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The English baritone and conductor, Christopher Borrett, was an academic and choral scholar at New College, Oxford from 2005 to 2008. At university he performed solos with New College’s world-renowned choir on live broadcasts, recordings and in concert. Most notably he performed solos in a programme of François Couperin and Purcell at the York Early Music Festival, and a performance of J.S. Bach’s St John Passion (BWV 245) in New College Chapel. At university he conducted the Wykeham Singers, Oxford New Orchestra, Worcester College Opera and New Chamber Opera Studio. As musical director of these ensembles he conducted such works as George Frideric Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabaeus, Glass’ opera, The Fall of the House of Usher, Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, L.v. Beethoven’s Symphony No.3 and Dvorak’s Symphony No.9.
After university Christopher Borrett was selected to be a member of the Monteverdi Choir Apprentice Scheme under Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Having completed his year-long apprenticeship, Christopher sings with the ensemble regularly performing a wide range of repertoire ranging from Bizet’s Carmen and Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms to madrigals by Monteverdi and part-songs by Johannes Brahms. As a member of the Monteverdi Choir he has taken small solo and consort roles such as on the group’s most recent recording of the J.S. Bach’s Motets, a concert performance of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle and the role of Samuel in Purcell’s Saul and the Witch of Endor. He also sings with other ensembles such as The Marian Consort (Director: Rory McCleery), the Barabant Ensemble, Stile Antico, Ludus Baroque and the Dunedin Consort.
In 2010 Christopher Borrett moved to East Anglia and was soon appointed musical director of the Ipswich Chamber Choir. Under his directorship the choir has performed works such as Tallis’ Spem in alium, Bach’s Christ lag in Todesbanden (BWV 4) and Jesu eine Freude (BWV 227), Benjamin Britten’s St Nicolas and W.A. Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de confessore. Over the past two years, he has worked closely with the Pimlott Foundation conducting works such as G.F. Handel’s Messiah, Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria and Purcell’s Ode on Saint Cecilia’s Day 1692.
Past Solo Performances: Late Night Song Recital - music by Warlock, (Aldeburgh Festival); Pilate & Arias in J.S. Bach’s St John Passion (BWV 245) (Merton College Oxford, Passiontide Festival); Judas, Peter, Pontifex in J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion (BWV 244) (Dunedin Consort); Saturne in Lully’s Phaeton; Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas; Adonis in Blow’s Venus & Adonis; Polyphemus in G.F. Handel’s Acis & Galatea; Argante in G.F. Handel’s Rinaldo; scenes for Renaissance Voices; Dietrich Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri (Musica Poetica); Robert Schumann’s Manfred (Monteverdi Choir); G.F. Handel’s Messiah (Tewkesbury Abbey); G.F. Handel’s Hercules (New Chamber Opera); Sarastro in W.A. Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Hampstead Garden Opera); J.S. Bach’s Cantata BWV 82 Ich habe genug (Merton Passiontide Festival).
Future Solo Performances: W.A. Mozart’s C minor Mass (Milton Keynes Choral Society, January 2013); Arvo Pärt’s Passio (Merton College Passiontide Festival, March 2013); George Frideric Handel’s Messiah (Merton College Passiontide Festival, March 2013).
Christopher Borrett is an experienced singing teacher having taught in schools and privately. As part of his work for the Pimlott Foundation he has organised and led workshops in Choral Singing (Junior and Senior) and in Composition (film music and song accompaniments.)
CD Recordings: John Rutter: the Tewkesbury collection, (Delphian Records); An Emerald in a Work of Gold (music from the Dow Part Books) with The Marian Consort (Delphian Records); Bach Motets with John Eliot Gardiner & the Monteverdi Choir (SDG); Coronation Mass & Vespereae solemnis de confessore (Delphian Records); O Virgo Benedicta (music from the Spanish Century of Gold), The Marian Consort (Delphian Records); Three Kings, Cornelius The Three Kings (Delphian Records); Bible Songs, Stanford (Delphian Records). |
