Musical Director
Alexander Turner has gained a reputation as a conductor for his choir-training skills, dynamic programming and community engagement. He is currently Associate Choral Director of Christ Church, Oxford, Director of Music at All Saints’ Church, Putney as well as Musical Director of Richmond Chamber Choir.
Recent highlights have been conducting Britten’s Saint Nicolas, Duruflé’s Requiem and large scale works by Jonathan Dove, Bach and Handel, including some of the latter’s Chandos Anthems in the church in which they were premiered. Equally at home with new music, he has premiered works by Emma Pascoe, and commissioned music by Lizzy Hardy and Anna Semple. Using his wealth of experience of singing and directing choirs, Alex has had his choral compositions performed across the UK and has been commissioned by parish and cathedral choirs.
Alex’s musical journey began as a chorister at Southwell Minster, followed by membership of the choirs of Norwich Cathedral, Royal Holloway and New College, Oxford. He has performed across the UK as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Passions and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, as well as internationally with professional choirs including the Sixteen, Sestina and Siglo de Oro, and continues to sing with the choirs of St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.
Alex holds a prize-winning first-class degree from Royal Holloway, University of London, where he held a choral scholarship, and began conducting in earnest. He has also recently received a Distinction in his Master’s degree in Choral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Patrick Russill and Nic Chalmers, along with a DipRAM for excellence in performance.
Choral Apprentices 2026
We are delighted to welcome Angelina Lee, David Karapetian and Finlay Bloore as our new Choral Apprentices. These are positions for young singers in full-time education generously supported by the choir and the Royal Opera House Benevolent Fund. All three apprentices are undergraduate students at the Royal Academy of Music, specialising in vocal studies. They will feature in all of our concerts during the season, as soloists and choir members.