A leading figure in choral and church music, Tom is passionate about education and access to classical music. Equally at home in the classroom, cathedral choir, symphonic chorus, or managing the strategic needs of a large choral programme, he is a musician of rare versatility.
As Director of the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme he leads the country’s largest church music programme for young people, supports the work of the National Schools Singing Programme as Education Consultant, and directs one of Yorkshire’s largest and most historic choruses, Bradford Festival Choral Society. Tom has also enjoyed a distinguished career as an organist, with numerous recordings, broadcasts and recitals. His commitment to education has seen him spend eight years on the governing board of a local school and he is a council member for the Association of British Choral Directors.
Diocese of Leeds Music
Tom has directed the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme since 2012, leading its expansion to an internationally-recognised programme that has redefined the Church’s engagement with music as a tool for evangelisation and education, providing outstanding musical opportunities in some of the most deprived areas of West Yorkshire. Across its singing and keyboard programmes Diocese of Leeds Music works with over 8000 children a week, providing sustained musical development with excellent pedagogy, engagement and belief in the children’s potential. The network of after-school choirs provide further opportunity, as do partnerships with Gabrieli, The Sixteen, University of Texas El Paso and Vanderbilt University.
As well as managing the outstanding team of musicians delivering this work and its wider strategy and development, Tom delivers the programme in two Leeds primary schools, regularly working with children from Year 1 through to Year 6, and directs the Senior Boys and Senior Girls Choirs of Leeds Cathedral. These superb choirs are arguably the most diverse cathedral choirs in the country, with their musical achievement recognised through regular broadcasts on national BBC radio and television in addition to the daily sung services at Leeds Cathedral. You can view the current cathedral music list here.
National Schools Singing Programme
The National Schools Singing Programme (NSSP) is for all Catholic dioceses in the UK and Anglican cathedrals to create or enhance their own music programmes for children educated in state schools. Tom is one of three consultants for this programme - leading on curriculum and delivery content - which takes inspiration from the model developed by the Diocese of Leeds. It uses the existing infrastructure of Catholic state schools and offers seed funding to support world-class inclusive music programmes. The funds help engage diverse communities which have often been an afterthought for choral and church music. You can watch a short BBC documentary about the model to find out more.
Since starting, the NSSP now reaches nearly 30,000 children weekly in over 350 state schools. Numerous full-time choral posts have been created, with 27 Catholic dioceses and seven Anglican cathedrals currently part of the programme.
The NSSP is generously supported by The Vinehill Trust and Benefact Trust. Our Patron is Sir John Rutter.
Bradford Festival Choral Society
Established in 1856, Bradford Festival Choral Society is one of the oldest and most exciting choirs in the North of England, with vibrant and diverse programming, musical excellence and community at its heart. Musical Director since January 2008, Tom has led the choir through a period of growth and transformation; the chorus now has its largest membership for decades, enjoys excellent audience support and has been recognised with a Making Music award and shortlisted for a Royal Philharmonic Society award for its innovative work during lockdown and with the refugee choir the chorus runs, Bradford Friendship Choir.
BFCS is proud of its distinguished history, counting Sir Malcolm Sargent and Sir David Willcocks as former Musical Directors, and under Tom’s direction has performed many of the major works of the choral repertoire, including the Bach Passions, Beethoven Symphony 9, Brahms Requiem, Britten War Requiem, Elgar Dream of Gerontius, Handel Messiah, Haydn Creation, Mahler Symphony 2, Mendelssohn Elijah, Mozart Requiem, Orff Carmina Burana and Verdi Requiem. The choir is committed to programming contemporary repertoire, with recent concerts including music by Kerry Andrew, Sally Beamish, Reena Esmail, a premiere by Lillie Harris, Sasha Johnson-Manning, Roxanna Panufnik, Paul Mealor’s cantata The Farthest Shore, and Will Todd’s Mass in Blue.