Thomas Walker - Tenor

Thomas was born in Glasgow and studied at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where he received a bachelor of music performance degree, graduating with honours in July 2001. Thomas started his musical training as a member of the brass faculty, winning several competitions, and representing the RSAMD in the LASMO STAFFA prize 2001.

During this period Thomas was heavily involved in the life of the singing faculty, performing regularly with the RSAMD chamber choir and ‘The voices of Academy Now’, in many new and challenging works. Namely in the British premier of ‘Marco Polo’, an opera by the then composer in residence with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Tan Dun. Performing at the Huddersfield contemporary music festival and the Barbican Centre London, with the composer conducting the BBCSSO. Thomas started singing lessons in his third year at the RSAMD studying with Mr Ian Thomson, and Mr Peter Alexander Wilson.

More recently Thomas has been a frequent performer with many choral societies within the British Isles, performing works such as Bach Magnificat Gounod St Cecilia Mass Handel Judas Maccabeus, Chandos Anthems and Messiah, and the Wedding anthem ‘Sing unto God’ and Theodora. Haydn Nelson Mass and St Cecilia Mass. Mendelssohn Elijah and Hymn of Praise, Mozart Requiem and Mass in Cminor, Orff Carmina Burana, Saint Saens Christmas Oratorio, and Requiem, Schubert Magnificat, Stainer Crucifixion and Weber Mass in G.

Recent engagements include Elijah at the Royal Albert hall as part of the BBC Proms, with Kurt Masur and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bach Christmas Oratorio with Kings College Cambridge and Stephen Cleobury also at the Royal Albert Hall, and the same work in St Johns Smith Square with Peter Schreier. Britten Serenade for Tenor Horn and strings at St Paul’s church Covent Garden with the Covent Garden string orchestra, Mozart Requiem in St Martin’s in the fields and St John’s Smith square, London. Monteverdi Vespers in St Martin’s in the fields, Bach St John Passion in St Johns Smith Square, Zelenka ‘Laudate pueri dominum’ and Bach cantata 55 in Saluzzo, Northern Italy, Handel Chandos anthems in Leipzig with Stephen Cleobury and the Academy of Ancient Music, and Haydn Nelson Mass in Lincoln for the Lincoln festival with Stephen Cleobury.

For the Benjamin Britten International Opera School Thomas has sung the role of Gherardo, in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. He is also understudied the roles of Oedipus in Stravinsky’s ‘Oedipus rex’, Lysander in Britten’s ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’, and Peter in Handels ‘Brockes Passion’. Singing Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni, Nemorino, L’Elisir D’Amore, Nerone L’Incoronatione Di Poppea, Male chorus, The Rape of Lucretia, Des Grieux Manon, and Prunier La Rondine in Scenes.

He has participated in masterclasses with Sarah Walker, Roger Vignoles, Jennifer Smith, James Bowman, Wolfgang Holztmair, Iain Burnside and Sir Thomas Allen at The Royal College of Music. Thomas is currently studying with Ryland Davies.

Future engagements include, Mahler Das Lied von der Erde in Boston USA. Bach Magnificat with the Northern Sinfonia, and Britten St Nicholas in Glasgow, both of which are in December 2003. Also Thomas will sing Tamino in Die Zauberflöte for British youth opera, and Frederico in Verdi Stiffelio for Cadogen opera Holland Park in summer 2003.