Conductor and Artistic Director: The Facade Ensemble (2012 - )
Currently Ensemble in Residence at The Courtauld Institute of Art. Specialising in 20th century chamber music through engaging programming. Promoted by Odradek Records and covered in the Guardian, Classic FM, Evening Standard, and Pianist Magazine, recent concert venues range from old warehouses to the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford and Cadogan Hall, London.
Musical Director: Bath Bach Choir (2023 - )
90 voice chorus that runs their own concerts and is invited to be the chorus for Bath Philharmonic and Bath Symphony Orchestras. Upcoming highlights include Belshazzar's Feast with Sir Willard White.
Musical Director: Bury Bach Choir (2023 - )
110 voice chorus that is a regular feature of the Bury Festival. Upcoming highlights include Belshazzar's Feast with Roderick Williams.
Conductor: Ipswich Chamber Choir (2018 - )
40 voice choir whose recent highlights include a cycle of four different JS Bach Passions, finishing with the St Matthew in Snape Maltings.
Music Director: Mid Norfolk Singers (2022 - )
80 voice chorus in the heart of Norfolk. Upcoming highlights include a new Cantata The Fox that Walked on Water - with words set by famous cartoonist Merrily Harpur and music by Nick Morris.
Conducting & Choir Tutor / Lecturer: Morley College (2016 - )
Following in the footsteps of Holst, and Tippett, responsibilities have included working with all of the Morley's choirs - preparing them and directing them in their own performances as well as preparing the chorus for performances with orchestra. I have also run their college's summer conducting classes.
Music Director: Eye Bach Choir (2025 - )
50-strong choir in the heart of Suffolk. Upcoming highlights include the Howells Requiem.
Guest Conductor
- 2023: St Alban's Symphony Orchestra, Farnborough Symphony Orchestra, Lydian Orchestra
- 2022: The Huntingdonshire Philharmonic, All Aboard Opera, Cambridge Chorale
- 2021: Kensington Philharmonic
- 2020: Rose Opera, CBSO Chorus, Birmingham University Scholars' Choir
- 2019: Cambridge Chorale, Aurai Quartet, Geldart Ensemble, Lydian Orchestra, Lydian Training Orchestra, The Chris Ingham Trio, Southbank Sinfonia, British Youth Opera, Rietman Singers, St John the Divine Kennington, Royal Academy Choir, Stowmarket Chorale, UBS Choir, AON Choir.
- 2018: Berlin Sinfonietta, Halstead Choral Society, St Dominic's Haverstock Hill
- 2017: St Stephen’s Gloucester Road, St Nicholas' Shepperton, I Dodici, The Hollywell Consort, Brighton Festival Chorus, Bury Symphony Orchestra, The Esterhazy Choir.
- 2016: Cambridge Graduate Orchestra, RNCM String Ensemble, Ely Cathedral Choir.
Current Status
Previous Experience
Conductor: West Kent County Youth Orchestra (2019 - 2025)
WKYO is an advanced classical orchestra which explores traditional orchestral repertoire (Sibelius 2, Dvorak 8 & 9, Beach 3, Beethoven 7), popular film scores and seasonal favourites. Members come from schools across West Kent every week, forging new musical connections and making friends in our diverse and friendly group.
Conductor: Rose Opera (2020 - 2024)
Rose Opera promotes and produces operas to the highest standards of musicianship, artistry and beauty in London and the South East of England. Productions of Der fliegende Holländer, Tosca, Suor Angelica, Mozart & Salieri, as well as several Opera Gala Nights.
Musical Director: Moving Chamber Choir (2018 - 2023)
Musical Director: Stowmarket Chorale (2020 - 2023)
Annual season of concerts. Highlights include Verdi Requiem and Handel Messiah.
Conductor/Tutor: London Youth Conservatoire (2019 -2021)
Saturday Morning Music Programme for children aged 4 - 18. Responsibilities include running choirs, the school orchestra, supervising chamber music sessions, and tutoring musicianship skills.
Conductor: Our Lady Of The Rosary & St Dominic, Haverstock Hill (2018 - 2021)
A large Catholic church and Diocesan Shrine served by the Dominican Friars. It serves as a Diocesan Shrine for the Archdiocese of Westminster, welcoming pilgrims from all over the United Kingdom as well as visitors from across the globe. The choir sings a weekly Sunday Mass and for major feasts and Holy Days.
Director of Choral Music: Tonbridge Grammar School (2018 - 2020)
Responsibilities include running the school's choirs for a range of performances each term (both external and internal), as well as running 'Music Mondays' group singing sessions in year group assemblies. Performances have included concerts, services, and also being selected to perform at finals of national competitions and festivals.
Assistant Conductor with British Youth Opera (2019)
Scoring a Century by David Blake and directed by Keith Warner. Role included Chorus Mastering, repetiteur work, vocal coaching, assisting Lionel Friend, and conducting the matinee performances.
