ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Cole Bendall is Artistic Director of the Reid Consort, founding the ensemble in 2016 with Amanda Macleod.
Lauded for the creative programme of his work with the Reid Consort, Cole has developed a strong reputation for his work with choirs across Scotland and overseas. In 2018, he debuted with the Berlin Radio Choir as part of the Berlin International Masterclass series. He has also assisted with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Chorus and worked regularly with choirs at the Universities of Edinburgh, St Andrews and Aberdeen. He also works in liturgical music and as Musical Director of the Athenaeum Singers of Warminster. He was ranked in the Top 16 conductors at the International Gheorge Dima Choral Conducting Competition, Romania (2018).
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Equally at home working with instrumentalists, Cole has conducted the Hallé Youth Orchestra, British Sinfonietta, the Elphinstone Chamber Orchestra, the Instruments of the Reid, St Andrews and Fife Community Orchestra and has participated in masterclasses with the Hallé Youth Orchestra, Royal Northern College of Music, Sherbourne Summer School of Music and the Association of British Choral Directors. Previous masterclasses have seen Cole study under George Hurst, Rodolfo Saglimbeni, Denise Ham, Sían Edwards, Stephen Cleobury, Mark Heron, and Clark Rundell. He is in demand as a workshop leader and vocal coach for young singers.
Recent and forthcoming highlights include Pärt's PASSIO; devising PATCHWORK REQUIEM - a semi-staged pastiche work for choir, organ and speakers; appearances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Haydn's Creation with the British Sinfonietta and the Athenaeum Singers of Warminster; performances with Covent Garden Sinfonia, Haslemere Musical Society, Surrey Youth Choir and Brockham Choral Society.
Cole Bendall holds degrees from the University of Aberdeen (BMus First Class Honours Music, 2012) and University of Edinburgh (MMus Musicology, 2015). Cole is currently pursuing a PhD in Music at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in identity politics in the choral music of Veljo Tormis. He studies conducting with Gregory Batsleer and Neil Ferris and is also active as a tenor singer, composer, and speaker. He is based in Edinburgh and Guildford.