Marion Wood was born in Sydney, Australia. Educated in the UK, she then attended the University of Keele and the Royal College of Music in London. She now lives in Belfast, and works in London, Exeter and around Ireland. Marion is currently Artistic Director of the London Irish Symphony Orchestra, The Romantic Symphony Orchestra and Music Theatre Belfast as well as Director of Music at The University of Exeter. Marion has been Assistant Chorusmaster to the London Philharmonic Choir, Artistic Director and Conductor of Keele Bach Choir and Orchestra as well as Chorusmaster of the Belfast Philharmonic Choir. Highlights of her time as Director of the Keele Bach Choir (1995-9) included two collaborations with the period instrument ensemble Birmingham Conservatoire 'Cappelle', and a joint tour with Keele Philharmonic Orchestra and members of the Belfast Philharmonic Choir to the Czech Republic, including a performance in the Dvorak Hall of the Rudolfinum in Prague.
In 2001 she directed the Irish premiere performance of a reconstruction of Bach's St Mark Passion in the Ulster Hall, and in 2002 Rachmaninov’s Vespers. In November 2002 Marion conducted The Dream of Gerontius in the Belfast Festival, and in April 2003 members of the choir toured to Malta to work under Marion's direction with the Orchestra of Jeunesse Musicales Malta. In 2003 she directed a double bill of Carmina Burana and Belshazzar's Feast in the Belfast Festival. Between 2000 and 2005 Marion worked as Orchestra Manager and Rehearsal Conductor with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland. During this period she has assisted Andrey Boreyko, Eri Klas, Takuo Yuasa and Atso Almila. In 2002 this included assisting Alexander Annissimov in the preparation of the orchestra's complete concert performances of Wagner's Ring Cycle.
Recent performances with the London Irish Symphony Orchestra have included the British Premieres of Sean O Riada's Mise Eire and John Kinsella's Symphony No.3, as well as World Premieres of works by Solfa Carlile, Jonathan Lee and Graeme Stewart. Other performances in 2007 included Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice as well as candlelit performances of Mozart’s Requiem to mark World Aids Day.
