The English tenor, Daniel Collins, began his music career at the age of 4 playing violin, piano and singing at Christ Church Stantonbury Campus. Milton Keynes. At the age of 7 he became a chorister in Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford. Singing many solo pieces during his time there. With Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford he toured USA, Australia, Brazil and sang on many recording sessions. From Oxford Cathedral he was awarded a music scholarship to Charterhouse School, Surrey, where under the tutelage of Mark Blatchly and Glyn Davenport he began to sing counter-tenor. During his stay at Charterhouse Daniel attained Grade 8 violin, organ and piano. He went on to read Music at Magdalen College, Oxford, as a Choral and Academic Scholar. While at Oxford, he began to embark on a solo career as a counter-tenor, studying with Ashley Stafford. He performed at various concerts there, including at the University Church with Schola Cantorum of Oxford and Emma Kirkby (George Frideric Handel's Dixit Dominus) and at the reopening of the Sheldonian Theatre (G.F. Handel's The Messiah). In 2005 he went on to further his vocal studies at the Royal College of Music, continuing to study under Ashley Stafford. Whilst there he participated in master-classes with Michael Chance, Peter Harvey and James Bowman, as well as private tuition with people such as Robin Blaze, Margaret Cable and Stephen Roberts.
Some of Daniel Collins' solo performances include J.S. Bach's St. John Passion (BWV 245) at Chichester Cathedral with The Hanover Band, and at St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge with Orpheus Britannicus, G.F. Handel's Messiah at St. Alkmund's Church, Shrewsbury, a concert of Purcell odes including Welcome to All the Pleasures with Orpheus Britannicus, at All Saints, Margaret Street, and a live broadcast of Biber's Missa Bruxellensis from Izegem, Belgium. He has performed with several choral societies, including Bracknell Choral Society, with whom he sang the tenor aria in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana
The professional music ensembles and choirs Daniel Collins sings with: The Sixteen, Tenebrae Choir, Gabrieli Consort & Players, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Arcangelo, The Marian Consort (Director: Rory McCleery), Chandos Chamber Choir. Currently, he is based in London and sings every Sunday at the Church of All Saints, Margaret Street. |