Welcome
John Beswick, a distinguished conductor and musical director from the UK, is celebrated for his versatility in opera, music theatre, and orchestral conducting. He has worked with a wide array of professional and amateur musicians both in the UK and around the world.
About Me
Opera, under the guidance of John Beswick, Conductor and Musical Director, offers a captivating blend of drama and music that enchants audiences worldwide.
The orchestra, under the guidance of John Beswick, Conductor and Musical Director, showcases a remarkable blend of talent and artistry.
Music Theatre is an art form that often features the talents of individuals like John Beswick, who serves as both a conductor and musical director, bringing shows to life through their expert guidance.
Opera
Orchestral Conducting
Orchestral Conducting
John Beswick is an experienced conductor and musical director whose extensive career in opera has taken him across the UK, the USA, and Europe. He has worked with a wide range of companies, including London City Opera (in association with CAMI), Crystal Clear Opera, Opera Box, British Youth Opera, Oxford Touring Opera, and St Albans Chamber Opera. In addition, he has served on the music staff for both the Icelandic Opera and Grange Park Opera.
As Musical Director for Pimlico Opera, John Beswick conducted numerous touring productions and led several of the company's acclaimed Prison Projects at HMP Coldingley, HMP Bronzefield, and HMP Wandsworth, where he conducted productions of Assassins (Sondheim), Chicago (Kander and Ebb), and Les Misérables (Boublil and Schönberg), respectively.
Since 2012, John Beswick has been the Musical Director of Swansea City Opera. In this role, he has spearheaded numerous community engagement initiatives and conducted productions of The Magic Flute, Carmen, Così fan tutte, The Marriage of Figaro, Lakmé, Faust, Don Pasquale, The Barber of Seville, and La Bohème.
Orchestral Conducting
Orchestral Conducting
Orchestral Conducting
John Beswick, a talented conductor and musical director, trained as a postgraduate conducting scholar at the Royal College of Music, studying under notable mentors including Neil Thomson, George Hurst, and Odaline de la Martinez. He furthered his development as a conductor with Diego Masson at the Dartington International Summer School.
As the Principal Conductor of the Redhill Sinfonia since 2012, John Beswick has also held significant posts with the Slough Philharmonic Society and the Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia. He has guest-conducted a range of ensembles, such as the Oxford University Orchestra, Oxford Chamber Orchestra, Colne Philharmonic Orchestra, Hertfordshire Philharmonia, Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra, and Kew Sinfonia. His professional engagements include performances with the The British Sinfonietta (UK Proms in the Park), Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, The Bristol Ensemble, and Ensemble Eos Cymru, with whom he recorded works by the Welsh composer Christopher Weeks.
Music Theatre
Music Theatre
Music Theatre
John Beswick, an accomplished and experienced conductor and musical director in the world of musical theatre, has held key musical leadership roles in several major productions. His West End credits include serving as Associate Musical Director for Les Misérables and Avenue Q, as well as for Damon Albarn’s pop-opera Monkey: Journey to the West at The O2 in London (2008–09). He was also the Musical Director for the UK tour of Miss Saigon.
John Beswick has extensive experience working with young and emerging talent, having conducted numerous student and youth productions. He is no stranger to directing large ensembles, sometimes leading up to 200 performers. In 2010, he made history by directing the first-ever Ukrainian production of Oliver! for the British International School in Kyiv.
In addition to his conducting and directing work, John is a sought-after keyboard player. His professional performance credits span a wide range of major productions, including The Phantom of the Opera, Top Hat, Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde, Me and My Girl, Beyond the Barricade, The Full Monty, and Les Misérables.
Music Theatre
Music Theatre
John Beswick, an accomplished conductor and musical director, is an experienced arranger whose reduced orchestrations of operas have been widely performed by professional ensembles. His arrangements of film music scores have also received multiple performances. Since 2019, he has served as an instrumental examiner for ABRSM.