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Benjamin Saunders was born in Warrington and educated at George Heriot’s School, Edinburgh and at Cambridge University where he was Organ Scholar

Benjamin Saunders was appointed Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds in June 2002. This role carries strategic responsibility for the largest choral foundation in the UK including boys, girls, adult, youth and school choirs based in Bradford, Huddersfield, Keighley and at Leeds Cathedral.

Under his direction, the Cathedral choirs have undertaken CD recordings, given many live broadcasts on BBC Radio and Television, and premiered several new works written especially for Leeds Cathedral, including pieces by Colin Mawby and Giles Swayne. He has also been engaged by a number of other organisations as a consultant in the management and development of cathedral music departments.

Benjamin has travelled extensively, as an organist, and as a choral conductor to France, Germany, Holland, Italy and the United States. He has performed to HM the Queen, Princess Anne and US President Carter and worked with conductor Carl Davis and jazz virtuoso Dick Hyman. His most recent studies have been with Michel Bouvard in Toulouse, in the performance of music from the time of Louis XIV.

Organ Premieres