Alumna Tori Longdon on returning to Durham and why building a ‘museum of failures’ has been part of her journey to success

About Tori 

Tori is an internationally recognised choral conductor, chorus director, vocal coach, educator and adjudicator, working with leading choirs in the UK and internationally. She is Principal Conductor of the Covent Garden Chorus, Associate Chorus Director of the London Philharmonic Choir, and a lecturer at the Royal Academy of Music and Junior Guildhall Conservatoire. She is also a conductor for BBC One’s Songs of Praise and an adjudicator for BBC Young Choir of the Year. 

Ahead of her return to Durham, we caught up with Tori to reflect on her time at Josephine Butler College, the experiences that have shaped her career, and why  failures along the way have been just as important as the successes. 

Were there any experiences at Durham that influenced your career path? 

Yes, although I didn’t realise it at the time. Every ensemble at Durham was student-led, and I think that really shaped my career. It showed me that conducting was a valid path for me. Had I been at an institution where all the ensembles were run by faculty or by professionals brought in from outside, I think I would have seen the job of a conductor as vastly out of reach. Instead, I got valuable podium time at university that I might not have had anywhere else, and that ultimately set me on the path I’m on today. 

Conducting requires both technical expertise and leadership skills. How do you balance the two? 

I think technical expertise and leadership skills are really one and the same in a conducting environment. 

We are always trying to balance the need for excellence and rigour in an environment where many people are there to have fun, so there has to be a balance of hard work and creative fulfilment. That comes with time. Finding ways to bring out the best in people and build their confidence is what gets you the best sound. There’s so much a conductor can do to make singers’ lives easier, sometimes without them even knowing it. 

Has music and performing helped to define and express your own character? 

This is a very interesting one for me. At the end of my first year at Durham, I developed a voice problem, and I had to stop singing for two years, maybe more, while we worked out what the problem was, fixed it and found a way to continue healthily. 

That was when I realised how much my singing voice and my speaking voice defined my personality. Your voice, and the way you express yourself, is key to your sense of self, especially during your university years. Having that taken away can really unseat you. From then on, I understood how important our voices are to us as individuals, and that experience shaped my dedication to helping other people find their voice throughout my working life. 

How does it feel to come back to the university in a teaching and mentoring role? 

It feels fantastic to be back at Durham. It’s been many years, and I remember the city, the university and the college with great fondness. Josephine Butler College has always had a special place in my heart. When I arrived in 2009, it was a relatively new college still shaping its identity, and I’m proud to have played a part in that. Coming back now, as the college celebrates its 20th anniversary, is a privilege, and I’m very grateful for the invitation. 

Do you have any advice for current students considering a career in music? 

Don’t be afraid of people saying no to you. You’ll get a lot of noes, because you have to build a museum of failures before you have a success. So, get used to expecting rejection, and be okay with it. And to get a no, you have to ask. Ask people for favours, ask for opportunities, and keep knocking on closed doors in the hope that they’ll open. Especially these days, don’t wait for doors to open by themselves. Ask questions, ask for help and ask for support. Never feel that you’re annoying people. Speaking for myself, when someone asks me for help, I always want to say yes. 

The Josephine Butler Celebration Service 

Taking place in Durham Cathedral on Wednesday 25 November, the service will bring the College community together for an evening of readings and performances, including original music, dance and poetry. It will also feature a special performance by a Josephine Butler College ‘scratch’ choir.

The service will begin at 7.30pm, with a drinks reception in College from 5.00pm for those wishing to join the procession to the Cathedral.  

The programme will feature readings, performances, and original music, dance, and poetry celebrating 20 years of Josephine Butler College.   

After the service, all attendees are invited to a drinks reception in the Undercroft at Durham Castle from 8.30pm. 

The Choir 

The choir is open to students, alumni and staff of all singing abilities. Music will be provided in advance, with a rehearsal led by Tori on the afternoon of 25 November. 

To join the choir and take part in the anniversary celebrations, register your interest using the link below. 

Read more:  

To get involved in the scratch choir 

To attend the Josephine Butler 20th Anniversary Service 

About our alumni community 

About Tori Longdon