Artistes

David Todd former Musical Director (left July 2016)

David Todd is a choral conductor and organist based in London. He recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, having studied Choral Conducting with Patrick Russill, Cathal Garvey and Paul Brough. Prior to this, David studied with Paul Spicer and Nicholas Cleobury at Oxford University, where he read Music and was an Organ Scholar. 

David is Organist and Director of Music in the Parish of Wanstead and Director of Music of Billericay Choral Society, though his work is increasingly taking him abroad. He holds the post of Guest Conductor of the choir of Turku Cathedral, Finland; has recently worked for the Swiss-Italian Conservatoire in Switzerland, and also in Berlin. Recent highlights include performing with concert pianist Murray Perahia, chorus-mastering the Essex-based chorus for the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and conducting Brentwood Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert of operatic excerpts.
David recently took part in the prestigious Solti Academy in Venice as a Repetiteur.

For more information, please visit www.david-todd.co.uk

Breana Stillman

Australian soprano Breana Stillman gained a BMus (Performance) from The Melba Conservatorium. She was selected to attend the Wales International Academy of Voice where she completed an MA in Advanced Vocal Studies, under the tutelage of renowned tenor Dennis O'Neill CBE.
Breana has taken part in the National Opera Studio’s Opera Intensive course in London, where she worked with Kathryn Harries and has also performed in masterclasses with Mirella Freni, Renato Bruson and Dame Kiri te Kanawa.
In 2015 she performed in Germany, singing Anna Reich in Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor with Theatre Rudolstadt and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Weimar Lyric Opera Studio. Other roles have included 2nd Lady The Magic Flute (Harrow Opera), Sour Genevieffa Sour Angelica (Co Opera Co.), Despina Cosi Fan Tutte (Thames Philharmonic Orchestra), Susanna Le Nozze di Figaro and Norina Don Pasquale (Melba Conservatorium).

Ulrike Wutscher

Nika Gorič

Slovenian soprano Nika Gorič completed her BA at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz and is curently studying at the Royal Academy of Music, London. She is also a member of the Academy Song Circle, and is a soloist in the Kohn Foundation Bach Cantata series.

Nika has just received a  place on the prestigious opera course at RAM. Her operatic roles includes Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart), Sandman in Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck), Elisetta in Il matrimonio segreto (Cimarosa) and understudies for Susanna, Gretel, Anna Reich and Despina. Other recent projects have included singing of Mahler's Symphony No. 4 in Paris and London, a selection of Schubert songs at one of the prestigious Oxford Lieder Festival concerts. Nika was a featured young artist at the Festival Maribor 2012. 

Sofia Troncoso.....mezzo soprano

Sofia Troncoso is a mezzo-soprano from the United States. She received a Bachelor's in music from Northwestern University in Chicago. Sofia participated in the opera scenes program at Northwestern and was consistently cast in the Northwestern Opera productions and involved in concerts in Chicago. She debuted as Cherubino in a theatrical adaptation of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

In April 2013, Sofia was a finalist in the prestigious Bel Canto Foundation Competition in Chicago. Since arriving in the UK she has been a Finalist in the Josephine Baker Trust Competition and was Very Highly Commended by the Isabel Jay Foundation and has been engaged to sing in concerts regularly.

In April 2015 Sofia was featured in the Royal Academy of Music Voice Faculty scenes.

For more information about Sofia please visit sofiatroncoso.com

Doug Rice-Bowen....Baritone

Douglas' professional career began with the Glyndebourne Festival as a member of their world renowned chorus. He progressed to principal roles with Glyndebourne Touring and Glyndebourne Festival Operas.

During his career Douglas has worked with distinguished conductors, such as Vladimir Jurowski, Emmanuelle Haim, Sir Mark Elder, Edward Gardner, Sir Simon Rattle, Andrew Carwood and Richard Egarr.

Opera roles have included Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Marcello in La Boheme with English Touring Opera, Figaro in English National Opera's Barber of Seville, the title role in Macbeth with Scottish Opera Go Round and the world premiere of the Stephen Barlow's opera King.

Douglas has performed across the UK and in Europe both in concerts and opera. 

Find out more at www.douglasricebowen.com

 Christine Buras.....soprano

Christine is a versatile and experienced American soprano. Her repertoire includes early music, opera, art song, and new music. She received her musical education as a chorister at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, and obtained degrees from the University of Chicago and Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.  

Her operatic roles include Theodora (Handel’s Theodora) for Benslow Opera, and Belinda (Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas) for Indiana University. She is looking forward to making her debut with Royal Academy Opera as Suor Dolcina and La Prima Sorella Cercatrice in a production of Puccini’s Suor Angelica. 

Christine particularly enjoys performing art song and oratorio. She recently performed Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate in St. Martin-in-the-Fields. In 2013 she performed on the inaugural art song recital series at Grosvenor Chapel in Mayfair.    

Find out more at www.christineburas.com