Nicholas Houghton
Conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Nick is a full time freelance player, accompanist and choral director.
Having begun his musical career at the age of seven as a chorister at Coventry Cathedral, Nick studied organ with David Lépine, Robert Weddle and Nicholas Kynaston, and music at Bristol University. He has held a variety of teaching posts, including five years as Head of the East Sussex Academy of Music in Lewes.
Nick has been conducting choirs for over forty years, Currently, he is Music Director of the Lewes Singers, the East Sussex Community Choir, the Brighton Singers and the Brighton Orpheus Choir. He is also Chorus Master for New Sussex Opera. Since 2012 Nick has been the Organist and Director of Music at St. Michael’s in Lewes. He is a founder member of Consonus Barque.
Robert Goodman
Robert Goodman studied the modern flute at the Royal Academy of Music with Sebastian Bell, and at other points with Susan Milan, Geoffrey Gilbert and Philippa Davies.
He gave his Southbank debut at the age of 19 and his concerto debut at St. John’s Smith Square the following year. He gave the UK premier of the Stockhausen cadenzas to Mozart’s G major flute concerto, which was chosen as pick of the week in the Sunday Times
He specialised in contemporary classical music and worked with many living composers, including Tippett, Weir and Birtwistle. He has also taught extensively, most notably at Goldsmiths College and Morley College.
He has had a lifelong passion for the music of JS Bach and baroque music in general, and has more recently turned his attention to the flutes of the baroque era, enjoying discovering the sounds and techniques of the period. He is a founder member of Consonus Baroque.
Ben Hess
Benjamin Hess was born in the UK. After studying 'Cello for four years with Emma Ferrand and Steven Doane at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, Ben went on to gain a Master's degree at Trinity College of Music, London, where he was awarded first prize for Solo String Playing. Since 1997.
Ben has been working as a freelance musician, enjoying solo engagements, chamber music and theatre. As well as working with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Ben has toured Europe and Scandinavia performing solo suites by Bach and Britten, performed musicals in the West End, been guest principal cellist for orchestras at home and abroad as far as Bahrain.
He was invited to international festivals in Greece and South Africa to perform piano trios. Current chamber music projects include the Luneray Quartet. He is a founder member of Consonus Baroque.
"...I remember vividly the highly effective music he composed for that group [English Eurythmy Theatre], as well as his stunning performance of Kenneth Leighton's Sonata for Solo 'Cello, which he later recorded in the USA. I know Ben to be an inspired and inspiring performer."
Neil Mackay, Music Critic (The Guardian)
Richardt van Zyl
Born 2005 in Sussex, began his fascination with the violin at the age of one, took naturally to performing and gave his first public concert aged three. Having been a member of the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain between the ages of 10 and14 he has performed in many of the UK's most prestigious concert halls.
He has won numerous awards, including top prizes at a number of festivals and competitions resulting in solo recitals for the likes of Sevenoaks Music Club and at Holy Trinity Hastings with members of the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also performed as soloist with local orchestras including Mid Sussex Sinfonia, Lewes Concert Orchestra and the Corelli Ensemble of which he is a regular member.
Throughout 2025 he was selected for a music project at Stradivari House in Cremona, Italy, where he participated in masterclasses with various soloists and collaborated with the new generation of violin makers in the recently restored workshop as was common practice in the days of Stradivari.
Richart is also an avid composer and his compositions have been performed at the Royal College of Music, where he studied violin, composition, conducting and piano in the Junior department. He is currently studying violin with Maeve Jenkinson with additional guidance from Prof. Michał Cwizewicz, Prof. So-Ock Kim and Prof. Kirill Troussov.
Whilst being passionate about classical music, Richart particularly enjoys writing, arranging and performing in a diverse range of genres. He is frequently invited to contribute music for theatre and visual arts projects, valued for his ability to improvise and respond creatively in the moment.