The 31-year-old English conductor Benjamin Goodson has been the new principal conductor of the Groot Omroepkoor since 1 September 2020. He will be associated with the choir for at least three years.

Benjamin Goodson made a very successful debut with the Groot Omroepkoor in early July 2018 when he prepared the choir for Mozart's Requiem at the Concertgebouw. Following his return for Frederick Delius' opera A village Romeo and Juliet at the NTR Saturday Matinee in December 2018, many members of the choir echoed the desire for Benjamin to become their new principal conductor.

Roland Kieft, Managing Director of Stichting Omroep Muziek:
"I am extremely pleased with the arrival of Benjamin Goodson. With him, the Groot Omroepkoor has managed to take on one of the most talented choral conductors of the moment. Benjamin Goodson combines a mature view on his role as chief conductor with an open view on new generations of listeners, media users and concertgoers. His interest in new music and new collaborations also contributed to his appointment."

Benjamin Goodson:
"I am delighted with my appointment as Principal Conductor with the Groot Omroepkoor. From our first project together, I felt a genuine connection with this great ensemble, a jewel in the European classical landscape. For me, the choir is defined by the intensity of its sound - by its humanity. I look forward to working together to discover new repertoire and explore new ways to connect with our audiences."

About Benjamin Goodson

Recognised for the vibrancy, warmth and precision of his performances, Benjamin Goodson conducts a broad repertoire with a particular focus on 20th and 21st-century a cappella music. His performances have taken him across Europe, to the USA, China, Japan, and Australia..

Benjamin is chief conductor of the Groot Omroepkoor (Netherlands Radio Choir) and musical director of Bath Camerata. He works as a guest conductor with Rundfunkchor Berlin, SWR Vokalensemble, MDR Rundfunkchor Leipzig, NDR Rundfunkchor Hamburg and Collegium Vocale Gent.

As a chorus master, Benjamin prepares choirs for the world’s leading orchestras, including the Berliner Philharmoniker and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Benjamin is committed to exploring new avenues of choral performance. He has staged Bach's St Matthew Passion with Tom Guthrie, performed in Rundfunkchor Berlin's Human Requiem, and assisted in developing Robert Wilson's ground-breaking staging of the Bach Motets. For Groot Omroepkoor he created the multi-disciplinary format The Living Room, the first edition of which (2021) staged and ritualised the choral works of Igor Stravinsky to critical acclaim.

Born in Hertfordshire, UK, Benjamin Goodson studied music at Hertford College, Oxford. He studied conducting with Sir Colin Davis, Paul Spicer, Peter Stark and Ulrich Windfuhr. Three years after graduating, Benjamin was appointed Director of Music at Somerville College, becoming the University of Oxford's youngest Director of Music. Benjamin teaches conducting as a guest lecturer at the Conservatoire of Amsterdam.