J S Bach Christmas Oratorio
Programme
- Johann Sebastian Bach — Christmas Oratorio
Performers
Graham Neal
Born in 1980, Graham Neal was educated at St. Olave’s School, Orpington. He studied music at the University of Surrey where he was awarded the Robert Naylor prize for the most meritorious degree recital. Graham went on to study on the Knack opera course at the English National Opera. He is currently studying with John Wakefield at Trinity College of Music. Solo concert engagements in 2005 include Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Christmas Oratorio and Cantata BWV 76, Handel’s Messiah, Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise, Draghi’s Ode to St. Cecilia and Haydn’s Creation in venues throughout the country including St John’s Smith Square, Bath Abbey, the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban and Sheffield University. Graham recently made his solo operatic debut, creating the role of Agitator in Tunde Jegede’s Cry of Innocence at Greenwich Theatre. Future plans include a spring recital in the TCM Schumann Festival, singing duets with the celebrated baritone Richard Jackson.
Harriet Webb
Harriet Webb read music at Manchester University where she studied violin with Ronald Birks of the Lindsay Quartet and singing with Diane Matthews at the Royal Northern College of Music. She currently studies with Sarah Dunstan. She has sung and made numerous recordings with several of the top London chamber choirs and groups such as the BBC Singers, Polyphony and the King’s Consort and her own five voice group Amici. Solo work has included performances of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, St John Passion, Christmas Oratorio and Magnificat, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Israel in Egypt and Dixit Dominus, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody, Elgar’s The Music Makers, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s Requiem, Duruflé’s Requiem, Bruckner’s Requiem, Liszt’s Via Crucis, Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit and Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and Christ’s Nativity. Harriet has also participated in a masterclass on English song with Ian Partridge. Harriet is Director of Music at Newstead Wood School for Girls.
Richard Wigmore
After reading languages at Cambridge, Richard Wigmore studied singing at the Guildhall School of Music, where he won several prizes. He has performed widely as an oratorio soloist and recitalist in Britain and abroad, and has broadcast frequently for the BBC. He has sung regularly in Italy and made a number of recordings for Italian radio and television. His operatic experiences include two seasons with Glyndebourne, roles with Kent Opera, the Handel Opera Society and the English Bach Festival, and the British premieres of Elizabeth Lutyens’ Isis and Osiris and Musorgsky’s The Marriage, both broadcast by the BBC. His CD recordings include Rameau’s La princesse de Navarre, Bach’s Coffee Cantata and Handel’s Joshua.
The Cosine Orchestra
1st Violin
- Jonathan Murphy (leader)
- Louise Walters
2nd Violin
- Chris Thresh
- Janet Davies
Viola
- David Griffiths
- Julius Bannister
Cello
- Samantha Carter
- Tim Johnson (continuo)
Double bass
- Penny Halnan
Organ continuo
- Mark Jones
Flute
- Daniel Beach
- Richard Wiseman
Oboe
- Nicholas Mitchell (cor anglais)
- Nick Theobald (oboe d’amore)
- Richard Harpham (cor anglais)
- Richard Percy (cor anglais)
Bassoon
- Howard Wiseman
Trumpet
- Claire Woodcock
- Martin Bunce
- Martin Hinton
Timpani
- Claire Brock
The choir
Sopranos
- Jenny Burgess
- Alison Cooke
- Nancy Khan
- Sue Thompson
- Grace Vaughan
- Carol Whinnom
Altos
- Pam Hinton
- Pat Holmes
- Jill Saudek
- Harriet Webb
Tenors
- David Crowe
- Martin Fosten
- Keith Giles
- Andrew Jones
- Graham Neal
- John Pead
- Paul Richardson
Basses
- Jeremy Clitheroe
- Anthony Davies
- Barry Holloway
- Bob Pruden
- Clive Richards
- Richard Wigmore