Conductor
The orchestra is working with conductor Ben Crick > 
Ben is Yorkshire born and bred, an orchestral conductor with 20+ years experience. He has held a BBC Music Fellowship and worked with orchestras throughout the UK and Europe. He wants as many people as possible to engage with music so he has performed in pubs, shopping centres and stations as well as traditional venues.
He recently met the King during a Bradford2025 event, being described by local media as 'a key cultural figure'.
Ben is delighted to be working with ASO – ‘music should be fun’.
We think so too.
Leader
We are very lucky to have Ian Banks leading the orchestra. He took up violin late, aged 11 years. He made great progress becoming leader of his county youth orchestra, appearing with them at the School’s Prom at the Royal Albert Hall.
Ian eventually chose the safer option of a degree in mathematics from Cambridge University, followed by a career as an actuary, which has allowed him to pursue his musical interests on an amateur basis. In 1987, he moved to Yorkshire and became leader of the Airedale Symphony Orchestra, moving away in 2002, but keeping in touch. Ian has led the orchestra again since 2019.
