BIOGRAPHY

About me

Benjamin Saunders carries overall responsibility for music in the Diocese of Leeds and also leads the National Schools Singing Programme. He was educated at the University of Cambridge and subsequently held organist posts at the cathedrals of Chester, Blackburn and St Giles Edinburgh. He was appointed a Director of Leeds Conservatoire in 2013 and Visiting Professor of Music at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana in 2015. 

As an organist, he has performed to the late HM the Queen, Princess Anne and US President Carter and worked with conductor Carl Davis and jazz virtuoso Dick Hyman. He has given solo organ concerts in France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Russia and the United States. Particular highlights have been Cologne Cathedral’s "Orgelfeierstunden" to an audience of 3,000; the “Andriessen/De Klerk Festival” at St Bavo’s Cathedral, Haarlem; the largest organ in Russia at Kaliningrad Concert Hall; Leeds Castle as soloist for the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; and of course the exquisite organs in the churches of North Yorkshire.

His recordings of organ and choral music for Brilliant Classics/Naxos and Herald AV include Maurice Duruflé, Arvo Pärt, Georgi Mushel, Hendrik Andriessen and the Jazz virtuoso Dick Hyman - available on Amazon, Spotify, Youtube and Apple Music.