Christmas Fantasia
Programme

Conductor, singing teacher, soprano

Studied singing at Trinity College and Guildhall School of Music and the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatorio in Milan. Her operatic work includes several seasons at the Bayreuth Wagner Festival, English National Opera, Lippstadt Festival, Frankfurt Opera, London Opera Players and Travelling Opera. Concert work has taken her across the UK and Europe. Fiona was Sing Up Area Leader for Bucks and Milton Keynes, promoting and leading singing in schools. She has established and run several vocal groups and co directs Bucks County Youth Choir. She formed The Firth Singers in 2012 following a concert for the Diamond Jubilee and she has become revered as a singing teacher locally and in London accruing many student successes.

Bass

Studied at Leeds University and the Royal Northern College of Music. He has performed for many major international opera companies and festivals, including the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Opera di Roma, Opéra National du Rhin, the Edinburgh Festival and Aix-en-Provence Festival. His repertoire includes Masetto and Commendatore, Don Giovanni; Colline, La bohème; Claudio, Agrippina; Sarastro, Die Zauberflöte, and Rocco, Fidelio.  Concert work has taken him to America, Japan, China, Korea, New Zealand and throughout Europe with, amongst others, The New London Consort, Musica Antiqua Köln, Les Arts Florissants, and The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Martin is also a fully qualified primary school teacher.

Soprano

Studied at The Arts Educational School and The Welsh College of Music and Drama.  She has performed regularly as a soloist with choirs and Opera Societies and worked professionally in the pop industry at Virgin Records & EMI, often in Los Angeles & New York City. Claire has an eclectic taste in music and she has thrived on learning and performing new solo repertoire for The Firth Singers under the tutelage of Fiona Firth.

Piano

Studied singing and piano at Chetham’s and The Purcell School of Music and Birmingham Conservatoire.  She regularly accompanies choirs and is the Music Director for several Buckinghamshire groups.  She currently teaches piano and singing at several local schools and has been the valued accompanist for The Firth Singers for 7 years.