CHORAL DIRECTION

Ben began his choral journey in Northern Ireland with the Ulster Youth Choir under Greg Beardsell, studying voice with Robert Rice. During this time, he performed on BBC Songs of Praise and sang Britten’s War Requiem with the BBC Youth Proms Chorus and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Andris Nelsons at the Royal Albert Hall—a performance broadcast on BBC Radio 3. At age 17, Ben made his conducting debut, directing a gospel choir backing the Elvis tribute act, the Letterkenny Cats, at the Riverside Theatre, Coleraine

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He moved to England to read Music at the University of York, performing with the University Choir and University Chamber Choir under Peter Seymour. While there, he studied voice with John Powell, conducting with Dr. John Stringer, and solo voice ensemble with Robert Hollingworth (director of I Fagiolini). In his final year, Ben was appointed Musical Director for Vocal Point, the university’s departmental musical theatre ensemble. 

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In 2014, Ben became Musical Director of the York Military Wives Choir. Over his five-year tenure, he led them through high-profile events including the Scarborough Proms, BBC Radio 3 broadcasts, Remembrance services at York Minster, and album recordings alongside Lulu and Aled Jones. Concurrently, he directed the Harmonize Contemporary Choir in Selby. 

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Ben’s guest conducting credits include leading choral workshops for BBC York In Harmony—assisting with a recording of "The Parting Glass" for BBC Radio Yorkshire—and preparing the Easingwold Singers for Bob Chilcott’s Five Days That Changed the World. After a tenure as Musical Director for the Park Grove Children's Choir, Ben moved to London to pursue an MA in Musical Direction at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

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Now based in London, Ben serves as the Musical Director for the BBC Children in Need Choir—recently conducting at the Enterprise Charity Gala in the Natural History Museum's Hintze Hall—and is the Associate Musical Director for Interlude Choir.