Marion Wood holds a Bachelor degree in Music&Electronics (Joint Hons) from Keele University, UK, and ARCM(PG) in Orchestral Conducting from the Royal College of Music. Her second study during this time was singing, leading to engagements with orchestras and choirs at various times during her career.
[list of works conducted]
Current Posts:
Conductor: Madrigalchor, WWU Münster
Conductor: Konzertchor, Münster
Musical Director: Tonfarben Choir and Orchestra
Education
During her Bachelor degree, Marion was fortunate to work a wide variety of university ensembles, from the Keele New Music Ensemble to the University Concert Band, Orchestra, Choir and Chapel Choir. She was awarded an organ scholarship, and the Jim Roberts Memorial Prize for her contribution to Music at the University.
On leaving Keele, Marion studied Orchestral Conducting with Laurence Leonard at Morley college, and sang in the London Philharmonic Choir. In the following year she was accepted to study Orchestral Conducting at the Royal College, where she also continued singing as a second study. She was received Janet Blacklock Memorial Award for her conducting studies, and the Dulcie Nutting Prize for Choral Work. During this time she spent a short time as assistant conductor to the London Philharmonic Choir and formed Torn Halves Music Theater Group.
Early career
Following her studies at the Royal College, Marion worked with various London ensembles; the Romantic Symphony Orchestra, the London Gay Symphony Orchestra, the London Irish Symphony Orchestra, Candid Opera Company and Situation Opera, garnering experience in a wide variety of styles and repertoire from Early Music to Stravinsky, and collaboration with young composers in a variety of styles and genres.
For a time she also returned weekly to Keele, to direct the University Orchestra and Keele Bach Choir, and was appointed as chorus master to the Belfast Philharmonic Choir. For several years she was also Orchestra Manager and Assistant Conductor to the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland.
Exeter
In 2006 Marion was appointed Director of Music at the University of Exeter, where she was responsible for setting up a wide ranging scholarship programme. She actively chose to make this program as genre-inclusive and wide-ranging as possible, and successfully designed and managed the refurbishment of a refectory facility as a music building. From 2008 she conducted the EMG symphony Orchestra (now Devon Philharmonic), continuing until 2016.
Münster
In 2013 Marion moved to Germany for personal reasons (and partly as a protest against fees at English Universities). From 2014 she taught applied Music Psychology at the WWU Musikhochschule, and from 2015 also Conducting and Sight-singing. She chaired the committee of the Musikhochschulorchester and directed the Orchestra for in house concerts and prepared for guest conductors. In 2019 she was appointed Director of the three choirs of the University of Münster, the collegium musicum vocale. During the corona lockdown she led the pioneering mozart.distant music project, pioneering virtual music installations in real physical spaces, reaching audiences in person despite the restrictions. https://www.uni-muenster.de/Kustodie/mozart-distant/
contact: info 'at' marionwood.org