Ian Watson, Director of Music at St. Paul's Cathedral, Worcester MA, Artistic Director of Worcester Collegium and Arcadia Players Baroque Ensemble, Principal Guest Conductor Karlstad Baroque, Sweden and Director of Choral Activities, Clark University is a world-renowned conductor and performer. Ian is a prominent figure at the highest levels of the international music scene, and played an important role in the British Baroque revival which brought such renowned orchestras into prominence as the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the English Chamber Orchestra, the English Baroque Soloists, the Monteverdi Choir and The Sixteen - all with whom he has performed as organist, harpsichordist, solo pianist and/or director. Ian's versatility is revealed in the equal ease with which he performs the roles of orchestral conductor, choir director, organist, harpsichordist, pianist, teacher and public speaker.

Among Ian's many prestigious conducting engagements are: Monteverdi's Vespers at St. James's Palace in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen; Bach's B Minor Mass at the Rheingau Festival with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Orchestra and Chorus; the opening concerts of the newly renovated Châtelet Theater in Paris with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Christmas Eve at the Royal Albert Hall with the Mozart Festival Orchestra; Nigel Kennedy tours and video with the English Chamber Orchestra; and assistant conductor, continuo player and soloist for Sir John Eliot Gardiner in the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage.

Ian has been the leading keyboard player with most of the major English ensembles, with whom he toured and recorded extensively, as well as being featured on numerous film soundtracks and broadcasts including Amadeus, Thc Madness of King George and Restoration. In the field of opera, Ian has worked at Glyndebourne, and conducted productions throughout England, and internationally at Bremen Opera, Giessen Opera, the Komische Opera, Berlin, and as a Principal Conductor with the Darmstadt State Opera in Germany.