John's musical activities have always centred around choirs and singers and he now devotes his time to conducting, singing and teaching. Until 1988, he was Head of Choral Music at Chetham's School of Music. Then he taught singing at Bolton School and directed the school's Chamber Choir. He now teaches privately as well as being a tutor with the National Youth Choir and he is very active as a Festival adjudicator. John was for fifteen years Director of the Bolton Chamber Choir as well as a frequent Guest Conductor with Fleetwood Choral Society. His own chamber choir, the John Powell Singers, is heard regularly on BBC Radio. John also directs choral workshops and conducts Bolton Festival Choir and Bolton University Choir. As a performer, John sang with the BBC Northern Singers, the Britten Singers and currently sings with the BBC Daily Service Singers. John has a strong commitment to contemporary music and has been involved (both as singer and conductor) in numerous commissions. Several of his folksong arrangements for chamber choirs have recently been published.
John was appointed as BSO Choral Director in 2009.