(photo: Susan Porter Thomas Photography)
Ben Parry has a busy career as a conductor, composer, arranger, singer and producer. While studying Music and History of Art at Cambridge, he sang in King’s College Choir, whilst also performing in musicals, G&S and jazz cabaret. In the late1980s he joined The Swingle Singers, performing with great musicians including Pierre Boulez, Stephane Grapelli and Dizzy Gillespie. He also wrote many of the group’s arrangements at this time, and co-produced four albums for Virgin Classics.
Moving to Edinburgh in 1995, Ben Parry took up posts as Director of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Chorus, Director of Choral Music at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire and conductor of Haddo House Opera. He also co-founded the Dunedin Consort, which has gone on to establish itself as Scotland’s première baroque ensemble. Ben moved back south in 2003, becoming Director of Music at St Paul’s School, London, then of Junior Academy at the Royal Academy of Music, and was Director of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain for almost 11 years. He was Assistant Director of Music at King’s College, Cambridge between 2013 and 2021, being responsible for the mixed choir, King’s Voices, and mentoring the choral and organ scholars.
Ben Parry is currently Director of the professional choir, London Voices. With them he has conducted many major film soundtracks, from The Hobbit to Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, and performed in major concert halls around the world. He also conducted London Voices in the epic production of Stockhausen’s 6-hour Mittwoch – Birmingham Opera Company’s grand finale to the Cultural Olympiad in 2012.
Ben’s own compositions and arrangements include the popular Faber Carol Book and a burgeoning catalogue of choral music for Peters Edition. He has undertaken commissions from the BBC Singers, Ely, Norwich and Worcester cathedrals, and his music has been heard at the BBC Proms. Ben Parry features on the credits of well over 80 recordings, appearing variously as singer, conductor, co-director, director, producer, chorus master and composer.