Darius Battiwalla is a noted performer of the organ, piano and harpsichord repertoire, conductor and choral trainer. He is a regular organist for the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and music director of the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus. He travels extensively as a visiting chorus master, in this country, Europe and Australia.
More information can be found here
Martin Bussey, former Head of Academic and Choral Music at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, is particularly interested in choral music of the Baroque and in the link between English poetry and music, which he pursues through his direction of the Chester Bach Singers and Chetham's Chamber Choir, and through his own compositions and recitals. You can find out more about Martin here.
Frances Cooke, has worked with the Halle Choir for several years and was appointed Halle Choir Director in 2011. Since 1991 she has been chorus master for the Chester Festival Chorus, preparing it in a diverse repertoire for a range of conductors including Yan Pascal Tortelier, Vasily Petrenko, Richard Hickox, Harry Christophers, David Hill and, most recently, James Burton, former Choral Director of the Halle Choir. You can find out more about Frances here.
Eamonn Dougan is a bass with The Sixteen and its first Assistant Conductor, and has appeared on disc and the concert platform throughout the world with many of Britain's leading ensembles including The Gabrieli Consort, Ex Cathedra, The Cardinall's Musick, The Monteverdi Choir and I Fagiolini. He was a guest chorus master for the Easter St Endellion Festival in 2009
Marcus Farnsworth is active as a choral director throughout the UK where his fresh and vibrant approach to choral music is coupled with his own extensive experience as a singer and vocal teacher and he was awarded first prize in the 2009 Wigmore Hall International Song Competition. You can find more about Marcus here.
Following a successful career as a performer, Mark Heron now devotes himself to conducting, working with orchestras in Liverpool, London, Finland, Germany, Israel and Norway. His diverse musical interests have resulted in an unusually wide range of work: symphony, chamber and wind orchestras, contemporary music and opera all feature regularly in his schedule. Mark is also committed to working with non-professional and young musicians as well as professionals. More about Mark.
Malcolm Layfield founded the Goldberg Ensemble in 1982 and is its director and conductor. He is also leader of the London Bach Orchestra and has directed them in concerts in London and abroad as well as appearing as a guest leader, soloist and conductor for numerous orchestras and festivals as well as performing in many successful performances with the Goldberg Festival Opera. He is currently Head of School of Strings at the Royal Northern College of Music. For more information about Malcolm click here.
Paul Leddington Wright is a free-lance conductor, composer, arranger and organist, and is internationally known for leading choral workshops and writing commissions. He was Organist and Director of Music for Coventry Cathedral from 1984-1995and is now a conductor and arranger for BBC TV Songs of Praise and conductor of the Saint Michael's Singers, Coventry Cathedral as well as Artistic Director of the International Church Music Festival from 1991. Paul tells you more himself.
Simon Lole, Director of Music and Master of the Choristers at Salisbury cathedral for 28 years, now pursues a freelance career as a choral director, organist, composer and arranger. He is also a regular Musical Director for BBC Radio 4's Daily Service and Musical Director and arranger for Universal Music's new all-girl supergroup, All Angels. Information about Simon, and a link to his blog, is here.
John Powell, formerly Head of Choral Music at Chetham's School of Music, is a tutor with the National Youth Choir and a busy Festival adjudicator. He now conducts his eponymous chamber choir, as well as the Bolton Festival Choir, Bolton University Choir and the Tatton Singers. John has a strong commitment to contemporary music and has been involved (both as singer and conductor) in numerous commissions. Several of his folksong arrangements for chamber choirs have recently been published. More information.
Alexander Shelley was unanimously awarded first prize in the 2005 Leeds Conductors Competition and works regularly in the UK conducting orchestras including the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia and London Mozart Players and has appeared in the BBC Proms. More about Alexander.
Formerly organist of Blackburn and Manchester Cathedrals, Gordon Stewart is Borough organist of Kirklees, which includes Huddersfield Town Hall, with its famous Father Willis organ. Gordon has broadcast widely BBC Radio and television, as well as a number of recordings. Gordon was for many years one of the regular conductors of BBC television's Songs of Praise, conducting programmes from all over the UK and in South Africa and Athens. He was for three years Musical Director of the Millennium Youth Choir, with whom he toured in Virginia over Easter 2004. Find out more.
Christopher Stokes has been Organist and Master of the Choristers of Manchester Cathedral since 1996, having previously been appointed Organist of the cathedral in 1992. Prior to that he worked in London, having held posts in two of London's leading churches as Organist and Master of Music at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square and Director of Music at St. Margaret's Westminster Abbey.
Richard Tanner is Organist and Director of Music at Blackburn Cathedral and Conductor of the Blackburn-based chamber choir, The Renaissance Singers. He regularly works with the BBC as organist and musical director on Radio 4's Daily Service and television's Songs of Praise. He has also conducted a number of choral/orchestral concerts with the Northern Chamber Orchestra. Full details can be here.
Stephen Williams conducted MCC for its inaugural concert in 2003 and has conducted a wide variety of choirs, including chamber, male voice and youth choirs, as well as symphonic choruses. He is Musical Director of the York Chapter House Choir and is currently guest chorus master for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Chorus. He was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship, enabling him to travel to Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden to study contemporary choral repertoire and is now Director of Music at Uppingham School.
