Saturday 25 July 2009 at 7pm

Emma Kirkby: In 1999 Emma was voted Artist of the Year by Classic FM Radio listeners; in November 2000 she received the Order of the British Empire, and in June 2007 was delighted to be included in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for appointment as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. BBC Music Magazine, April 2007, in a recent survey to find “The greatest sopranos,” placed Emma at number 10. While such things are inevitably parochial, partial, controversial, and outdated as soon as they appear, she is pleased at the recognition this implies for an approach to singing that values ensemble, clarity and stillness alongside the more obvious factors of volume and display. Despite all the recording activity, Emma still prefers live concerts, especially the pleasure of performing favourite programmes with colleagues; every occasion, every venue and every audience will combine to create something new from this wonderful repertoire.

Article in the Daily Telegraph: “The greatest soprano never to sing a note of Verdi”   - Emma talks to Adam Sweeting about a life immersed in early music.

Full details at http://www.emmakirkby.com/biography.shtml 

Sophie Bevan recently graduated from the Benjamin Britten International Opera School where she studied as a Karaviotis Scholar with Lillian Watson.

Reviews
L'incoronazione di Dario - Garsington Opera: Sophie Bevan, the Alinda, was very good. She wove the high notes into her line, and brought the house down with her siciliana 'Io sono quel augeletto'. Andrew Porter, Opera Magazine, August 2008

...the young and buxom Sophie Bevan introduced a soprano of immense promise in the secondary role of Alinda. Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times, 22 June 2008

...and Sophie Bevan's feisty Alinda are outstanding. Anna Pickard, The Idependent on Sunday, 15 June 2008

...Sophie Bevan’s Alinda stole the show.  Andrew Clark, The Financial Times, 5 June 2008

Wigmore Hall Recital - Classical Opera Company: Bevan contributed a sweetly luscious Wie wallet mein Herze from Haydn's hardly known Die Feuersbrust...
Neil Fisher, The Times, 22 April 2008

Wigmore Hall - Classical Opera Company: Soprano Sophie Bevan brought out [Bach's dramatic] qualities with her creamy tone.
George Hall, The Guardian, 25 January 2008

Full details at: http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/green/green/home.nsf/ArtistDetails/Sophie%20Bevan

Tim Mead: At just 27 years old, Tim is already a successful countertenor with a busy schedule of performances all over the world. After three years as a choral scholar and chorister at King’s College Cambridge, he went on to complete a postgraduate course at the Royal College of Music in London. He’s since performed in operas everywhere from Hamburg to Chicago, including a stuff-of-daydreams moment when he stood in for celebrated countertenor David Daniels at the Glyndebourne Festival. He’s also released recordings of Scarlatti and Purcell works, both available from EMI.

Review (B Minor Mass)

Michael George's bass was - as ever - intense and expressive, and Mark Wilde gently mellifluous in the tenor solos. The singer with the greatest impact, however, was counter-tenor Tim Mead, taking the place of the originally advertised (and his one-time teacher) Robin Blaze. This was singing of individuality and thoughtfulness. Manchester Evening News

Full details at http://www.operauk.com/ - (follow artist links)

Thomas Hobbs: Born in Exeter, Thomas Hobbs graduated in history from King’s College London, where he was a choral scholar. He studied singing with Ian Partridge before moving to the Royal College of Music where he was awarded the RCM Peter Pears and Mason Scholarships, under the tutelage of Neil Mackie.  He has performed with many leading ensembles including The Cardinall’s Musick, The Tallis Scholars, I Fagiolini, The Sixteen, Polyphony, Ex-Cathedra and Ensemble Plus Ultra. He has also recorded extensively for labels including Hyperion, ASV, Linn, Decca and Chandos. As a concert artist, Thomas’s repertoire is varied. Recent engagements include Bach St. John Passion at St Martin in the Fields, the reconstructed Bach St. Mark Passion and Handel Saul at St John’s Smith Square, Monteverdi Vespers in the Three Choirs Festival and with New College Oxford, Vaughan  Williams On Wenlock Edge with the Edinburgh Quartet, and Beethoven Choral Symphony and Dvorak Stabat Mater in Exeter Cathedral. Thomas recently recorded the role of Damon in Handel Acis and Galatea for the Dunedin Consort whilst, in recital, he has given performances of Schubert Die Schöne Müllerin, Schumann Liederkreis Op.39, Finzi Young Man’s Exhortation, Britten Abraham and Isaac and made his debut at the Wigmore Hall with RAM Song Circle.  On Stage, he has performed the role of Acis in Handel Acis and Galatea, Ferrando, Cosi Fan Tutte and Conte, Barber of Seville for RCM opera scenes.

Full details at http://www.thomashobbs.co.uk/

Derek Welton: The Australian baritone Derek Welton is resident in the UK and currently the Walter Gruner Scholar on the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Opera Course.  He is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in German and Linguistics, and of the GSMD holding a Master of Music (Vocal Studies) degree with Distinction.

Reviews

Bach St Matthew Passion, 21 March 2008‘The sumptuous-voiced Derek Welton … was a fine Christus.’ Fiona Maddocks, Evening Standard, 25 March 2008

Handel Messiah, 8 March 2008‘The star of the four [soloists] though was the bass, Derek Welton. His expressive singing seemed effortless; the extraordinary voice perfectly controlled, and the effects dramatic. The final air, The Trumpet Shall Sound, was particularly splendid with fine accompaniment from the trumpet, a wonderfully uplifting expression of hope’ Simon Collings, Oxford Times, 13 March 2008

Mendelssohn St Paul, 12 May 2007‘The Australian baritone, Derek Welton, demonstrated his operative experience in his skilful interpretation and clear diction’ Lymington Times, 2 June 2007

Rossini Stabat Mater, 28 April 2007‘Australian baritone Derek Welton has a richness and depth of tone throughout a wide range’ David Bunkell, Beccles and Bungay Journal, 4 May 2007

Handel Singing Competition Final 23 April 2007:

    'Last night overall victory went to the only baritone singing, Derek Welton, the possessor of a fine, robust instrument who concentrated his fire on shorter oratorio and anthem pieces, with only one excerpt from an opera. His singing was focused and exact and technically very secure, his wider experience showing’ Sue Loder, Opera Today, 25 April 2007

    ‘The second Australian was Derek Welton, a 24-year-old baritone. How good it was to hear him steering his strong voice through ‘See the raging flames arise’ (“Joshua”) without having to sink to the use of aspirates .. One other welcome attribute was a clarity of enunciation with no hint of prissiness or distortion of over-stressed consonants. His virile approach to ‘Arm, arm, ye brave’ from “Judas Maccabaeus” provided a fine example.’ John Hughes, The Classical Source, 25 April 2007