The Sixteen announces its new cohort of Genesis Sixteen singers, appoints a new Conducting Scholar & presents its fifth Sounds Sublime Festival
8 June 2018
TheSixteen has announced the new cohort of Genesis Sixteen singers and the appointment of current Royal Academy of Music conducting student, Harry Bradford, as Genesis Sixteen Conducting Scholar for 2018-19. The new cohort are:
Sopranos
Hannah Cox, Sofia Kirwan-Baez, Margaret Lingas, Hannah Littleton, Ellen Mawhinney, Kirsty O’Neill, Ella Rainbird-Earley
Altos
Lewis Cullen, Hannah Robinson, Anna Semple, Elena Stamp, Alice Webster Tenors
Phil Durrant, Alexander Hume, Matthew McKinney, Zahid Siddiqui, Christopher Willoughby
Basses
Freddie Crowley, Sebastian Johnson, Johannes Moore, Oliver Neale, Colum Donovan-Paterson
Genesis Sixteen, supported by the Genesis Foundation, is currently in its seventh year and has worked with over 150 participants. The UK’s first ever fully funded programme of its kind, Genesis Sixteen is The Sixteen’s free young artists’ scheme for 18-23 year olds, which aims to nurture the next generation of talented ensemble singers. During the course of a year, a series of week-long and weekend courses are led by key figures from The Sixteen, including founder and conductor Harry Christophers CBE and Associate Conductor Eamonn Dougan. Participants receive group tuition, individual mentoring and masterclasses run by some of the world’s top vocal experts. Support from the Genesis Foundation means participants receive free tuition and a bursary to cover all additional costs. The Conducting Scholarship is fully funded and currently offers young conductors, between the ages of 21-26, the opportunity to be mentored by Harry Christophers and Eamonn Dougan, as well as the chance to work with some of the best young ensemble singers in the country. The Scholar is given the chance to observe each course, sing with the choir, lead their own rehearsals and conduct several pieces in concert.
Harry Christophers CBE, Founder and Conductor of The Sixteen commented: ‘All of us at The Sixteen had to navigate starting out in the music profession and we are most grateful to the Genesis Foundation for enabling Genesis Sixteen to learn from our experience. Genesis Sixteen has far surpassed our expectations. Both Eamonn and I are looking forward to working with this new group of singers and Harry Bradford, our new Conducting Scholar, over the next year and seeing them grow into fine musicians.’
John Studzinski, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, commented: “The last month has seen Harry Christophers present alumni and current members of Genesis Sixteen in our concerts with The Sixteen in the Sistine Chapel and Eton College Chapel. The way in which Harry Christophers includes these young singers in such landmark concerts illustrates the unique opportunities given to everyone fortunate enough to be part of Genesis Sixteen. Genesis Sixteen reflects the core values of the Genesis Foundation that focus on enabling great artistic leaders to mentor young talent who in turn go on to mentor others thereby continually transforming the lives of young artists.”
Genesis Sixteen alumni are continuing their successful careers with chorus and solo roles at Glyndebourne and performances alongside a range of renowned ensembles including The Sixteen, British Youth Opera, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Gabrieli Consort, Tenebrae Choir and many more, with regular appearances on BBC Radio 3 and various festivals across the UK and beyond. This year sees current alto Katie Jeffries Harris being appointed as the new first Alto in VOCES 8, beginning in September: the first time the group have had a female alto. Five out of the eight current National Youth Choir of Great Britain Fellows are also Genesis Sixteen alumni: Lizzy Humphries, Eleanor Partridge, Emily Hodkinson, Tom Brooke and Nathan Harrison. Tristram Cooke, countertenor of the fifth cohort of Genesis singers, has recently been installed as Lay Vicar with the professional choir of Westminster Abbey.
Applications for the 2019-20 choir will open in November 2018, with applications for conducting scholar opening in April or May 2019.
Sounds Sublime FestivalThe Sixteen presents its annual Sounds Sublime Festival which showcases the cream of the UK’s young choral talent on Saturday 14 July at St Clement Danes Church on The Strand. The festival includes a lunchtime recital by this year’s Genesis Sixteen cohort which is the culmination of the programme, an afternoon community come & sing workshop led by educator and conductor Libby Crabtree, and a drivetime recital by Gesualdo Six, a vocal ensemble directed by Owain Park including three Genesis Sixteen alumni: Joseph Wicks, Joshua Cooter and Samuel Mitchell. The day will also include pop-up performances in The British Museum by a varied range of young upcoming a capella choirs.
