ABOUT SARAH.....

Growing up in the beautiful Yorkshire town of Holmfirth, Sarah’s love of music and singing began in early childhood. By the age of 12, she was a performing member of local brass bands, playing the trumpet and cornet. At 14, Sarah began vocal classes and quickly discovered that singing was her passion, her purpose – and her perfect career. 

Performance

Known for her warmth of tone and and engaging performances, Sarah’s classically trained mezzo soprano voice gives her great versatility and she loves her career as an operatic, concert and oratorio soloist. She has performed in many fine UK venues including Wigmore Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, York Minster, Leeds Town Hall, Huddersfield Town Hall and the University of Oxford’s chamber music hall, the Holywell Music Room. As a soloist, she has enjoyed the great privilege of working with outstanding conductors including Sir Mark Elder, David Hill and Clark Rundell. Sarah also combines her love of singing and brass in her long musical partnership with the world-class Black Dyke Band and their Musical Director, Professor Nicholas J. Childs. 

Opera roles include:

Dorabella, Cosi fan tutte (Mozart)

The Countess, The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart)

Hippolyta, Midsummer Night's Dream (Britten)

Chorus, Falstaff (Verdi), with Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Mercedes. Carmen (Bizet)*

Melisande, Pelleas et Melisande (Debussy)*

Ruggiero, Alcina (Handel)*

Mrs Ford, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Nicolai)*

(*staged excerpts )

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Oratorio performances include:

Messa de Requiem, Verdi

The Creation & Theresienmesse, Haydn

Mass in C Minor, Requiem & Coronation Mass, Mozart

Elijah, Mendelssohn

Petite Messe Sollenelle, Rossini

Mass in B Minor & Magnificat in D, Bach

St Cecilia Mass, Gounod

Requiem, Brahms

Stabat Mater, Dvořák

Messiah, Handel

Gloria, Vivaldi & Poulenc

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Professional development and achievements

Sarah studied at the University of Birmingham and later completed postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music – winning numerous awards at both institutions and the time in between.  Whilst studying at the RNCM, she won the Bessie Cronshaw Song Cycle Prize and was runner-up in the Kennedy Strauss Prize. She was also awarded the Dame Eva Turner Scholarship and performed in masterclasses with Elly Ameling (at the Leeds Lieder Festival), Dame Felicity Palmer, Roger Vignoles and Julius Drake. In addition, Sarah was awarded a place on the coveted 2011 Oxford Lieder Mastercourse.

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Conducting

Having worked on Opera North’s flagship education programme across the North of England, Sarah has flourished as a skilled conductor, vocal coach and animateur. Now an experienced choral conductor, she is currently the Musical Director of Cawthorne Choral Society. Her vocal insights, energy and a magical ability to inspire choirs to be their very best make her a highly popular guest conductor and vocal workshop leader.

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