Director of Music: Duncan Emerson

Duncan Emerson graduated with honours from Goldsmiths College, London in 1992. A first study singer, he also played the French horn and majored in composition, still finding time to found an orchestra and choir.  After graduating, Duncan conducted Puccini's La Boheme for British Youth Opera at Sadler's Wells and the Mumford Theatre in Cambridge before completing his PGCE in secondary music teaching.

Duncan's teaching career began as Assistant Director of Music at Dulwich College, conducting their orchestra for nine years.  He also conducted musicals for several semi-professional operatic societies in South East London, performing at many different venues including the Churchill Theatre in Bromley.  For four years he conducted three concerts a year with Streatham Choral Society and regularly conducted a professional chamber group called Blackheath Strings.

In 2003 Duncan took up the post of Director of Music at Taunton School and beyond his duties there he also led the town's Choral Society for three years.

Duncan started as Director of Music at Bryanston in September 2007.  As well as building a department highly regarded for excellence, he handled the design and building of a new multi-million pound music school.  He enjoyed setting up a huge range of musical groups, providing students with the opportunity to perform at venues such as the Lighthouse in Poole, Christchurch Priory in Salisbury, Winchester and Exeter Cathedrals, St Paul's Knightsbridge, the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, St John's Smith Square and the Hideaway Jazz club in Streatham.  He also regularly took musical groups abroad to NewYork, Paris and Florence.

Since 2018, after twenty five years in education, Duncan has worked as a freelance cabinet maker. Now he is greatly looking forward to an exciting and enjoyable relationship with Dorchester Choral Society.