Best known as a composer, Ernest Tomlinson was also a professional conductor who directed his own broadcasting orchestra, the Ernest Tomlinson Light Orchestra, from its formation in 1955.

During the 1950s he conducted performances of his own works at several BBC Light Music Festivals, and he also conducted many studio recordings of background music for various publishers, including pieces by Ronald Binge, during the 1960s. In 1969, having returned to his native Lancashire, he founded the Northern Concert Orchestra, which broadcast regularly from Manchester during the 1970s and whose programmes frequently featured contemporary music. In 1976 he took over from his father as director of the Rossendale Male Voice Choir for five years, during which time the choir won BBC TV’s A Grand Sing competition.

Tomlinson made recordings for film and television, and conducted concert performances of his more substantial works in Manchester, Munich and Moscow. He was a chief consultant for Marco Polo Records and conducted the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Bratislava in his own compositions on two recordings for the Marco Polo British Light Music series. He also recorded music by Haydn Wood and a recording of light orchestral miniatures.