Category: Presenter Biography

Dr Naomi Norton has a varied portfolio that includes education, research, and consultancy. Her primary employment is with the School of Arts and Creative Technologies at the University of York (UK) where she works as Lecturer in Music Education and Musicians’ Health and Wellbeing Coordinator. In addition, she has worked with a range of musicians across ages, disciplines, and contexts outside higher music education and is Chair of the ISME Musicians’ Health and Wellbeing Special Interest Group (2024-2030): she is passionate about enabling musicians to overcome barriers relating to health and well-being and achieve their desired level of proficiency.

Naomi is also a member of the Ethics Governance Network and University of York Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Network, a violinist with the Leeds Symphony Orchestra, and mother to two young children.

Elena is a choral conductor and music educator, passionate about and committed to empowering young people through choral music.

Since autumn 2021, Elena has been the Choral Lead for the In Harmony Opera North (IHON) programme, where she delivers LKS2 classroom choir sessions, has written the Choral Strand of the IHON Curriculum, and directs the In Harmony Opera North Choir (extracurricular UKS2 school choir).

From September 2025, Elena is the new Music Director of the Opera North Children’s Chorus. She has also occasionally worked with the Opera North Youth Company’s older ensembles – Youth Chorus and Young Voices – supporting rehearsals and creative projects.

Her interest in education through choral music has led her to diverse roles, including Section Coach for the National Youth Choir’s 9 -15 Choir course in April 2025, workshop leader for the Cervantes Institute and Opera North in Leeds, and artistic director and workshop leader for several youth and children’s choir organisations in Spain from 2015 to 2020.

Originally from Asturias, Spain, Elena holds an MA in Choral Conducting from the University of Birmingham, where she studied with Simon Halsey CBE and Julian Wilkins. She began her conducting training with the Association of British Choral Directors (ABCD), mentored primarily by Amy Bebbington.

Committed to her professional development for the benefit of the singers she works with, Elena has been part of the Ambassador Programme of The Benedetti Foundation in its Creative Learning strand since 2024 and is currently pursuing several certifications focused on vocal pedagogy and vocal health.

www.elenacamblor.com

Andrew has built a distinguished twenty-year career in music education, most recently as Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral School, London. Since 2022 he has served as Chief Examiner for ABRSM, alongside a varied freelance career.

A sought-after presenter of INSET and educational workshops, Andrew has spoken at conferences across Europe and Asia and adjudicated for many of the UK’s leading schools and festivals.

He studied at The University of Hull as Organ Scholar and Assistant Organist at Beverley Minster, before postgraduate training at the Royal Northern College of Music with Margaret Phillips and Gordon Stewart. He has performed widely as soloist and accompanist, appeared on BBC broadcasts, and played in major venues across the UK.