The
VANBRUGH
.
ENSEMBLE
.
Conductors
James Murray
James studied composition with Andrew Keeling and Ian Buckle at RNCM's Junior Dept from the age of 16 and subsequently at the RAM with Paul Patterson, Gary Carpenter and Christopher Austin on the Concert and Media Composition programme, graduating in 2009. He directed many student performances at the Academy, including more than 50 premieres of comtemporary works as well as conducting for the Hyperbow project in collaboration with Chicago's MIT featuring the cellist
Peter Gregson which was later recorded on the Academy's in house label. Whilst still a student he has conducted the London Sinfonietta. With his committment to comtemporary music staying strong, he has conducted concerts at Kings Place as part of the Neo Classical Series. James developed a strong association with the BBC Philharmonic, shadowing their chief conductor, Gianandrea Noseda during the summers of 2006-2010. Since September 2012 he has continued his studies at Royal College of Music with Peter Stark and Robin O'Neil and recent projects include an ongoing Beethoven cycle. As well as the Vanbrugh Ensemble, James served as Music Director of the choirs at St Thomas's Oakwood for 2 years and also conducted at the Serenata Festival in 2010, the first classical music festival of its kind, receiving positive reviews for his direction.
Dominic Harries
Dominic Harries began conducting whilst studying at the University of Southampton where he conducted Symphony Orchestra and began a long running directorship of the String Orchestra. He is Principal Guest Conductor of the Charity Symphony Orchestra and since moving to London has worked with several ensembles including the London City Orchestra. In these posts, Dominic has been privileged to work with some outstanding soloists, including pianist and broadcaster David Owen Norris in a performance of his own piano concerto.
As well as conducting, Dominic is a keen horn player and has played accordion for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Alongside his musical interests he is Dev Lead for Europe, Middle East & Africa at the IBM Cloud Garage.
Francis Griffin
Francis Griffin studied at the Royal College of Music and started conducting shortly after leaving college. He has worked with operatic companies and orchestras throughout the UK, including London Sinfonietta, with whom he recorded a contemporary opera.
.jpg)
He has conducted at the South Bank and Barbican centres, performances including Ein Heldenleben, Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, as well as the symphonic works of Beethoven, Brahms and Schubert. He has conducted numerous performances of Cosi fan tutte in the UK and Europe, as well as productions of The Tales of Hoffmann, Eugene Onegin, with White Horse Opera, Otello and Fidelio with Guildford Opera, The Queen of Spades and Aida with Park Opera. Future plans include Siegfried in San Francisco. He is a noted arranger of operatic scores for small orchestras. For more information see www.FrancisGriffin.com.
Holly Mathieson
New Zealand-born Holly is Artistic Director of the Horizont Musik-Kollektiv (Berlin), and co-directs the Reuleaux Ensemble (London). She has worked in performance or masterclass with the NZ Symphony orchestra, St Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, London Repertoire Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Southern Opera, Southern Sinfonia, Opera Otago, the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Chorus in Australia.
Highlights of the 2013/14 season include the INTERAKTION Dirigentenwerkstatt des Kritischen Orchesters, and debuts with St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra (NZ), Vanbrugh Ensemble (London) and Charlotte Symphony (USA).
Michael Alexander Young
Michael is the award winning Music Director of Charities Philharmonia, the Beethoven Camerata, acclaimed opera company Little Operations and prize winning finalist at both the 8th Leeds Conductor's Competition and the 9th Pedrotti Conduction Competition. Michael has also worked with English National Opera, Co-Opera and London Youth Opera and has conducted ensembles across Europe and Latin America. He began conducting whilst an undergraduate at Leeds University where he was awarded the Lord Snowden Prize for raising the profile of classical music at the University. He formed the Leeds University Union Symphony Chorus and initiated a series of charity concerts in aid of Cancer Research UK at Leeds Town Hall which have since become annual events. Whilst taking postgraduate conducting, piano and harpsichord studies at the Royal College of Music, Michael was awarded the London Philharmonic Orchestra Conducting Fellowship at Trinity College of Music, London. Michael has assisted various conductors including Bernard Haitink, Ed Gardner, Mark Elder and Vladimir Jurowski. Michael is an alumnus of Agnes Kory at the Bela Bartok Centre for Musicianship.
