We invite musicians from near and far to share their musical talent with us. All are welcome! 

This Wednesday we look forward to welcoming baritone Damian O’Keeffe, accompanied by our own Ian Seddon on piano.

English freelance baritone Damian O’Keeffe is a soloist and Early Music singer who began his musical career as a Choral Scholar at St John’s College Cambridge under Dr George Guest. He has sung with a range of Early Music ensembles including the Cardinall’s Musick, King’s Consort and Binchois Consort singing in venues across Europe and America including, Lufthansa Festival, Spitalfields Festival, The Purcell Room, BBC Proms, Cadogan Hall and the Bath Festival, Princeton and Columbia Universities, Rutgers, Amsterdam, Turin and Milan. While working with the Cardinall’s Musick, he recorded the discography of William Byrd (The Byrd Edition). As a member of The King’s Consort, he has been involved in several recordings including Lo Sposalizio and Let the Bright Seraphim and appeared in live Radio 3 broadcasts at Cadogan Hall and the Bath Festival. He has recently appeared with Alamire at the York Early Music Festival performing Tallis Songs of Reformation.

As a soloist Damian performs a wide repertoire from baroque to contemporary music in cathedrals, concert halls, music festivals and recitals. Notable performances across the country include, JS Bach: St John Passion (under Paul Agnew) and JS Bach: St Matthew Passion (under Nathalie Stutzmann), Elgar: The Kingdom, Orff: Carmina Burana all with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Mozart Requiem with Westminster Cathedral Choir.

Recent engagements include: Handel: Samson, Haydn: Nelson Mass, Dvorak: Stabat Mater, A.Scarlatti: St John Passion, Tallis: Songs of Reformation with Alamire, Handel: Messiah, Brahms: Requiem, JS Bach: St Matthew Passion, Faure: Requiem.

Future engagements include: Haydn: Creation, Handel: Messiah, Faure: Requiem, Vaughan Williams recital, Motets by Hieronymus Praetorius (Regensburg Early Music Festival with Alamire), Vaughan Williams: 5 Mystical Songs, Finzi: In Terra Pax (Pennine Spring Music Festival), American Song recital.

When not performing, Damian leads workshops and teaches singing to pupils of all ages on a private basis successfully preparing pupils for Oxbridge choral scholarships and conservatoires alongside working with both boy and girl choristers at a range of cathedrals.

Website: www.damianokeeffebaritone.com
Twitter: @damianjokeeffe
Instagram: damian.okeeffe

Programme to include…
Three Songs of Shakespeare: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Excerpts from Songs of Travel: RVW
I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair: Stephen Foster , arranged Ned Rorem
At the River: Aaron Copland