Month: January 2018

Christopher is a former student of Chetham’s School of Music, where he studied with Simon Bottomley; and the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied with Christopher Elton.

Christopher has received numerous awards and performed in some of the most prestigious concert venues including the Royal Festival Hall and the Bridgewater Hall. He was a runner-up in the Christopher Duke Memorial Competition and awarded a diploma for his performance of Prokofiev at the International London Piano Competition. Whilst at Chetham’s he was finalist at the Royal Overseas League Competition and recorded Rachmaninov’s fourth concerto with Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra and Vassily Sinaisky. Later successes include being finalist at the Recotres International des Jeunes Pianistes and Musica Aeterna Piano Competitions in Belgium.

Christopher now maintains a busy schedule as teacher, accompanist and soloist, and works closely with several local choirs including St. Ann’s Hospice Festival Choir and The Robins Singers.

Jonathan Ellis started learning the piano at the age of three. From the age of 11 onwards, he studied at Wells Cathedral School, and then moved on to the joint music course of the RNCM and Manchester University. He achieved a first class degree from both institutions plus the PPRNCM diploma in solo piano studying with John Gough, and afterwards attained postgraduate-level diplomas in accompaniment and chamber music under John Wilson.

During his time at college, he was to win many prizes as an accompanist, plus the RNCM’s two major chamber music prizes with his trio, its annual Beethoven competition as a solo pianist, and subsequently the Audience Prize at the Intercollegiate Beethoven competition. He currently performs regularly as a soloist, as chamber musician with The Ryebank Trio, as vocal and instrumental accompanist, choral/operatic repetiteur or musical director, and has also been a competitor in international piano competitions: besides making regular appearances with City of Manchester Opera, Opera Seria, Heritage Opera, Bury Choral Society, the Pennine Spring Music Festival and the Buxton Festival Fringe (where he is three times the winner of the “Best Solo Musician” prize). He also performs with “Classical Evolution”, and musical charities “Music in Hospitals” and “Live Music Now”.

Jennifer, a mezzo-soprano, completed her Masters with Distinction at the RNCM in 2015, studying with Antonia Sotgiu and Louise Winter. Whilst at college, she performed the roles of Valencienne (The Merry Widow) and Jenny (Company), in addition to a variety of concert appearances including Bernard Rands’ Walcott Songs and performances with the RNCM Jazz Collective.

Since graduation Jennifer has performed with a range of prestigious companies; most notably Opera Holland Park, Wexford Festival Opera, Manchester Opera Ensemble, Buxton Festival and the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival. Furthermore, she has premiered works at the North West New Music Festival, with the International Opera Theater in Umbria, as well as participating in the Young Artist Platforms of both the Helios Collective and Bury Court Opera. She has also been fortunate enough to appear in public masterclasses with Sarah Connolly, Juanjo Mena, David Poutney and Mark Wigglesworth.

Additionally Jennifer has performed numerous oratorios; namely Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Bach’s Magnificat, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater.

Forthcoming engagements include a return IOT, Umbria to premiere Orlando Furioso, Jenkins’ The Armed Man for Gainsborough Choral Society, and concert performances in Assisi, Lithuania and Dublin.

 

www.neilbalfour.com