For forty years Vernon Handley CBE has pursued a career unique amongst those of front rank conductors in that he has championed British repertoire, and probably recorded, performed and broadcast more British music than any other conductor. Twice outright winner of the Gramophone ‘Record of the Year’, he tours Europe, Australia and Japan regularly and includes a British work in every concert.

Positions held include Associate Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Ulster Orchestra, Principal Conductor of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Malmö Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Whilst Professor of Conducting at the Royal College of Music, he was created Hon. R.C.M. & F.R.C.M. by Her Majesty the Queen Mother, and during this time he also regularly conducted the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the World Youth Orchestra. He was elected Honorary Fellow of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1990 and of Balliol College, Oxford, in 1999. Vernon Handley is currently Conductor Emeritus of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and in September 2003 he was appointed Conductor Laureate of the Ulster Orchestra.