Introducing George Parris, our new Principal Conductor
George is a conductor, artistic director and singer who grew up in South Warwickshire but is now based in London. Following academic degrees in Music from Cambridge and Oxford Universities, George studied for a Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He graduated from the course in 2021, receiving the highest mark for his final recital.
His main role is as artistic director of The Carice Singers, a group he founded on his eighteenth birthday in 2011. With his creative vision the the ensemble has now become fully professional, having received invitations to perform at Cheltenham Music Festival, Music at Oxford, the Three Choirs Festival along with London’s Kings Place and St Martin-in-the-Fields. With The Carice Singers he has recorded for Naxos and the BBC Music Magazine, and has conducted around a dozen world premieres.
In 2022, George was appointed Associate Conductor of Birmingham-based Ex Cathedra where he works alongside Jeffrey Skidmore in preparing the ensemble for various projects. His other work has included conducting the prize-winning choir Spira Ensemble and chorus mastering for the Croatian Radio TV Choir and the Helsinki Chamber Choir. He has been a regular member of the new-music-focused Helsinki Chamber Choir since 2019 and is also in demand as an early-music performer: as a consort singer, soloist, workshop leader and curator of projects for the Aurore Renaissance Music Festival.
George has been awarded the Elgar Society’s Certificate of Merit for his performance and research of Elgar’s music.
“I’m absolutely delighted to begin working with the North Cotswold Chamber Choir and am very excited for what lies ahead. It’s particularly special for me to leading a group so active in a region I have known and loved since my early childhood. I cannot wait to reconnect with local people and meet new audiences in this stunning corner of England. Our first concert together will be in the Autumn — see you there!”
For information on our previous Principal Conductors and Guest conductors please click here