Director, CBSO Chorus
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 10000 Closing date 30 June 2025
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and its Music Director Kazuki Yamada seek to appoint a world-leading Director, CBSO Chorus to succeed Simon Halsey as he steps into his Emeritus role with the organisation in the 2027-28 season.
This new role will focus on the artistic development of the CBSO Chorus and take responsibility for the preparation and direction of the Chorus, in liaison with key members of staff and conductors at the CBSO.
The CBSO Chorus is one of the world’s great choirs – 180 people from all walks of life who come together to sing symphonic choral music. Trained for 40 years by Simon Halsey CBE, supported by Julian Wilkins as Associate Chorus Director and a professional staff team, the chorus is a hard-working group of singers who give up their own time to perform the most challenging works in the choral repertoire to the highest international standard.
Founded in 1973, its main role is to perform with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra - everything from Bach to Henze, as well as operas, Mahler symphonies and the CBSO’s renowned annual carol concerts. The Chorus has also toured to Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, and sung with some of the greatest orchestras in the world, including the Vienna Philharmonic and Berlin Philharmonic. With over 50 recordings to its credit, the CBSO Chorus has received four Gramophone awards.
All this has been achieved by singers from Birmingham and the Midlands, aged 18 years and above, whose day-jobs range from students to nurses, teachers to pilots.
The Chorus rehearses weekly on Wednesday evenings at the CBSO Centre, with piano, general, orchestral rehearsals and concerts as required. The Chorus performs a range of concerts across each season.
Key Information
Title: Director, CBSO Chorus
Remuneration: £10,000 annual retainer plus relevant session fees as detailed below
Contract type: Rolling two-year contract
Reporting to: Creative Director – Learning & Engagement
Works alongside: Director, Children’s & Youth Choruses, and Director, SO Vocal
Director designate season: 2026-27 annual season
Commence role: 2027-28 annual season
How To Apply
Please send a CV and a cover letter (each a maximum 2 x A4 pages), and up to two audio/audio-visual recordings of your work to Tom Spurgin, Creative Director – Learning & Engagement, on tspurgin@cbso.co.uk.
This new role will focus on the artistic development of the CBSO Chorus and take responsibility for the preparation and direction of the Chorus, in liaison with key members of staff and conductors at the CBSO.
The CBSO Chorus is one of the world’s great choirs – 180 people from all walks of life who come together to sing symphonic choral music. Trained for 40 years by Simon Halsey CBE, supported by Julian Wilkins as Associate Chorus Director and a professional staff team, the chorus is a hard-working group of singers who give up their own time to perform the most challenging works in the choral repertoire to the highest international standard.
Founded in 1973, its main role is to perform with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra - everything from Bach to Henze, as well as operas, Mahler symphonies and the CBSO’s renowned annual carol concerts. The Chorus has also toured to Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, and sung with some of the greatest orchestras in the world, including the Vienna Philharmonic and Berlin Philharmonic. With over 50 recordings to its credit, the CBSO Chorus has received four Gramophone awards.
All this has been achieved by singers from Birmingham and the Midlands, aged 18 years and above, whose day-jobs range from students to nurses, teachers to pilots.
The Chorus rehearses weekly on Wednesday evenings at the CBSO Centre, with piano, general, orchestral rehearsals and concerts as required. The Chorus performs a range of concerts across each season.
Key Information
Title: Director, CBSO Chorus
Remuneration: £10,000 annual retainer plus relevant session fees as detailed below
Contract type: Rolling two-year contract
Reporting to: Creative Director – Learning & Engagement
Works alongside: Director, Children’s & Youth Choruses, and Director, SO Vocal
Director designate season: 2026-27 annual season
Commence role: 2027-28 annual season
How To Apply
Please send a CV and a cover letter (each a maximum 2 x A4 pages), and up to two audio/audio-visual recordings of your work to Tom Spurgin, Creative Director – Learning & Engagement, on tspurgin@cbso.co.uk.