Application details are available from office@dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk

Application details are available from office@dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk

Benjamin Saunders was organ scholar of Downing College, Cambridge and sub-organist at the cathedrals of St Giles’ Edinburgh and Blackburn before becoming Assistant Director of Music at Chester Cathedral in 1998. Since 2002 he has been Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds, carrying overall responsibility for the choral programme. Benjamin has been engaged by many external organisations as a consultant in the resourcing, management and development of cathedral music departments. As an organist, he has performed to HM the Queen, Princess Anne and US President Carter and worked with conductor Carl Davis and jazz virtuoso Dick Hyman. He has given solo organ concerts in France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Russia and the United States. Further details of these can be found on his website.

Thomas Leech graduated from Cambridge University in 2001, where he held the organ scholarship at Downing College, and subsequently held posts at Norwich and Ripon Cathedrals. He enjoys a growing reputation as an outstanding and inspirational choral director which has ranged from ‘grass-roots' singing with children to directing some of the great masterpieces of classical music. As Director of the Schools Singing Programme, he manages one of the most innovative and successful choral programmes in the country. This involves 50 schools and over 1800 children weekly, with its choirs broadcasting regularly on BBC Radio and enjoying competition and concert success. Tom is also the Director of Bradford Festival Choral Society and makes frequent appearances as a solo recitalist. Further details can be found on his website.

Sally Egan was born in Leeds and educated at Notre Dame High School.  She read music at Cambridge University and studied singing in Paris with Maria-Grazia Dilluvio and in London with Lillian Watson.  She has sung opera and oratorio all over the world under the baton of many leading conductors including Claudio Abbado, Daniel Harding, William Christie and Pierre Boulez.  Sally also specialises in training treble voices.  Prior to her appointment in Leeds, she worked as a vocal coach with the choristers of Westminster Cathedral and taught singing to the choristers of Westminster Abbey.

Peyee Chen was born in Taiwan and grew up in the United States. While finishing an undergraduate degree in Chicago, she worked in various office aide and assistant secretary positions before moving to the UK to pursue an MA in Vocal Studies from University of York. She now splits her time between being the Music Department Administrator at the Diocese of Leeds and singing as a freelance musician. Peyee can be contacted regarding auditions, external concert bookings, CD sales, appointments and all general enquiries via the music office between 12.15 and 4.45pm Monday to Thursday during term time.

Keith Roberts was born in Kent and was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral and a choral scholar at King's College, Cambridge.  His musical experience since has been diverse. He sings countertenor, and has been a member of many of London's top choirs, as well as being an experienced consort and solo singer.  Keith has been musical director of the Allegri Singers and the Stondon Singers, as well as a jazz choir and close harmony groups.  He is in demand as a composer and arranger, and has found his music performed at the Three Choirs Festival, Westminster Abbey, on BBC Radio 3 and several countries abroad.  He is also an experienced singing teacher, having recently taught the choristers at Southwell Minster and the Temple Church.

Lucy Haigh attended Oxford High School, where she formed her first choir at the age of sixteen. After reading music, including Vocal Performance, at Durham University she returned to Oxford to found the Hildegard Choir (for girls) in 1991. The Choir reached the semi-finals of the BBC Choir of the Year competition and in 2004 were crowned champions at the International Choir Festival of Jersey. During her years in Oxford, Lucy also established and directed the Palestrina Boys' Choir. She relocated to Perth, Western Australia in January 2006 to take up the post of Head of Choral Music at St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls. Whilst in Australia, Lucy founded the St Cecilia Girls' Choir and The Dragon Singers (boys' choir) for musical children of primary age.

After meeting the Director of Music in Lourdes, Charlotte joined Leeds Cathedral Girls Choir at the age of 16. She became a Choral Scholar after a term, then a temporary Choral Director in 2008, before studying Music at the University of Birmingham where she graduated with a first class honours degree. Charlotte currently sings with the Rodolfus Choir and Yorkshire Bach Choir, and formally with St. Chad's Birmingham Cathedral Choir, the Birmingham Oratory Choir and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. Solo mezzo-soprano appearances include: Verdi Requiem, Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra; Berio Sequenza III, CBSO Centre; Duruflé Requiem, Rodolfus Choir and St. Chad's Cathedral Choir.

Daniel Justin was born in Bristol. He won a Music Scholarship to Downside School in Somerset, and began studying under Christopher Tambling. When he entered the Sixth Form, he began Organ lessons with David Bednall, and at the age of 18 obtained the Associate diploma from the Royal College of Organists. Between 2008 and 2011, he was Organ Scholar at Wakefield Cathedral, spending 9 months in 2010 as Acting Assistant Director of Music. He studied at Huddersfield University, obtaining a BMus with First Class Honours, graduating in summer 2011. He is now studying for an MMus in Organ Performance at Huddersfield.

Julie Tanner graduated from Leeds University in Music and English, later gaining a Master's degree at Hull University. She is a Fellow of the Trinity College of Music, London and an Associate of the Royal College of Organists. She has been a member of the Cathedral music staff since 1990 and combines this with her full-time position as Head Teacher at Wakefield Tutorial Preparatory School.

Elizabeth Cockshott is a former pupil of The Holy Family Catholic School, Keighley, and Skipton Girls' High School Sixth form. She was a founder member of the Bradford Girls' Choir and studies organ with Christopher McElroy. Elizabeth accompanies the Bradford Boys' Choir on the organ at St.Joseph's Catholic Church, Bradford, and is organist at St.Stephen's Catholic Church, Skipton. She has accompanied the choir on piano, in competition, and was continuo player in Skipton Camerata's production of 'Dido and Aeneas.' Elizabeth has accepted a place, with deferred entry, to the University of Huddersfield where she intends to study music in 2012.

 

2012 Christopher McElroy (Assistant Diocesan Director of Music) appointed as Director of Music at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral

2011 Claudine Tat (Music Department Administrator) retired to Headingley and Tuscany

2010 Christopher Johns (Choral Director for Bradford) appointed as Director of Music at Leicester Anglican Cathedral