CONDUCTOR

Nicholas Jenkins studied at Merton College, Oxford, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He built his career as a singer and chorus master, and is currently Music Director of New Sussex Opera and the University of Greenwich, and Chorus Master to the Chœur des Musiciens du Louvre – Grenoble. He was the first ever full-time Chorus Master to Grange Park Opera (2006 season), and has been guest chorus master to Brighton Festival Chorus, Chœur du Châtelet - Paris, Cor de Cambra del Palau de la Música Catalana - Barcelona, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, Musikfest Bremen, Philharmonia Chorus, Sussex Chorus, and Trinity College of Music Chorus.

During 2009/10 he conducts three performances of Massenet Don Quichotte at La Monnaie, starring José van Dam and Jennifer Larmore, the British Première of Offenbach Die Rheinnixen (Les Fées du Rhin)with New Sussex Opera in Sussex and at London’s Cadogan Hall, three concerts with the Orchestra of Opéra de Toulon, Donizetti L’elisir d’amore for Blackheath Halls Opera Project, Britten The Turn of the Screw at Dartington Festival, and concerts including the Mozart and Duruflé Requiems. He is assistant conductor and chorus master to Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre for Rameau Platée (Opéra National de Paris), and to Jean-Christophe Spinosi for Bellini Norma (Paris Châtelet). He is also guest chorus master to the Philharmonia Chorus for Orff Carmina Burana at the Royal Albert Hall.

During 2010/11 he will conduct Tavener Ikon of Light with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir in Tallinn and Glasgow, and Vaughan Williams Hugh the Drover for New Sussex Opera. He will be assistant conductor for Gounod Roméo et Juliette (De Nederlandse Opera), Meyerbeer Les Huguenots (La Monnaie); also chorus master and assistant conductor for Massenet Cendrillon (Opéra Comique, Paris).

His has conducted Offenbach L’Ile de Tulipatan and Weill Der Jasager / Der Neinsager (Opéra de Lyon), Dove Tobias and the Angel, Mozart Idomeneo and Vaughan Williams The Poisoned Kiss (New Sussex Opera), Katori The Lily of the Valley (ROH Linbury), Mozart Così fan tutte (Oxford Playhouse, Opéra-Théâtre de Besançon), Verdi Nabucco (Blackheath Halls), elsewhere Dido and Aeneas, Ruddigore, The Boy Friend, The Seven Deadly Sins, as well as many orchestral and choral concerts.

During 2010/11 he will conduct Tavener Ikon of Light with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir in Tallinn and Glasgow, and Vaughan Williams Hugh the Drover for New Sussex Opera. He will be assistant conductor for Gounod Roméo et Juliette (De Nederlandse Opera), Meyerbeer Les Huguenots (La Monnaie), chorus master and assistant conductor for Massenet Cendrillon (Opéra Comique, Paris). During 2011/12 he conducts a staged Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle (Kunstfest Weimar, Berlin, Hannover, Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, Bregenz Festival).

Please note that this biography is not to be used for programmes. Current information is available on request.