Edward Caswell is a versatile and internationally respected choral conductor, singer and teacher, with a reputation for approaching choral conducting from a singer's perspective. Since 2004 he has worked with professional choirs, amateur choirs and student choirs throughout Europe, particularly in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France. In 2017 he published his first book, It's always a Pussycat: a singer’s approach to choral conducting; translations into French and Dutch followed.
A regular chorus master with Collegium Vocale Gent, Edward has recently prepared them for Dvořák Requiem, Mozart Mass in C minor and Beethoven Missa Solemnis all with Philippe Herreweghe. Since 2017 he has prepared Chœur de Radio France for projects with Mikko Franck, Václav Luks, and Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, returning this season for Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem under Christian Măcelaru. He has assisted Trevor Pinnock as regular chorus master since 2016 on productions of major works in Leipzig, Amsterdam, Paris, London and Freiburg.
Recent highlights include preparing WDR Rundfunkchor for the prizewinning world premiere of Recordare by Justė Janulytė, Szymanowski Stabat Mater with Krzysztof Urbański at Radio France and Johannes-Passion with Laurens Collegium Rotterdam and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Andrew Manze.
Last season Edward returned to Radio France for Weihnachts-Oratorium l - lll with Václav Luks and worked for the first time with Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid, preparing them for Brahms Schicksalslied under Marzena Diakun and conducting his own a cappella programme of works by Schubert, Brahms, Distler, MacMillan and Pladevall.
This season Edward works for the first time with NFM Choir in Wrocław and conducts Mozart Requiem and Matthäus-Passion with Dudok Ensemble in The Netherlands.
In 2013 Edward founded Cromarty Youth Opera in the Scottish Highlands with a production of Noye’s Fludde by Benjamin Britten. Annual productions followed all directed by Will Kerley, and in August 2018 Edward led the company in the world premiere of their fifth anniversary commission Tod! an opera based on the writings of Beatrix Potter by Andrew Gant.
In addition to conducting and chorusmastering Edward is also in demand as a teacher, adjudicator and jury member. He regularly examines choral conducting students at CNSMD Lyon and was delighted to accept the invitation to be a member of the artistic committee of Institut Français d'Art Choral.