Assistant to Johannes Wildner (2018)
"Benedict assisted me in a CD recording period with the BBC CO, including compositions by Walter Braunfels with very complicated and complex scores and I have to say, that he was a really big help, not only for me but also for the musicians in the orchestra as well as for the producer."
Chief Conductor: Cambridge University Graduate Orchestra (2016 - 2018)
Full season of concerts and outreach performances including world premiere commissions alongside symphonies, concertos and collaborations with choral societies, children's choirs, and a ballet company.
Shadowing
CBSO Chorus (2018)
- Shadowing Simon Halsey on Debussy's Le Martyre de saint Sébastien.
The Royal Opera House (2016)
- Shadowing Mark Elder through rehearsals and performances of Chabrier's L'étoile.
- Shadowing Antonio Pappano on Boris Godunov.
- Shadowing Ingo Metzmacher on The Nose
Vocal, Choral & General Musicianship Coach: HMDT Music (2017 - 2018)
Youth music project twice winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Education. Specialising in Musical Theatre and incorporating choral and musicianship training as well as individual coaching (vocal, instrumental, and conducting).
Tenor Lay Clerk: Ely Cathedral (2015 - 2017)
- Singing the regular cycle of Cathedral services. Regular tours, recordings and broadcasts.
The King's School, Ely: Music Theory/Chorister Tutor (2014-15)
- Classroom teaching, music theory tutoring, running several school ensembles, frequent experience as Acting Head of Music, pastoral responsibilities at choristers' boarding house, coaching junior rowing.
Cambridge University Symphony Orchestra: Chief Conductor (2013-15)
- Highlights inc. symphonies by Sibelius & Beethoven; concertos by Finzi & Chopin; ballet music by Tchaikovsky & Prokofiev; the 3rd UK performance of Lindberg's ‘EPXO’ and a sell out performance of Beethoven Symphony No. 9 as part of the orchestra's anniversary celebrations.
University of Cambridge (2011-15)
- Conductor of Cambridge University Concert Orchestra (2013 - 2014)
- Conductor of Cambridge University Wind Orchestra (2013 - 2014)
- Cambridge University New Music Ensemble (2012 - 2015)
- Cambridge University Opera Society (2012)
- Pembroke College Orchestra (2011 - 2012)
St. Peter's Church, Didcot: Organist and Choirmaster (2010-11)
- Regular cycle of sung Eucharists and Evensongs with repertoire from the 16th to the 21st century.
Education
Birmingham University
- MA with distinction in Choral Conducting (2020 - 2021) studying under Simon Halsey
- Including highest ever final performance mark for course
Pembroke College, University of Cambridge
- BA(Hons) in Music (2011 - 2014) including first class marks for composition and dissertation on Stockhausen.
- MA March 2018
Conducting Courses and Master Classes
Ennio Nicotra (The Ilya Musin Society) (2021)
Prof. Johannes Wildner (Vienna University of Music and Arts) (2018)
Royal Northern College of Music: Short Conducting Course (2016)
- Mark Heron and Matthew Wood
- Including Competition success leading to concert with RNCM students.
Private Study: Toby Purser (2014-16)
Sherborne Summer School: The George Hurst Advanced Conductors' Course (2014)
Rodolfo Saglimbeni, Denise Ham, Toby Purser.
Queens' College Conducting Programme: Conducting Scholar (2013-14)
Concerts, masterclasses and Lessons with Tim Brown, Paul Brough, Greg Beardsell & Natalia Luis-Bassa.
Carlos Izcaray: Masterclass (2014)
Peter Stark: Conducting Course (2013)
Andrew Gourlay: Masterclass (2013)
Sing for Pleasure: Advanced Conducting Course (2013)
- Dip.ABRSM in Music Direction
- Studies with Sarah Tenant-Flowers and Manvinder Rattan
- Shortlisted for the course prize.
Prizes/Achievements
2021: Gains highest ever final recital mark in Conducting Masters at Birmingham University.
Sep 2019: West End debut conducting British Youth Opera
Feb 2017: Conducting debut at Cadogan Hall
June 2015: Debut at Carnegie Hall
Feb 2014: Conducts 3rd UK performance of Lindberg's 'EXPO'
2013: Appointed Scholar of the Queen's Conducting Programme
2013: Awarded CUMS conducting scholarship
2011: Awarded Instrumental Award Scholarship for chamber music (piano) from Cambridge University.
2009: Performs Grieg Piano Concerto with Oxford Symphony Orchestra
Skills
Pianist
Singer
Arranger/Composer
Typesetting/publishing/notation
Academic research and writing
Academic and Instrumental Tutoring
Classroom Teaching
Coxing
Languages
French and Spanish to GCSE
Have prepared choruses for performance in:
French
German
Hebrew
Italian
Latin
Russian
Spanish
Ukrainian
2010 - present
2010 - present