Mark Griffiths became Musical Director of Beckenham Chorale in September 2016.
Mark started his musical training as a chorister at St John’s College, Cambridge and returned to the university as a Choral Scholar at Trinity College. While at Trinity he started conducting the college orchestra, gaining experience of large orchestral works including Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 2 and Vaughan Williams 5th Symphony.
During postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Music he began to conduct singers and, soon after, began a long association with the multi-award-winning Berkshire Youth Choirs, initially as Associate Conductor and latterly as Acting Musical Director. He also spent 13 years as Choral Director and Lead Tutor in Voice for the Junior Department of Trinity College of Music.
In 2003 Mark became Musical Director of Coro, a highly acclaimed London-based chamber choir. Together they have won many prizes, recorded three CDs and sung backing vocals for a number of classical crossover artists. With Coro, he was a Founder of the London International Choral Conducting Competition and is a member of its National Jury.
Mark has worked with the Philharmonia Chorus, preparing them for concerts at the Royal Festival Hall and on tour, and for small professional groups including Trinity Voices. He also coached choral conductors for the Association of British Choral Directors at whose National Convention of Music for Youth he has been a presenter. He is an adjudicator for the National Festival of Music for Youth and a former recipient of a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship.
One of the best choral conductors I have sung with; inspiring; calm and providing solid support.
- Choir member