Benjamin Hamilton, conductor
Benjamin is a conductor, translator and artistic leader most at home when using his experience to introduce high-quality musical experiences to all. As a conductor, Ben trained with Paul McGrath at the University of Warwick (where he also gained a PhD in Systems Biology) and Toby Purser (RCM); he is mentored by Mark Herron (RNCM). Ben cut his teeth conducting and translating operas, mentored by Kit Hesketh-Harvey (Kit and the Widow), for Warwick Arts Centre (Hansel and Gretel, La Cenerentola, Carmen) and Hampstead Garden Opera (Don Giovanni), to date he has conducted 22 operas. Ben is musical director of a number of choirs including the Warwickshire Choristers (the UKs largest unauditionned children’s choir) and Hampston Singers (a traditional 60-strong choral society). He sits on the board of Warwickshire Music Education Hug and Retrospect Opera (a charity recording label charged with recording forgotten gems of British opera) and co-founded HighTime Opera (which, whilst at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, used storytelling to introduce new audiences to classical music).