Young Conductors 2024

Katherine Stonham and Florence Price, both aged 25, are the successful musicians selected for the fifth year of the prestigious Crouch End Festival Chorus Young Conductors Mentoring Scheme.

The pair were chosen from 16 shortlisted applicants after a competitive audition process in which they conducted various pieces from Britten ‘St. Nicolas’ and Vaughan Williams ‘Toward the Unknown Region’ with a small choir of Crouch End Festival Chorus singers. 

Katherine Stonham is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and University of Manchester, where she studied violin with Julia Hanson and conducting with Robert Guy. She was principal conductor of the Crosby Capriol Singers for three years, before taking up the role of principal conductor with the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra and Manchester Philharmonic Orchestra. She also works as a guest conductor with the Cheltenham Chamber Orchestra, Wrexham Symphony Orchestra, Solway Sinfonia and Orchestra of Square Chapel.

Katherine said: “I am thrilled to have been offered a place on the young conductors mentoring scheme, and I am really looking forward to learning everything I can from working with David Temple and the choir. The choir were warm and welcoming during the audition, and perform to an incredibly high standard, so I am confident I will get a lot out of being part of the scheme.”

Florence Price is currently studying for an MA in Choral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, having previously gained a BMus in Music from the University of Manchester. She is currently the Associate Conductor of the Covent Garden Chorus and the Musical Director of the Staffordshire Chamber Orchestra, and recently conducted the Chorus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia in concert.

Florence said: “being part of the Young Conductors Scheme with Crouch End Festival Chorus is a fantastic opportunity. I will massively benefit from working with one of the country’s best and most active symphonic choruses, and from the mentorship with their inspiring conductor, David Temple. I’m greatly looking forward to the year ahead.”

The two young conductors will work with Crouch End Festival Chorus and will have free mentoring sessions for an academic year with Music Director, David Temple, MBE.

David said: “I am looking forward to working with Florence and Katherine and helping a new generation of choral conductors launch their careers.”

The scheme is open to talented and committed musicians aged between 18 and 35, from any background and with any level of training, who want to make conducting, especially choral conducting, their career.

Previous participants in the scheme are forging successful conducting careers. 

Applications for the 2025-26 programme will open in Spring 2025.