The Conductor

Michael Smedley has been associated with choral music for most of his life. A boy chorister from the age of eight, he sang in the choir of Southwell Minster, Nottinghamshire. Whilst reading for his degree from London University he studied singing with a number of teachers, including Alexander Young, Gerald English and the distinguished Counter Tenor Alfred Deller. He sang for eight years in the choir of New College, Oxford and for nearly twenty with pioneering early music ensemble, the Clerkes of Oxenford. During this time he became well known as a choral conductor and has worked with many groups – professional and amateur, and with children. For many years he worked with The Ernest Read Music Association and conducted many of its concerts especially for children in the Royal Festival Hall. He is currently Director of Music at the City of London School. Michael directs choral workshops each year at Benslow, where the focus is on high quality amateur music making for adults of all ages, but his main musical interest continues to be his directorship of the Oxford Pro Musica Singers, which he founded in 1977.