David Todd
David Todd is a choral conductor and organist based in London. He is currently studying Choral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music with Patrick Russill, Cathal Garvey and Paul Brough, where he recently performed alongside concert pianist Murray Perahia. Prior to this, David studied with Paul Spicer and Nicholas Cleobury at Oxford University. David is Organist and Director of Music in the Parish of Wanstead and Director of Music of Billericay Choral Society, though also his work is increasingly taking him abroad. He holds the post of Guest Conductor of the choir of Turku Cathedral, Finland, has recently worked for the Swiss-Italian Conservatoire in Switzerland, and also in Berlin. In 2015 he launched ‘The Artschoir’, a new choir aimed to specifically explore the links between music and art through performances, commissions and collaborations. Later this season also sees David acting as Chorus Master for the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
David was born in Solihull and read Music at University College Oxford, where he was also Organ Scholar. Conducting highlights in Oxford included the first public performance of Jonathan Dove’s 2010 work Seven Angels, Judith Weir’s The Consolations of Scholarship, Mozart’s Requiem in the Sheldonian Theatre, and John Eccles’ opera The Judgment of Paris at the Ashmolean Museum. In 2013 David founded and directed the BFO Chorus, a large Midlands-based choir which works on choral-orchestral repertoire in partnership with Jamie Phillips’ Birmingham Festival Orchestra. Together they put on a concert of Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms alongside other separate works.
David is active as a recitalist and accompanist on the organ and piano. Recent performances include Handel’s Organ Concerto in G Minor with the Kings Chamber Orchestra alongside concert organist Jennifer Bate in Muswell Hill, and recitals of Messiaen’s complete organ suite La Nativité du Seigneur. David holds the Associate of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO) diploma, and the DipABRSM diploma on the piano.
David is grateful to the Solihull Society of Arts, the W.E.D. Charitable Trust, and the Stanley Vann Scholarship Trust (from whom he was awarded the 2013-14 scholarship) for their support in his postgraduate studies.