Biography | colebendall

B i o g r a p h y

A dynamic musician and an imaginative creative leader, Cole Bendall is a conductor and vocal specialist based in London. His philosophy of coaching aims to empower musicians with the technical skills required to perform well and develop a passion for the stories behind the music.

Cole's current roles are Artistic Director of the Reid Consort; Music Director of Brockham Choral, Woking Choral Society & Holmbury St Mary Choral Society; Conductor of Surrey County Youth Choir; and Director of Music at St Peter's Church, Limpsfield. He is on the Music Staff of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and is a Visiting Singing Teacher at Cranleigh School and Ewell Castle School, Surrey.

Collaborations and highlights include performances with Academy of Ancient Music, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Covent Garden Sinfonia, Amadeus Orchestra, Southern Pro Musica, British Sinfonietta; alongside masterclasses with Rundfunkchor Berlin, Hallé Choir and Turkish State Choir. In 2022, he appeared as a Symphonic Conducting Fellow at Miami Beach Classical Music Festival, FL, USA. He maintains a deep interest in interdisciplinary performance including work on virtual choirs and semi-staged new productions including the Reid Consort's critically acclaimed PATCHWORK REQUIEM.

In demand as a workshop leader and tutor for youth groups, university students and adults, Cole has delivered seminars for groups in the UK, USA and mainland Europe. His passion for educating new generations of musicians and teachers is seen in his work for Ark Music, the Rodolfus Foundation, London Youth Choirs, Kingston Music Service, and Surrey Arts where he also directs the Surrey Primary Schools Music Festival concert series for thousands of children annually. He has developed training resources for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, Surrey Arts and numerous external partners in musicianship, vocal health and conducting.

Cole is a Visiting Teaching Fellow in Music at the Centre for Open Learning at the University of Edinburgh. A graduate of the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, he writes regularly on choral music and identity, cultural politics, and the rise of virtual choirs and digital media in choral music.