Stephen Hope

Stephen Hope was educated at Canterbury Cathedral Choir School and the King's School, studying organ with Allan Wicks and piano with the eminent pianist Ronald Smith, before continuing his training as organ scholar at Bristol University, specialising in Keyboard performance and conducting. Since then, he has worked extensively both as pianist and conductor with a number of societies and orchestras including the English National Orchestra, English Northern Philharmonia, London City Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He has also worked with such artists as Marilyn Hill-Smith, John Noble, Frank Edgerton, Jack Brymer, Ronald Smith, Sir Harry Secombe, Clarence Myerscough, and Roy Castle.

In 1989 and 1990, Stephen was awarded a coveted Fellowship to the Conductors' Institute of America where he studied with a number of distinguished conductors including Morton Gould, Lukas Foss, Daniel Lewis and Harold Farberman.

In addition, he maintains a parallel career as an organist in his posts as Director of Music at St. John's, Belmont, and the Streatham Liberal Synagogue, and pianistically as an accompanist and a member of the music staff at Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom.

Stephen regularly engages orchestras and artists for shows and concerts and created the Alkan International Piano Competition in 1988.

Stephen has worked as a radio presenter on CFM Radio, and as a guest on the Clive Bull Show on LBC. His own one-man show 'Face the Music with Hope' has been presented throughout the UK with great success.

Stephen conducted highly acclaimed performances of Nabucco, Masked Ball, Carmen and Turandot with Bel Canto Festival Opera during his 4 years as Music Director. He has worked extensively in the theatre, directing many of the leading operatic societies in the South of England.

In 2002, Stephen formed the Sinfonia da Chiesa and in 2003 created the Sussex Festival Choir.

In 2004, the newly formed Essex Festival Choir gave its inaugural concert in Chelmsford Cathedral.

In June 2005 he undertook a concert tour with 120 singers and instrumentalists to Rome and Florence to great acclaim, receiving invitations to conduct concerts in Houston and a concert for the Pope in 2006. He regularly arranges short choir and orchestra trips abroad, to places such as Bruges, Rouen, Lille and Bavaria.

In June 2007, Stephen took the Sussex Festival Choir and the Sinfonia da Chiesa on a 5 day tour to Venice, which was very enthusiastically received.

Highlights of 2007/8 include numerous choral concerts and workshops, culminating in SFC’s 6th concert, performing Mendelssohn’s Elijah in Arundel Cathedral.