A L I C E B I S H O P
B i o g r a p h y
Alice read music at The University of Surrey, playing violin as her first instrument. There she became interested firstly in the song repertoire and then in learning to sing herself. She started her singing in choirs but as her voice developed she went on to perform as a soloist with choirs and orchestras and in recital. She also teaches singing.
Song recitals
Alice has given very many recitals delighting audiences with her imaginative programmes. She loves the song repertoire because she is fascinated by the music and the extraordinary range of colour, atmosphere and intensity which composers create in such miniature works. She also relishes the challenge of being a ‘new’ character for each song and working with a pianist to create that ‘story’.
Alice's regular accompanist is now David Elwin.
Opera
Alice has recently sung the role of Pamina in The Magic Flute.
As an actor she has taken part in productions of Medea, Macbeth (in a transgender version!) and The Canterbury Tales – devised and scripted by the cast.
Oratorios and Orchestral Songs
Alice has sung many concerts with orchestras and choral societies including:
Choral repertoire:
Haydn’s Nelson Mass, The Creation, Salve Regina and the Little Organ Mass; Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Messiah; Rutter’s Mass for the Children, Feel the Spirit and Requiem; Bruckner’s Mass in F minor; Respighi’s Lauda Sion and Vivaldi’s Gloria.
Orchestral repertoire:
Strauss’ Four Last Songs; Handel Opera Arias; Mozart’s Ch’io mi scordi di te; Beethoven’s 9th Symphony; St Johanser’s The Year of the Green Parrots (a song cycle for 3 sopranos and instrumental septet); opera arias and duets; Vaughan-Williams Serenade to Music.
Singing Studies
Alice studied singing with Sally Le Sage, Hazel Wood, Annette Thompson, Sirry-Ella Magnus and Anne Haenen. She completed the Abbey Opera Diploma in Performance Skills and has attended numerous summer schools, most recently, Irish Vocal Masterclasses and before that Summer Music Summer School, participating in master classes, opera scenes, acting classes and oratorio performances. Recently, Alice spent an intensive week studying the song repertoire with Malcolm Martineau on his course at Crear.
Performing Strauss'
FourLast Songs
Pamina in The Magic Flute