A complete repertoire of oratorios & requiems was the outcome of a very catholic musical upbringing at Westminster Cathedral & the Royal College of Music.  I can proudly boast solo roles in virtually all the major choral works from Bach to Faure.

I like opera to be accessible and I’m making it so through my association with a small group of fine musicians.  Together we provide ‘Opera Redutto’ for performance in larger hones and smaller venues.  I’m also very happy to roll out a sequence of popular baritone arias with very little cajoling!

The classical repertoire of Schubert and Schumann is where I’m happiest.  Although my favourite lieder work is “An Dei Ferne Geliebte”.  Beethoven’s powerfully crafted synthesis of male ardour and fallibility.  I guess it’s English parallel is Ralph Vaughan Williams, “Songs of Travel”.

I enjoy letting rip with big bold old performances of; Ol’ Man River, I Got Plenty o Nothin’ and Bess You is My Woman Now.  That said, Cole Porter is my all time favourite songwriter.  He and Puccini (who as we know had his lyrics written for him) are to me, the supreme writers for the musical theatre.

My good old college chum, the composer Adrian Vernon Fish, is also helping me to indulge my passion for singing.  At my request he’s arranged a number of tenor arias and songs for me to sing.  They include “Nessun Dorma” & “Girls Were Made to Love & Kiss”.  Adrian’s accompaniments are fine piano arrangements and we’re calling the songbook we’ve created; ‘Why should tenors have all the fun?’

You might think from all this that I’m the ultimate egotist, not really.  The most rewarding work I do is with my friend and colleague Margaret Probyn. Margaret is a highly versatile and committed high mezzo.  With our accompanist James Church, we perform together under the name Con Amore.  In duet, whether we’re on the concert platform or in the intimacy of a restaurant, we love to tell a story and really involve our audience.  Our reduced Phantom of the Opera is a real showstopper.

Sincerely

²                If you’d like me to send you a demo CD, please get in touch.