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The Enmglish baritone, conductor and pianist, Benedict Kearns, studied at Westminster Abbey Choir School (2003-2008); Mill Hill School (2008-2013); trained as a pianist from a young age with his Mother and subsequently with Antonietta Notariello at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music (2008-2013), where he also studied conducting. He was invited to join the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (NYO) as their keyboardist, playing under John Wilson and Vasily Petrenko, and repetiteuring for their L.v. Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 at the Prom. He read music at King’s College, Cambridge (2013-2016), where he was a baritone Choral Scholar for his three years as an undergraduate, and obtained his Bachelor of Music degree. He has participated in master-classes with Andreas Scholl and Roderick Williams. Achievements include: Distinction in LRSM Piano Performance (2012); Selected to be Keyboard Player for National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (2013); Awarded a Choral Scholar to King's College, Cambridge (2013). He currently studies singing with Joy Mammen, having previously learnt with Russell Smythe and Kevin Kyle..
As a singer, Benedict Kearns has toured extensively with Westminster Abbey Choir and King's College Choir Cambridge, as well as appearing as a soloist with both choirs on radio broadcasts and recordings. He was the Musical Director of the close harmony group, The King’s Men, with whom he performed a diverse range of a cappella repertoire, ranging from early music to modern pop and jazz.
As a conductor Benedict Kearns is equally at home with operatic, orchestral, and choral conducting. He began conducting at the age of 13 directing the trebles of Westminster Abbey Choir on an Australian Television News Broadcast. He has been Director of Music at St. Jude’s Church (October 2012-April 2013), Hampstead Garden Suburb, a leading recording venue in London, and directed the vocal group Amore and a chamber ensemble for a BBC 2 documentary. During his time at Cambridge, he was Musical Director in the University Opera Society’s productions of Benjamin Britten's, Albert Herring and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as assisting on Dove's Tobias and the Angel. As Artistic Director of King’s College Music Society, he conducted many concerts in King’s Chapel and was invited to conduct at the inaugural St. John’s College Music Festival.
As a pianist, Benedict Kearns has nurtured a long-love for song accompaniment, being a finalist in both the Clare College Song Competition and Lady Frances Song Competition 2015.
Since August 2016, Benedict Kearns is the Sir John Fisher Foundation Junior Fellow (Répétiteur) at the Royal Northern College of Music. |
