Introducing Benjamin Draper

On Sunday 9 November Rehearsal Orchestra’s 2025/26 season will kick off in London with a workshop for young conductors.

Now in its third year, the workshop expands the support we provide for future professionals in developing their skills. We’ll be joined by four student conductors from the Royal College of Music’s postgraduate course in orchestral conducting, under the supervision of our Artistic Director Levon Parikian, to work on Shostakovich’s iconic Symphony No. 5.

Benjamin Draper is currently Co-Artistic Director and Conductor of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Academy Orchestra and co-founder of Hive Sinfonia. Ben has conducted the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales for side-by-side workshops and has worked with numerous youth and amateur ensembles. He is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, where he obtained a Master’s Degree at Distinction in 2021.

Ben has participated in conducting masterclasses with Antony Hermus, Ludovic Morlot, Alpesh Chauhan, David Hill, Sir Mark Elder, Martyn Brabbins, Vassily Patrenko and Speranza Scappucci. As part of his studies, he has undertaken placements with the BBC Philharmonic and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestras as Assistant Conductor, working closely with conductors including Domingo Hindoyan, Mark Wigglesworth, Anja Bihlmaier and John Storgårds.

We look forward to working with you, Ben!