Our conductor, Robert Hanson (Bob), is formerly the Director of Music at the College and a composer and musicologist as well as a practising musician. He brings a composer's awareness to the expressive and structural purpose of the music we rehearse and regards enhancing individuals' understanding of the musical sense and feeling as being as important as providing clear, economical and inspiring direction and leadership. Bob initially trained as a pianist but then took the organist route for a time, which brought him to singing and the immense richness of the English choral tradition. On the way, however, he obtained a doctorate in the music of Webern and evolved a method of musical analysis which he also teaches at Morley, the focus being on meaning and communication rather than dry technicalities. This rather unusual combination is indicative of Bob's ability to empathise with and draw people into a very wide range of music.

Bob has conducted choirs and orchestras in different parts of the country but now regards the Chamber Choir as his main practical commitment. His compositions cover the gamut of instrumental, orchestral, solo song and choral genres, including a number of works specially composed or arranged for Morley Chamber Choir, of which perhaps the most notable is a 40-part motet And There Shall Be No Night There , conceived as a companion piece to Tallis's celebrated Spem in Alium .