SKIPTON-based Justin Doyle has just been appointed chief conductor and artistic director of a prestigious professional choir in Berlin.

Justin is already a regular guest conductor with Opera North and is musical director of Lancaster’s Haffner Orchestra.

Now he will take charge of the Berlin RIAS Chamber Choir (Kammerchor).

This year he will work as designate-conductor planning programmes and getting to know the choir and organisation before taking up his five-year chief conductor role in 2017.

Justin said: "I'm really excited to have the chance to work with the RIAS Kammerchor. It is the most wonderful choir – with a very warm sound and very warm people."

Justin was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral and choral scholar at King’s College, Cambridge. In 2006 he won second prize in the prestigious Cadaqués Orchestra Conducting Competition and was awarded the first Conductor Fellowship with the BBC Singers, which marked the start of regular cooperation.

He became the Haffner’s musical director in 2015 - and he will keep on that role alongside his new post.

Haffner’s next concert is in Lancaster’s Ashton Hall, on Saturday, June 18, at 7.30pm and the programme will be Shakespeare-related, including Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night's Dream and Purcell’s Fairy Queen.

Justin will give a talk at 6.30pm, which is free of charge.

For more information and tickets, visit haffnerorchestra.org, or ring 01524 582394.