Magnificat

Stephen Davies Conductor

Stephen Davies, a former chorister of St Paul’s Cathedral, London, and Music Scholar of Queen’s College, Oxford, was awarded a scholarship by the Austrian Institute to study with the great organist and composer Anton Heiller at the Academy of Music in Vienna. He has since been active both in the field of music education – particularly at St Olave’s School, Orpington, where he was Director of Music for seventeen years – and as an organ recitalist. In this capacity he has given concerts in major venues throughout Europe, in New York and in New Zealand. In 2017 he gave concerts in Estonia, Germany, and Norway, and last year he performed in King’s College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He founded the Sine Nomine Singers in 1994 and conducted this chamber choir for almost 20 years, giving concerts in local venues as well as in Estonia, France and Germany. He was Director of Music here at St George’s from 2002 to 2016.

From the programme of 15 October 2022.

Jonny Davies Soloist

After being Queen’s Chorister and then Head Chorister at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, Jonny Davies won a music scholarship to Trinity School, Croydon. During his teenage years he studied violin with John Francis, piano with Nigel Clayton at Croydon Schools Piano Centre and organ with Simon Williams. He also acted as assistant organist at St Mary’s Church, Addington. He then went to Brasenose College, Oxford where he received an Organ Exhibition, and sang with Schola Cantorum and the Oxford Chamber Choir. Since leaving Oxford, Jonny has sung as a lay clerk in Guildford Cathedral, with the Holst Singers conducted by Stephen Layton, and with professional church choirs all over London. He was Director of Music at St Olave’s Church, Hart Street and St Katharine Cree in the City of London, from 2007 until 2015.

From the programme of 4 February 2023.

Ruth Holton Soprano

Ruth Holton studied at Clare College, Cambridge, where she was a choral exhibitioner. She has many recordings to her name including a project to record all of Bach’s sacred cantatas with the Holland Boys Choir. Her discography includes Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Carissimi’s Jephtha, Handels’ Messiah and Haydn’s Nelson Mass. Ruth has had a long association with the choir of St Thomas’ Leipzig, Bach’s own church, with whom she has performed and recorded the St John Passion and B Minor Mass. She returns to Leipzig in 2014 to give a recital of songs by C.P.E. Bach with Malcolm Bilson.

From the programme of 23 March 2013.

Graham Neal Soloist

Harriet Webb Mezzo-soprano

Harriet Webb read music at Manchester University where she studied violin with Ronald Birks of the Lindsay Quartet and singing with Diane Matthews at the Royal Northern College of Music. She currently studies with Sarah Dunstan. She has sung and made numerous recordings with several of the top London chamber choirs and groups such as the BBC Singers, Polyphony, the King’s Consort, and her own five- voice group, Amici. Solo work has included performances of Bach’s St Matthew and St John Passions, Christmas Oratorio and Magnificat, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Israel in Egypt and Dixit Dominus, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody, Elgar’s The Music Makers, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Requiems by Duruflé and Bruckner, Liszt’s Via Crucis, Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit and Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and Christ’s Nativity. Harriet has also participated in a masterclass on English song with Ian Partridge.

From the programme of 13 March 2010.