Ben Pinnow

Ben Pinnow MA (RWCMD), MMus (Cardiff), BMus (Hons), Dip. ABRSM Ben Pinnow is a South Wales based choral conductor, accompanist, singer, and musical educator. In 2013 he completed the Masters in Choral Conducting programme at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) studying under Neil Ferris, Sarah Tenant-Flowers and Simon Halsey. During his time at college he received the Busenhart-Morgan-Evans Choral Conducting Bursary – awarded by the Worshipful Company of Singers. He has recently been accepted onto the Live Music Now scheme where he works alongside mezzo-soprano Olivia Gomez providing concerts for people with limited access to live music, in particular those living with dementia and SEN schools. Ben is the current musical director of Opera in Situ, Roath Community Chorus and City Voices Bristol. He is also deputy musical director for Cwmbach Male Choir and the assistant musical director and principal accompanist for Canton Chorus. He has performed in venues across the UK, as well as various places in Europe including venues in France, Spain, Poland and a cave in Gibraltar. He has conducted in masterclasses with Simon Halsey, Stephen Harris, Karen Grylls, Greg Beardsall and Alice Farnham. During his time at college Ben was assistant chorus master for the RWCMD Chamber Choir’s performance of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle and the RWCMD Chorus and Orchestra’s performances of Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky in 2011 and in 2012, Verdi’s Requiem under maestro Carlo Rizzi. In 2013 he worked as conductor for Bute Park Opera’s debut performance, Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges and conducted the college’s Early Vocal Consort, preparing music for a concert with soprano Elin Manahan Thomas. Other engagements as conductor include performances with Opera Mint Wales of Eugene Onegin (2009), Don Giovanni (2011), The Magic Flute (2012), Amahl and the Night Visitors (2013) and Venus and Adonis (2015), plus concerts for the Wales International Academy of Voice. He also works as MD in the musical theatre world and has been engaged on a number of different productions, most recently with Radyr Parish Music Group, Oklahoma (2013) Thoroughly Modern Millie (2014) Pirates of Penzance (2015) and Kiss me Kate (2016). For the past eight years, Ben has been a member of the BBC National Chorus of Wales with whom he has participated in many projects including performances at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall and a tour to Paris in 2009. Originally from Dorset, Ben trained at Cardiff University where he studied piano with renowned concert pianist Richard Ormrod and completed a Masters in composition under tuition from Anthony Powers. While at university he took an active role in the music department’s choral activities, being co-founder of the University’s Purcell Singers. He has been performing as pianist and choral singer since an early age and holds the ABRSM Diploma in piano performance which he passed with Distinction in 2002. As repetiteur and accompanist, Ben performs frequently alongside choirs, singers and instrumentalists and has worked extensively with Opera’r Ddraig and Welsh National Opera’s education and outreach department. Recent engagements include Hansel and Gretel (2014) and The Beggar’s Opera (2015). He is also a member of popular Cardiff-based folk group Uisge ContraBand who have performed at public and private cèilidhs across the UK.