Ben Macpherson

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Ben Macpherson is a musician who received a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2002 for his services to music as a conductor, chorus master and administrator.

Bennett William Macpherson was originally a student member of the Perth University Choral Society (PUCS) from 1972-1978. Over this time he performed a number of roles including president and assistant conductor of PUCS and also AICSA treasurer. He was later a member of SUMS before becomming musical director and conductor in 1983.

Ben Macpherson was the conductor of the Sydney University Musical Society (SUMS) for 23 years until his retirement in May of 2006. He was SUMS' second longest serving musical director by two and a half years. His final concert with SUMS was a production of Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah (performed in collaboration with the Sydney University Symphony Orchestra). Ben has conducted the choir in ventures such as Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, Rachmaninoff's Vespers, Puccini's Messa de Gloria, Mozart's Mass in C Minor, Berlioz's Te Deum, Anton Bruckner's Te Deum, and nearly half of SUMS' 49 Annual Festival of Carols (affectionately known as Carolfest). Ben has also led the choir in collaborative with works with other arts organisations, including the SBS Youth Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir (SGLC), Sydney Youth Orchestra, Harvard Glee Club, numerous school choirs, and many others.

Ben was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division during the 2002 Australia Day honours. This award was in recognition of his dedication to choral music within Australia, primarily through his involvment in the Australian Intervarsity Choral Societies Association (AICSA) and also with SUMS. In 2002 Ben was chorus master of the Sydney Intervarsity Choral Festival. In a rare honour, Ben's award was announced on January 23rd to the festival choir ahead of the actual award ceremony on Australia Day (January 26th). Ben has chorus mastered and/or conducted numerous Intervarsity Choral Festivals (Canberra '89, Melbourne '91, Sydney '95, Perth '97, Melbourne '98 and Sydney '02) and has been a constant figure in the recent history of the AICSA movement.

Aside from his contributions to both SUMS and AICSA, Ben has also been involved in many other arts organistions. He has been a member of the Sydney Chamber Choir, the Australian Opera Chorus and Cantalation. He has acted as chorus master for Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Ben has also conducted the Taverner Consort of Voices and the Sydney Chamber Choir. Ben is also an accomplished orchestral conductor and has conducted the Sydney University Symphony Orchestra, the SBS Radio and Television Youth Orchestra and the Sydney Youth Orchestra.