Ben de Souza
Ben de Souza is a British choral conductor, accordionist and singer.
He is the founding Director of the choir at Clare Hall, Cambridge, and is currently Musical Director of Farnham & Bourne Choral Society and Newbury Chamber Choir, and conductor of Taplow Children’s and Boys’ Choirs. He is also Director of Music at Earley St Peter’s Church, Reading, and was recently appointed as the first Musical Director of Godalming Choral Society’s Children’s Choir programme.
As a choral singer Ben has recorded with several of the country’s finest choirs including the Gabrieli Consort, the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, VOCES8, and Taplow Youth Choir. Ben has studied singing with Alexander Ashworth and Richard Edgar-Wilson.
His credits as a bass/baritone soloist include performances of Haydn’s The Creation, Jenkins’ The Armed Man, and Faure’s Requiem.
Ben holds an MMus in Choral Studies from the University of Cambridge, where he studied conducting with some of the world’s leading choral musicians including Stephen Layton, Graham Ross, Andrew Nethsingha and Sarah MacDonald.
Ben completed his undergraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music as a classical accordionist, studying with Owen Murray. He continues to have an active accordion playing career, especially with Duo Fisarco alongside violinist Chloë Meade. Ben currently holds accordion teaching positions at Salisbury Cathedral School and The Purcell School.
When not involved in something musical Ben can be found volunteering at Didcot Railway Centre, building finescale model railways, or doing anything football-related.