Benjamin Costello
Ben is a musical director, singing coach, vocal coach, accompanist and adjudicator working in diverse genres, from Renaissance to contemporary music, but principally musical theatre, and he has been involved as a musical director with numerous productions across the U.K.
A highly versatile musician, Ben has worked extensively in Further and Higher Education and in most of the major London performing arts colleges. These have included Arts Ed (London), Mountview Academy, Guildford School of Acting, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, the London College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, and the universities of London, Surrey and Kingston.
He has extensive experience working with treble and developing voices and was for several years principal singing tutor and subsequently Director of Music at Shrewsbury House Boys’ School. He has a busy private practice in South-West London, and has wide experience in preparing performers of all ages for auditions and performances. View current rates.£40 per hour.
Other fees/services by negotiation.
Ben judges at competitive festivals throughout the U.K. as an adjudicator member of both the British and International Federation of Festivals and the Schools Music Association. His work often takes him overseas, most recently to France, Poland, Crete, Italy and Zimbabwe.
He enjoys a long association with the arts in the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames: Formerly Chairman of Kingston Arts Council and Artistic Director of the biennial Kingston Festival of the Voice from 2006 to 2011, he is currently Founding Director of Kingston Chamber Singers and Artistic Director of Thames Concerts.
Born in London in 1976, Ben read Music at Kingston University (B.Mus., M.A.), winning the conducting prize, and the London College of Music (P.G.Dip.), later joining the College staff as resident musical director.
Ben can be contacted on +44 (0)7889 659324
(Biography updated: March 2012)