Nick and Vanessa
We first met in 1996, when Vanessa was living on Hubert Road and I was just a short walk away on Gristhorpe Road.
Our paths crossed in the Country Girl where Vanessa’s housemates brought us together one night after Vanessa had been singing at St George’s Edgbaston where she was choral scholar.
We married in Kent in July 2002, during a heatwave much like this summer, with many university friends singing at our wedding. Vanessa, who sang with the University Liturgical Choir (now Birmingham University Singers), is now a professional operatic singer and vocal tutor, while I work as a freelance choral conductor, organist, accompanist and soloist alongside my role as UK Head of Capital Markets for Ocorian.
If it wasn’t for the University of Birmingham I wouldn’t have met the love of my life. We now live in London with our beautiful daughter, Lydia. – Nick
Nick Bland (Music, 1998) and Vanessa Ashbee (English and French, 1997)