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The English baritone, Martin Oxenham, gained his early musical experience playing the tuba in the National Youth Orchestra. After reading mathematics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he received a foundation scholarship from the Royal College of Music where he won several prizes, including that for English Song. He studied singing with Edward Brookes.
Following a spell in the Glyndebourne Chorus, also understudying and singing small roles, Martin Oxenham became in 1995 a Vicar Choral of the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, with whom he has sung the Bach Passions (arias and roles) and George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, in which he has recently sung the arias in December 2007, as well as solos on many broadcasts and recordings. Although he has sung major roles with many of the smaller professional touring opera companies, he has concentrated more on oratorio and song; as a versatile and busy oratorio soloist, he has performed at the Royal Albert Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Barbican, Florence Opera House, the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh and on BBC Radio 3 as well as at festivals in Britain and abroad, with the City of London Sinfonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra under distinguished conductors such as Sir David Willcocks and Sir Roger Norrington. TV appearances include in the highly acclaimed Jonathan Miller staging of J.S. Bach's St Matthew Passion (BWV 244) and as Caiaphas in the People's Passion with Jessye Norman, shown on BBC1 in April 1999 and 2000. Martin's 2009 diary includes the title roles in Benjamin Britten's Noye's Fludde and Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah, Haydn's Nelson Mass with The Hanover Band/Paul Brough and George Frideric Handel's Messiah with the BBC Concert Orchestra/Andrew Carwood.
Giving song recitals continues to be a particular pleasure, whether it be a tour of Scotland singing Schubert’s Winterreise or an opportunity to explore neglected British repertoire as he does with two recital CDs recorded for the Meridian label which have received critical acclaim.
Leisure activities include the exploration of the British waterways network - and canalside places of interest – on his narrowboat. |
