Conductors

John Beswick

John Beswick read Music at Hertford College, Oxford, where he was an Organ Scholar, before completing postgraduate studies - as a repetiteur at the Guildhall School of Music - and in orchestral conducting at the Royal College of Music. His mentors included George Hurst, Neil Thomson, and Odaline de la Martinez.

  • Appointed Conductor of the Redhill Sinfonia in 2012, John has previously held posts with the Slough Philharmonic Society and the Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia, and has appeared as guest conductor with a wide range of orchestras, including the Bedford Symphony Orchestra, Kew Sinfonia, Oxford University Orchestra, Oxford Chamber Orchestra, and Hertfordshire Philharmonia. His work with professional ensembles includes engagements with The Bristol Ensemble, The British Sinfonietta, and Ensemble Eos Cymru, with whom he recorded works by Welsh composer Christopher Weeks.

    In opera, John has served as Musical Director for Swansea City Opera since 2012, following earlier roles with the Icelandic National Opera and Grange Park Opera. He has conducted over 30 operatic productions on tour throughout the UK and the United States for companies including Swansea City Opera, Pimlico Opera, London City Opera, Crystal Clear, and Opera Box.

    John has also had an active career in musical theatre. He has worked as Assistant Musical Director and Musical Director for successive UK tours of Miss Saigon, and was Associate Musical Director for the West End production of Les Misérables (2004–2006) as well as the O2 Arena production of Damon Albarn's Monkey: Journey to the West (2008–2009). As a keyboard player, he has performed in many productions, including Legally Blonde, Jersey Boys, The Phantom of the Opera, and Avenue Q. More recently, John has founded and serves as Artistic Director for two ensembles: : Ensemble Erik, whose current project involves performances of works by Philip Glass (www.ensemble-erik.com) and Green Octopus Band, who are dedicated to a recording project of original compositions (www.john-beswick.com/green-octopus-band).

Marc Dooley

Musical Director of the Fulham Symphony Orchestra since 2001, Marc Dooley has enjoyed conducting many exciting and ambitious projects, including broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, performances of the large-scale symphonic repertoire, concertos with leading soloists and much contemporary music.

  • He is often invited to work as a guest with other orchestras, and works regularly as an ensemble and chamber music coach with students of all ages.

    A clarinettist by training, Marc studied at Trinity College of Music and the University of York.

    He sits on the board of the charity Contemporary Music for All for whom he has edited the ‘Open Score’ anthologies, and has enjoyed a parallel career in music publishing with a special interest in the music of our time.

Andrew Morley

Andrew studied conducting and orchestration with Denis McCaldin at Lancaster University and later gained a scholarship to study with Peter Stark at Trinity College of Music (now Trinity Laban) where he graduated with distinction and won the Ricordi Conducting Prize. He began his career with many ensembles in Lancaster, including symphony and chamber orchestras, chamber ensembles as well as choirs, choral groups and wind ensembles.

  • Whilst at Trinity, performances included Aaron Copland's ballet Appalachian Spring, Heinz Holliger's experimental study in breath Pneuma and a concert alongside the late dance-band supremo Stanley Black. Notable conducting work has included Stockhausen’s rarely performed Gruppen for three orchestras, an appearance with the National Youth Orchestra Sinfonietta at the Lake District Summer Music festival perfoming the critically acclaimed Medousa: A Miniature Opera for which Andrew was composer and musical supervisor.

    Andrew has worked with eminent soloists such as Simon Blendis, Guy Johnston, Stephen Hough, Jennifer Pike and Peter Donohoe, amongst many others. Andrew gave the premiere of a new work for DJ and ensemble by Gabriel Prokofiev which was later unveiled at the Proms. He has prepared music for renowned film composer Debbie Wiseman, conductors Barry Wordsworth and Ed Gardner, and has been assistant conductor for Sir Simon Rattle, Duncan Ward and Matthias Pintscher at the London Symphony Orchestra.

    He has performed alongside celebrities such as Jonathan Ross, Henry Kelly and the late Sir Terry Wogan and has broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Future work includes engagements with Essex Chamber Orchestra, Norfolk County Youth Orchestra, Wolsey Orchestra, National Children’s Orchestras and Dorking Chamber Orchestra as well as at European Youth Music Week.

    Andrew has held teaching posts at Lancaster University, Junior Trinity and Oxford Brookes University and continues the roles of musical director with the Junior Trinity Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Elstree Concert Band and St. Paul’s Sinfonia. In February 2004 Andrew was awarded first prize at the Allianz-Cornhill Musical Insurance Conducting Competition having received unanimous votes from both jury and orchestra. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.