dan watson

 
 
Dan is a freelance UK based conductor, developing his professional career through a varied portfolio of engagements encompassing orchestral and chamber work, opera and musical theatre. He completed a Masters in orchestral conducting at Birmingham Conservatoire. Dan currently holds conductorships with Stratford-Upon-Avon Symphony Orchestra, Djanogly Community Orchestra, Blackwood Clarinet Choir, Thumb contemporary music ensemble, the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, New London Music Society and Nova Orchestra Classica. He also has regular freelance work as guest conductor for ensembles such as Helix Ensemble, Chandos Symphony Orchestra and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's LEAP Ensemble, which is dedicated to enthusing young musicians to pursue a lifelong passion in creating and performing. Dan featured in the BBC series All Together Now: The Great Orchestra Challenge, as then principal conductor of The People's Orchestra. The program, designed to inspire and promote amateur music making, reflects many of Dan's continued aims as a conductor, to bring together professionals and community musicians alike, culminating in high standard performances and rewarding life experiences. Dan has a particular interest in contemporary music. He is Conductor and Artistic Director of Thumb contemporary music ensemble with whom he won a Musicians Benevolent Fund Emerging Excellence Award, and has directed numerous performances resulting in over 50 premières of new works by established and emerging composers. He lives in Barwell, Leicestershire, with wife Sally, cat Morris, and an increasingly inquisitive daughter, Bethan, who was born in December 2017.

biography

Awards/masterclasses/courses

August 2014: DARTINGTON INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL Advanced Conducting course with Siân Edwards. Full bursary awarded July 2013: LONDON SINFONIETTA ACADEMY
Masterclasses with George Benjamin on his Three Inventions for Chamber Orchestra and Steve Potter, Play April 2013: VASSILY SINAISKY MASTERCLASS Wagner, Siegfried Idyll
Birmingham Conservatoire July '12 – March '13: MBF EMERGING EXCELLENCE AWARD as Artistic Director and conductor of THUMB contemporary music ensemble June 2012: Michael Beech Conducting Prize, at Birmingham Conservatoire

orchestras, Ensembles and organisations

ACE Dance and Music
Asklepios Orchestra Bardi Symphony Orchestra BBC
Bedworth Symphony Orchestra
Birmingham Conservatoire Ensembles Symphony Orchestra Repertoire Orchestra Composers Ensemble Thallein Ensemble Wind Orchestra Learning and Participation Ensemble (LEAP) Birmingham Contemporary Music Group Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra Birmingham Repertory Theatre Birmingham Schools Symphony Orchestra Blackwell Concert Band Blackwood Clarinet Choir Bournville Clarinet Choir Bridgnorth Sinfonia British Police Symphony Orchestra
Central England Concert Band Chandos Symphony Orchestra Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra Dartington Festival Orchestra Djanogly Community Orchestra Elemental Opera Eroica Camerata Helix Ensemble Greenbelt Festival Leamington Sinfonia Leicestershire Schools Orchestras Symphony Orchestra Wind Orchestra Training Orchestra Linden Park Symphony Orchestra London Sinfonietta
Motionhouse
National Saxophone Choir Nova Orchestra Classica Orchestre Philharmonia Mundi de Montréal
Royal Forest of Dean Symphony Orchestra Royal Sutton Coldfield Symphony Orchestra Rugby School Salford Arts Theatre Solihull Symphony Orchestra Stan’s Cafe Stratford-Upon-Avon Festival Chorus Stratford-Upon-Avon Symphony Orchestra Tamworth Ladies Choir Tamworth Male Voice Choir Tamworth Voices The Orchestra of Moving Pictures
The People's Orchestra
Thumb Contemporary Music Ensemble Town Hall Gospel Choir Toy Sound Circus Wyre Forest Symphony Orchestra