SOLOISTS
The Marches Choir has performed with a number of talented international soloists over the past few years. A selection of their biographies can be found below.
REBECCA AFONWY-JONES
Born in Mid Wales, mezzo-soprano Rebecca Afonwy-Jones studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Rebecca also participated on the emerging artist programme for Scottish Opera, making her professional debut in the title role of Bizet's Carmen on tour, was an associate artist with Welsh National Opera, and has also appeared regularly with Opera North.
Rebecca has performed in operas worldwide, including as Olga (Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin) for Grange Park Opera, and Suzuki (Puccini's Madama Butterfly) with Welsh National Opera, on tour to the Dubai Opera House, as well as with Festival Opera, New Zealand. Concert engagements include a tour of Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium with the Norwegian Wind Ensemble in Norway, and Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Rebecca has also made recordings including Handel's Messiah with the BBC Singers and Norwegian Wind Ensemble (Resonus Classics).
Rebecca has previously sung with the Marches Choir in Handel's Messiah (November 2016).
ROBERT EVANS
Baritone Robert Evans began his musical education as a chorister at Hereford Cathedral and subsequently studied singing with Henry Cummings. After a number of careers, Robert moved to making his living from singing, after studying as a mature student at The Royal College of Music.
Robert made his London debut in 1987 at The Royal Festival Hall with the choir of The London Oratory. Having spent ten years in the choir of Westminster Cathedral, Robert moved to Salisbury, allowing him to concentrate on his freelance singing career.
Singing engagements have taken Robert to the USA, Japan, Australia and throughout Europe. Although Robert spends most of his time performing classical music, he also enjoys the lighter end of the repertoire, having sung in the West End (Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express) and many film sound tracks.
Robert has previously sung with the Marches Choir in Mozart's Requiem (April 2016).
Kathryn Hannah
Mezzo-soprano Kathryn Hannah grew up in Kent and graduated with BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Newcastle University, and Diploma in Opera Performance from Birkbeck College (University of London).
Kathryn has toured in many operas, including as the title role in Bizet's Carmen with Lakeland Opera. Kathryn has also performed in numerous opera galas, cruises, concerts, and charity events both in the UK and abroad, frequent church solo work, as well as being mezzo soloist for Mozart’s Requiem with Bahrain Sinfonia & Manama Singers in Bahrain.
Kathryn is also a keen freelance chorister for National and Regional Festival Companies.
Kathryn has previously sung with the Marches Choir in Mozart's Requiem (April 2016).
Clifford Lister
Tenor Clifford Lister began his musical education as a chorister at Winchester Cathedral, later winning a Choral Scholarship to The King's School, Canterbury. Subsequently he studied singing with Kenneth Bowen and the late Clara Taylor at The Royal Academy of Music. Whilst at the Academy he moved from the post of Lay-clerk at Canterbury Cathedral to a similar post in Westminster Cathedral, where he remained for the next twenty years.
In November 2007, he elected to pursue a freelance career concentrating on teaching at Kent College, and also privately. More recently he started teaching at Christchurch University in Canterbury, all the while enjoying much concert and consort work, including Cappella Nova (Scotland) and Opus Anglicanum.
Clifford continues to sing in the Cathedrals of Rochester, Canterbury and Westminster on a part time basis, and to tour, broadcast and record with these and the other groups.
Clifford has previously sung with the Marches Choir in Mozart's Requiem (April 2016).
KATERINA MINA
Spinto soprano Katerina Mina was born in Cyprus, and later moved to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with a full scholarship. Initially Katerina trained as a concert pianist, but eventually her passion for singing took over. In the years that have followed, Katerina has been a prize winner at both the Julian Gayarre and Musica Sacra international singing competitions.
As a hugely experienced soloist, Katerina has performed widely in Europe and beyond, with well-known orchestras at internationally renowned venues. Although primarily an opera singer, Katerina has performed widely in concert pieces from Beethoven’s Choral Symphony no.9 to Fanshawe's African Sanctus. Her operatic roles have included Donna Elvira (Mozart's Don Giovanni) and Violetta (Verdi's La Traviata).
Katerina has previously sung with the Marches Choir in Mozart's Requiem (April 2016) and Dvorak's Stabat Mater (April 2017).
ANDREW MORRIS
Tenor Andrew Morris was born on the Welsh border. He carried out post-graduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music with Ryland Davies. Later he studied with Nelly Miricioiu and had coaching with Nicolai Gedda, Audrey Hyland, Philip Langridge and Laura Sarti.
He has been a soloist in opera festivals across Europe and the UK. His operatic roles include Don Jose (Bizet's Carmen) for Opera Novella, and Alfredo (Verdi's La Traviata) and Nemorino (Donizetti's L’Elisir d’Amore) for Vox Lirika. He is much in demand as an oratorio and concert artist and has sung in Prague, at the Barbican, Fairfield Halls, St. John’s, Smith Square and with numerous choirs throughout the UK.
Andrew has previously sung with the Marches Choir in Dvorak's Stabat Mater (April 2017).
NICHOLAS MORRIS
Baritone Nicholas Morris began his singing career as a chorister at Peterborough Cathedral. Before training as an opera singer, he studied at Jesus College, Cambridge, where, when not singing or playing rugby, he read history and philosophy of science. During his time at Cambridge he was a member of King’s College Choir. He later trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).
Nicholas has sung in operas across Europe and further afield, from appearing as Maxwell Davies’ Mad King with Shadwell Opera, to Mozart's Don Giovanni in France with Westminster Opera. Away from the opera stage, Nicholas is a keen concert singer and recitalist. Appearances include Verdi’s Requiem at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh and Handel’s Judas Maccabeus and Israel in Egypt in the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge.
Nicholas has previously sung with the Marches Choir in Handel's Messiah (November 2016) and Dvorak's Stabat Mater (April 2017).
STEPHANIE WINDSOR-LEWIS
British mezzo-soprano Stephanie Windsor-Lewis completed her studies as a young artist at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. Prior to this she studied at the Benjamin Britten International Opera School at the Royal College of Music with Ryland Davies and Tim Evans-Jones. She has won first prizes in the Benvenuto Franci competition and the Premio Crescendo competition in Florence.
Operatic engagements have included Suzuki (Puccini's Madama Butterfly) for the English National Opera and the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and Giovanna Seymour (Donizetti's Anna Bolena) at The Metropolitan Opera in New York (understudy).
Stephanie’s concert engagements have included a gala concert with the esteemed tenor Josè Carreras in Singapore where she was a featured soloist, and Beethoven's 9th Symphony at the Barbican Centre with the Royal Philharmonic.
Stephanie has previously sung with the Marches Choir in Dvorak's Stabat Mater (April 2017).