Dr Colin Durrant is a choral conductor and workshop leader in conducting and singing. He has a wide experience both in the UK and overseas, notably USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Kenya and Australia. He is a principal tutor with the Association of British Choral Directors.

He is an experienced educator and musician and has been responsible for the design and implementation of professional development courses for teachers and musicians. He is eager to enable teachers and conductors to improve efficiency and effectiveness in their music-making while providing optimum musical and educational experiences for those he conducts and teaches. His book Choral Conducting: philosophy and practice is a seminal text, widely used in universities across the globe.

Recent positions have included:

• Programme Leader for Postgraduate Studies in Music Education at the Institute of Education, University of London
• Director of Choral Activities, New England Conservatory, Boston, USA
• Visiting Associate Professor, University of Maryland, USA
• Principal Lecturer in Music & Music Education, University of Roehampton

Current positions:

• Conductor University of London Chamber Choir
• Conductor of Imperial College Choir
• Principal conducting tutor with Association of British Choral Directors

I am able to offer:

CHORAL CONDUCTING TEACHING

• Workshops in choral conducting for students, teachers and conductors who wish to enhance their skills in technique, gesture and communication.
  Recent conducting workshops and courses have included for the University of Queensland Australia, Singapore Ministry of Education, Kenyan Association for Musical Arts Education, Association of British Choral Directors and Post Primary Music Teachers' Association, Ireland.
• Individual consultations and tuition on conducting techniques and strategies.
  These have included one-to-one situations and in the context of conductors' own choral rehearsals.

CHORAL WORKSHOPS

• Choral singing days to work on particular repertoire or vocal techniques.
  Recent choral singing days have included with Barnet Choral Society, University of Bournemouth, The Chiltern Choir, Saffron Walden Choral Society.

Recent performances

IMPERIAL COLLEGE CHOIR
Verdi Requiem
Elgar Dream of Gerontius
Bach St John Passion
Haydn Te Deum, Nelson Mass
Mozart Requiem, Mass in C minor
Mendelssohn Elijah
Handel Israel in Egypt
Vivaldi Gloria, Magnificat
Britten War Requiem at Winchester Cathedral

Tour of the Netherlands and Germany, July 2014

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON CHAMBER CHOIR
Tour of Northern Italy, July 2012
Bach Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf
Britten Hymn to St Cecilia, Rejoice in the Lamb, Choral Dances from Gloriana
Whitacre Leonardo dreams of his flying machine, When David heard, Her sacred spirit soars
Duruflé Requiem
Howells Take him earth for cherishing
MacMillan Christus vincit
Górecki Totus tuus
Tavener The Open Secret
Ravel Trois Chansons
Walton Where does the uttered music go?

Tour of Malta and Gozo, June 2014

Recordings

SIMPLE PICTURES (2011) This recording reflects the varied and contrasting repertoire that the ULCC performs each year. Available to download from the CD Baby online store.

Single-authored book:

• Durrant, C. (2003) Choral Conducting: philosophy and practice. New York: Routledge

Selection of recent publications:

• Durrant, C. (2005) “Shaping Identity through Choral Activity: Singers' and Conductors' Perceptions” Research Studies in Music Education 24, 88-98
• Durrant, C. & Varvarigou, M. (2008) “Real time and virtual: tracking the professional development and reflections of choral conductors” Reflecting Education Vol. 4, No. 1, 72- 80
• Durrant, C. (2009) “Communicating and accentuating the aesthetic and expressive dimension in choral conducting”. International Journal of Music Education 27(4) 326-340
• Durrant, C. & Welch, G. (2010) “Research into Choirs and Choral Education” in U. Geisler & K. Johansson (eds) Choir in Focus. Lund, Sweden: Riksbankens Jubileumsfond
• Varvarigou, M. & Durrant, C. (2011) “Theoretical perspectives on the education of choral conductors: a suggested framework”. British Journal of Music Education 28(3) 325-338
• Durrant, C. (2012) “Male Singing in the University Choir Context” in S. Harrison, G. Welch & A. Adler (eds) Perspectives on Males and Singing. New York: Springer
• Durrant, C. (2012) “An international perspective on male singing in university choirs”. Choral Journal of the American Choral Directors' Association 52(10) 40-47