication leaders, Joshua and Caleb have committed to developing their God given talents, telling of the Love of Jesus, as they look forward to his soon return.