Conductor and Musical Director | Brian Northcott

Brian started his musical career studying singing with the great counter-tenor Alfred Deller. His professional life has been shared equally between teaching and performing – he was Head of Music at the University of Plymouth on the Exmouth site between 1983 and 1996, whilst performing as a continuo player and singer. Brian is also an accomplished conductor and has worked with a wide range of groups, including youth choirs, orchestras and choral societies. Since going freelance Brian has had invitations from afar afield as Malaysia and India for choral and orchestral conducting and is awaiting an invitation from Ceylon - recently conducting the April 2009 concert for the Bombay chamber orchestra.

Conducting experience has been varied with both choirs and orchestras, and also as assistant to Brian Brockless  - who himself studied with the great Sergiu Celibidache - at the University of Surrey in the early seventies. In 1979 Brian formed the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra which has gone from strength to strength and now has a visiting professional Conductor. Brian has had the great pleasure of working with and conducting International soloists including harpsichordist Ruth Dyson; singers Ian Caddy, Robert Tear and Martyn Hill, pianist Frank Wibaut and most recently, this January with Evelyn Tubb and Michael Fields in a performance of the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610.

Examining has taken him to the Caribbean, Thailand, Egypt and Jordan, India and Malaysia on behalf of Trinity/Guildhall and conducting here for early music groups including the Consort of Twelve. Brian and his wife, Alison, have also recently formed the new early music group for the Exeter area - Westbarok. His spare time passions include gliding and rugby.