Tom Williams

Musical Director

Tom joined Leicestershire Chorale as musical director in January 2005.

Born in Halifax in 1977, Tom Williams began singing at an early age. A former chorister of Ripon Cathedral and a music scholar at Uppingham School, he went up to University of Cambridge in 1997 where he read music. As Senior Choral Scholar in the world-famous choir of King's College, he was musical director of Collegium Regale, an a cappella vocal ensemble formed by the choral scholars. With them and the main choir, he toured extensively both in Europe, the USA, Australia and the Far East.

As a countertenor soloist he has performed Rachmaninov's Vespers in Ghent Cathedral and in the presence of Mikhail Gorbachev, Mozart's Missa Brevis in F in the Lincoln Center New York and the Ravinia Festival, Bach's Magnificat in King's College Cambridge, Handel's Israel in Egypt in Das Neues Dortmunder Konzerthaus, Finnessy's Anima Christi at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Bach's St John Passion in Jesus College Cambridge, Tippett's Lullaby at the Aldeburgh Festival, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms at the RNCM in Manchester, Gabrieli's In Ecclesiis with The English Cornett & Sackbutt Ensemble and both Haydn's Missa in Angustis and Monteverdi's Vespers at the Dartington International Summer School. Other solo performances have included Bach's St Matthew Passion, Handel's Messiah, Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Mozart's Requiem, Haydn's Stabat Mater and Bach's B Minor Mass.

Tom now lives in Leicester and works as both a vocal tutor at Uppingham School, conductor and freelance singer. He is a regular member of the EXAUDI Vocal Ensemble with whom he was a finalist in the 2005 ROSL Competition and nominated for an RPS Award in 2006 and 2007. He is also a choirman of the Temple Church. He sings for Stephen Layton's chamber choir, Polyphony. He became Conductor of Leicestershire Chorale in January 2005 and has also directed the Northampton Bach Choir, for its appearance in the Derngate Theatre as part of Aled Jones' Aled On Tour concert of 2007. Under his direction, Leicestershire Chorale was awarded 'Best Classical Performance in 2005' at 'The Week Awards' of the Leicester Mercury. Neil Crutchley, reviewing a recent concert writes, "In Tom Williams, Leicestershire Chorale has acquired a young musical director of remarkable talent. His lively personality and clear, expressive conducting inspire his choir to perform with accuracy, style and enthusiasm."

Recent projects for Tom have included a solo cantata concert at the beginning of Holy Week with the Temple Players and an appearance in a chamber production of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas as part of the Temple Festival in May.