Mass in B Minor J S Bach

Stephen Davies Conductor

Stephen Davies, a former chorister of St Paul’s Cathedral, London, and Music Scholar of Queen’s College, Oxford, was awarded a scholarship by the Austrian Institute to study with the great organist and composer Anton Heiller at the Academy of Music in Vienna. He has since been active both in the field of music education – particularly at St Olave’s School, Orpington, where he was Director of Music for seventeen years – and as an organ recitalist. In this capacity he has given concerts in major venues throughout Europe, in New York and in New Zealand. In 2017 he gave concerts in Estonia, Germany, and Norway, and last year he performed in King’s College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He founded the Sine Nomine Singers in 1994 and conducted this chamber choir for almost 20 years, giving concerts in local venues as well as in Estonia, France and Germany. He was Director of Music here at St George’s from 2002 to 2016.

From the programme of 15 October 2022.

Lucy Jones Soprano

Lucy Jones studied music and education at Cambridge University where she sang with Magdalene College Chapel Choir for five years. Since moving to London, Lucy has sung frequently with The Joyful Company of Singers, and sings regularly with the choir of St Luke’s, Chelsea. Lucy is Head of Music at Eltham College Junior School. She is currently studying with Sarah Leonard.

James Oldfield Bass-baritone

James Oldfield was a Choral Scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he read Geography. He was then the Sir Thomas Allen Scholar at the Royal College of Music, and subsequently the inaugural Independent Opera Scholar at the Benjamin Britten Opera School. In December, James performed in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen on a tour of Israel with the Retrospect Ensemble. His recent concert performances include Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Haydn’s Nelson Mass with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Monteverdi’s Vespers with the London Handel Orchestra. James’s future engagements include Figaro in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro for Garsington Opera, a Purcell programme at the Wigmore Hall, and Handel’s Messiah in the Spitalfields Festival. Please see www.james-oldfield.com for more information.

From the programme of 13 March 2010.

Laura Oldfield Soprano

Laura Oldfield read Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and sang in Trinity College Chapel Choir. Her recent singing engagements include Beethoven’s Mass in C, Bach’s St John Passion, Fauré’s Requiem, and Handel’s Samson. In opera Laura has played Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro, and as a recitalist has performed works by Walton, Fauré, Schubert, Howells and Finzi. Laura is much in demand as a choral singer, regularly performing with ensembles including Polyphony, The Sixteen, The Choir of the Enlightenment and Tenebrae. As a soloist she features on recordings of Monteverdi’s Vespers (Signum), works by Gabriel Jackson (Hyperion), and Macmillan’s Christus Vincit (Naxos). Future engagements include Macmillan’s John Passion with the London Symphony Orchestra, and Brahms’s Requiem at St John’s, Smith Square. Laura is Assistant Director of Music and Head of Vocal Studies at Eltham College.

William Petter Tenor

William Petter has just completed his postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, where he graduated with the highest award, distinction with DipRAM. He studies with Jennifer Dakin. He enjoys a wide variety of solo and choral singing in London and further afield. Recent highlights have included tours to Russia, Germany and Spain, singing Messiah in Chester-le-Street and Oundle, and Mozart’s Requiem in Dorchester Abbey. Plans for later this year include a recital of English song in Oxford, and of Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin in London, and being the Evangelist for Bach’s St Matthew Passion in a version by Mendelssohn for Oxford Harmonic Society. He is also the Musical Director of the Orpington and District Free Church Choir.

Harriet Webb Mezzo-soprano

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, the King’s Consort, and her own five- voice group, Amici. Solo work has included performances of Bach’s St Matthew and St John Passions, Christmas Oratorio and Magnificat, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Israel in Egypt and Dixit Dominus, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody, Elgar’s The Music Makers, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Requiems by Duruflé and Bruckner, 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.

From the programme of 13 March 2010.

Jonathan Murphy Leader