Musical director

Julian Wilkins pursues a successful freelance career as conductor, organist and pianist, working throughout the UK and overseas with prestigious musical organisations including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), Association of British Choral Directors and Sing Up - the Music Manifesto's National Singing Programme. He has recently directed a joint CBSO/Sing Up project, with songs specially composed for the project by Rebecca Lawrence, working with over 2,000 Key Stage 2 staff and pupils in schools across the West Midlands and Staffordshire. In 2009 he directed Sing Up's largest project encouraging boys to continue singing at primary and secondary school - directing workshops in Birmingham and surrounding areas with over 400 boys from school years 6 to 11 - leading to performances at Symphony Hall in July 2009. A number of those boys are meeting again in 2010, this time supported by CBSO and Barclays Wealth, for a project based around the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein culminating with a performance at Symphony Hall in July.

Educated at Wells Cathedral School as a chorister and specialist musician, and St Catharine's College, Cambridge as an organ scholar, Julian has performed in many of the world's cathedrals and leading concert venues as a soloist and accompanist, including engagements with Crispian Steele-Perkins and the dynamic percussionist Simone Rebello. He has appeared on BBC and Independent television and radio, and on the film soundtrack The Last Temptation of Christ.

Julian is currently the Music Director of the award-winning Cambridge Chorale (most recently category finalists in BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year 2008), CBSO Youth Chorus, CBSO Boys' Choir, and Phoenix Chorale - the youth choir for Cambridgeshire. He is the Assistant Conductor of the CBSO Chorus - working with Simon Halsey to prepare the chorus for conductors such as Andris Nelsons, Sakari Oramo, Gianandrea Noseda, Martyn Brabbins, James MacMillan, Jac van Steen, Valery Gergiev, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Simon Rattle and Sir Mark Elder. In addition, he is the Vocal Coach for the City of Birmingham Choir, and an advisor and mentor for the Birmingham Music Service. As a member of the teaching faculty at Canford Summer School of Music, he directs the Choral Course, and with David Lawrence co-directs the Art of Choral Direction Course.

He is in demand as a recitalist, accompanist and choral workshop leader, popular with musicians and audiences of all ages, and has adjudicated for the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.