The Music
To be confirmed...
Topped up with a "Proms Style" finale.
About The Performers
We have a feast of music lined up for you to be performed by some really talented musicians.
Steve Bingham (Conductor) |
Steve studied violin with Emmanuel Hurwitz, Sidney Griller and the Amadeus Quartet at the Royal Academy of Music from 1981 to 1985, winning prizes for orchestral leading and string quartet playing. In 1985 he formed the Bingham String Quartet, an ensemble gaining an enviable reputation for both classical and contemporary repertoire. The Quartet recorded numerous CDs and worked for radio and television both in the UK and as far afield as Australia. They have worked with distinguished musicians such as Jack Brymer, Raphael Wallfisch, Michael Collins and David Campbell. Steve has appeared as guest leader with orchestras including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, English National Ballet and English Sinfonia. He has given solo recitals both in the UK and America and his concerto performances include works by Bach, Vivaldi, Bruch, Prokofiev, Mendelssohn and Sibelius, given in venues as prestigious as St. Johns’ Smith Square and the Royal Albert Hall. In recent years Steve has developed his interest in improvisation, electronics and World music, collaborating with several notable musicians including guitarist Jason Carter and players such as Sanju Vishnu Sahai (tabla), Baluji Shivastrav (sitar) and Abdullah Ibrahim (piano). Steve's debut solo CD "Duplicity" has been played on radio including BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. The Independent gave it a 4-star review. His second, "Ascension" was released in November 2008. |
Elizabeth Drury (Soprano) |
Elizabeth graduated from the Royal College of Music in June 2007 with a first class honours degree, studying Saxophone and Voice, and supported by a Jane Melber award. With the Saxophone she got through to the televised Woodwind Final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2004. Elizabeth sings with various UK choirs such as Ex Cathedra, Polyphony and Philharmonia Voices. She has recorded with Howard Goodall’s group Enchanted Voices, Polyphony and the Ex Cathedra Consort. She sings at the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London and recently performed a recital there. Elizabeth has been a soprano soloist with choirs such as the Somerset Singers, Dartington Community Choir, Exmouth Choral Society, Exeter Choral Society and Exeter Bach Choir, performing works including Haydn's Creation and Nelson Mass, Handel's Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Rossini's Stabat Mater and Bach’s B Minor Mass, St John Passion and Christmas Oratorio. In July 2008 she performed the role of Micaela in a semi-staged production of Carmen with the Somerset group Bacchanale, and the role of Belinda in Dido and Aeneus in the Musique Cordiale festival, Nice. Elizabeth frequently organizes solo recitals, and has even performed in Buckingham Palace. She works as a vocal tutor for Ex Cathedra’s education programme and teaches singing and saxophone at the Lady Eleanor Holles School in London. This Summer she will perform the role of Pamina in Bacchanale’s performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. |
Robert Cross (Countertenor) |
 Robert joined the choir at Ely Cathedral becoming Head Chorister and gaining a major music scholarship to King’s Senior School. Following his ABRSM Diploma he moved to study music at the University of Surrey, winning the Robert Naylor award for outstanding recital. Early solo performances include Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana , Bach’s Cantata for Solo Alto at Guildford Cathedral, Handel’s Messiah in Ely Cathedral and Bachs “Vergnugte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust" for the Winchester Festival. Until 2008 Robert performed as Alto lay Clerk at Christchurch Cathedral, New Zealand and during that time gave solo performances in Wellington (Messiah), Christchurch (Arvo Part's Passio and Britten's Rejoice In The Lamb) and, in Auckland, an acclaimed performance as Micah (Handel’s Samson). A year later he returned at invitation to record with the choir. Now living and working in London, Robert remains a ‘deputy lay clerk’ in St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and The Tower of London Chapel Royal. In addition, with Winchester and Rochester Cathedral choirs he has been involved in recent recordings, Radio 3 broadcasts and a concert for Classic FM. This season includes performances with the Polyphonica Recorder Trio, the role of spirit in the opera Dido and Anaeus with Pheonix Opera and Handel’s Dixit Dominus with Baroque Orchestra, Fiori Musicale at Fotheringay. As a freelance singer Robert has trained with Ashley Stafford and Tim Travers-Brown and runs two amateur adult choirs in North London. |
Andrew De Silva (Baritone) |
At the age of eight, Andrew was accepted in the Peterborough Cathedral Choir under the direction of Christopher Gower, and attended The King’s School, Peterborough. Throughout his time as a chorister and subsequently as Head Chorister, he appeared in concerts, television and radio broadcasts and on CDs, both in the choir and as a soloist. During his time studying Education at Canterbury Christ Church University. Andrew was a bass Choral Scholar for the Chapel Choir, in addition to singing for both Rochester and Canterbury Cathedral choirs. Alongside his teaching career in Peterborough, Andrew held a position as Bass Lay Clerk in the Cathedral. He also recorded several CDs with Peterborough Cathedral Choir, in addition to television and radio broadcasts, and has been on several tours to a variety of European destinations. Since September 2009, Andrew has sung as a Bass Lay Clerk for Winchester Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Andrew Lumsden, with whom he has already recorded a Howells CD for Hyperion and broadcast live on BBC1 television on Easter Day. Andrew continues to develop his teaching career as a Deputy Headteacher of a federation of Primary schools in Andover. Andrew currently studies singing with Stephen Roberts and Nicholas Powell. Recent solo performances include Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Mass in Time of War, and Puccini’s Messa di Gloria. |
Ely Sinfonia |
 Ely Sinfonia was launched in November 1999 with generous awards from the Millennium Festival Fund and the Eastern Orchestral Board. A community orchestra the Ely Sinfonia receives coaching and artistic direction from Nicholas Cleobury and principal players from Britten Sinfonia, the Cambridge based professional chamber orchestra. |