On 6 October 2008 the Philharmonia Chorus was delighted to announce the appointment of Edward Caswell as its new Artistic Director, in succession to Robert Dean.

Edward was educated at Christ Church, Oxford and the Royal College of Music, and teaches at the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde.

He appears regularly as a chorus master in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, working with Norddeutscher Rundfunk Chor in Hamburg, SWR Vokalensemble in Stuttgart, Netherlands Radio Choir, and the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Chor, whom he conducted to critical acclaim in the 2007 Festival. He is a director of the Paisley Choral Festival.

Edward prepared the Philharmonia Chorus for Mendelssohn's Elijah in Cardiff earlier this year, and is currently preparing the Chorus for Bernstein's Kaddish Symphony No.3 at the Barbican in October.

Lesley Philpot, Chairman of the Philharmonia Chorus, said, 'Edward is one of the finest choral trainers around. We are very much looking forward to Edward taking the Chorus to the next stage of its development.'

Edward said, 'I am delighted to be appointed Artistic Director of the Philharmonia Chorus. It has an illustrious history under a succession of distinguished choral directors and it is a privilege to be entrusted with the task of taking it into the future.'

Edward will make his conducting debut with the Chorus in Southwark Cathedral on 1st April 2009.