Julian Perkins – Conductor & keyboard player

Julian began his life surrounded by music with his siblings, and was sent away to music courses by his parents, where he developed a real need to make music and share it with others. Between his classical training at King's College Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music in London, he explored the world of historical performance at the Schola Cantorum in Basel, where he swiftly learnt Swiss German, how to improvise on the organ, and much more. Soon after his studies, on a course with Mary King and Rufus Norris at English National Opera, Julian discovered some unusual tips and tricks he would later apply in his work with singers. Julian now plays harpsichord at the highest level, coaches, and conducts – including his recent acclaimed recordings of John Eccles’ Semele with the Academy of Ancient Music and Cambridge Handel Opera Company, and the world premiere recording of Stephen Dodgson’s Margaret Catchpole: Two Worlds Apart for Naxos, and is also the Artistic Director of Cambridge Handel Opera Company. You can read more about Julian on his website here , and find out more about Cambridge Handel Opera Company here. John Eccles’ Semele, conducted by Julian is available here and Stephen Dodgsons’s Margaret Catchpole: Two Worlds Apart is available here