Joseph Bolger Countertenor & Educator Curriculum Vitae [email protected] +44 (0)7722 330160
Education
Ph.D Musicology Ongoing King’s College, London 2013-Present MA Opera Distinction Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama 2011-2013 MMus Vocal Studies Merit Royal Academy of Music, London 2009-2011 BA (hons) Music First Class Pembroke College, University of Oxford 2006-2009
Teaching
Senior Lecturer in Classical Voice: Leeds College of Music January 2015-Present As a Senior Lecturer in Classical Voice at Leeds College of Music I am responsible for delivering one-to-one singing lessons and ensemble coaching for further education, undergraduate and postgraduate students. I also undertake curriculum development and examining duties.
Conductor: Leeds College of Music Chamber Choir October-November 2015 As Conductor of Leeds College of Music Chamber Choir I directed weekly rehearsals and a concert as part of celebrations for the college’s fiftieth anniversary. We performed a selection of motets by composers including Schütz, Bach, Tarik O’Regan and Kerry Andrew.
Course Facilitator: Leeds College of Music 2013-Present I first delivered my course Performing English Seventeenth-Century Song as a Specialist Project at Leeds College of Music in November 2013. The course was delivered as a week of intensive seminars, workshops and masterclasses which explored how a great variety of media and technologies – from treatises to youtube videos, from lutes to saxophones – can be used to shape performances of English seventeenth-century song. The course is now repeated annually.
Graduate Teaching Assistant: Kings College London September 2014 – July 2015 During the 2014-15 academic year I was employed as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Music Department at King’s College London. My role involved delivering seminars and original lecture material to undergraduate students. Courses I taught on include: Revolutionary Opera Issues and Topics Analysis I also delivered vocal coaching and a masterclass as part of the Advanced Performance Studies course.
Singing
Opera Edward The Masque of Alfred/Arne Doha Baroque Ensemble, Qatar 2016 Ormonte Elpidia/Handel Opera Settecento, London Handel Festival 2016 Prince Arthur Early Morning/Bowler Size Zero Opera/Royal Opera House workshops 2015 Various music by Elena Langer Welsh National Opera, The Vale Festival 2014 Guest (c) The Killing Flower/Sciarrino Music Theatre Wales 2013 Andronico Tamerlano/Handel New Chamber Opera 2013 Refugee Flight/Dove Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama 2013 Othniel (c) Joshua/Handel Opera North 2013 Spirit (c) Dido & Aeneas/Purcell Opera North 2013 Soloist Baroque Around the Block Armonico Consort Tour 2012 Soloist Too Hot to Handel Armonico Consort Tour 2012-2014 The Sandman The Sandman/Bowler Size Zero Opera, Tête à Tête Festival 2012 Turio Cajo Fabricio/Hasse Ensemble Serse, London Handel Festival 2012 Soloist Exposure/Laura Bowler The Royal Opera House, Linbury Theatre 2011 Emira Siroe/Hasse Ensemble Serse, London Handel Festival 2011
Concert Soloist Appearances Solomon/Handel Bristol University Baroque Ensemble 2015 Lute Song Recital Duo Seraphim, Brighton Early Music Festival 2015 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne/Handel Amadé Players, London Handel Festival 2015 Messiah/Handel Lincoln Cathedral Choir 2014 St. Matthew Passion/Bach Armonico Consort 2014 The Fifth Continent/Patterson Portsmouth Choral Union 2014 Messiah/Handel Guildford Philharmonic 2012 The Choice of Hercules/Handel Badinerie, Dora Stoutzker Hall 2012 Castrato Arias Badinerie, The National Museum of Wales 2011
Conducting & Choir Training
Vivace Choir April 2014-December 2015 Vivace Choir is an amateur chamber choir of around 40 singers based in Arlesey, Bedfordshire. As Musical Director I led the choir in rehearsals and performances for five concerts VIvace at Christmas – Britten & Chilcott, December 2015 From Foreign Lands – Hitchin Festival, July 2015 STAINER Crucifixion – Letchworth Garden City, March 2015 A Baroque Christmas – Hitchin, December 2014 Tea , Cake and Folk Songs – Hitchin Festival, July 2014 In this role I also programme concerts, devise rehearsal schedules and liaise with the committee on matters including fundraising and concert marketing.
King’s College Chorus January – Marcch 2015 King’s College Chorus is a student choral society of around 70 members based at King’s College London. I conducted them in their Spring 2015 concert of MENDELSSOHN St. Paul in the Strand Chapel at King’s College London. This involved directing weekly rehearsals as well as administrative duties such as providing weekly rehearsal schedules and audition and booking soloists.
Sforza 2011-2014 Sforza was a flexible early music ensemble built around a consort of 10-12 young professional and conservatoire singers. As Musical Director I lead the ensemble in rehearsals, performances and workshops on a project-by-project basis. I also liaise with the committee and patrons regarding all aspects of concert administration including fund raising and marketing. Notable projects include: THOMKINS Madrigals – Cardiff 2014 HANDEL Semele – Cardiff 2013 MONTEVERDI Madrigals Workshop – Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama 2013 PURCELL Dido & Aeneas – Oxford 2012 BLOW Venus & Adonis – Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama 2011
Choral Scholar, Pembroke College Oxford 2006-2009 As a choral scholar I assisted the organ scholar in the direction and management of the chapel choir at Pembroke College, Oxford. My responsibilities included conducting the choir in weekly services as well as preparing them for special events and tours.
Pembroke Chamber Singers and Players 2007-2009 I founded the Pembroke Chamber Singers and Players in 2007 during my time as President of Pembroke College Music Society. The Pembroke Chamber Singers was a choir of around 16 student singers and the Pembroke Chamber Players a chamber orchestra of around 30 players. As Artistic and Musical Director I conducted the both ensembles as well as devising programmes and rehearsal schedules on a project-by- project basis. Notable projects included: BACH St John Passion (choir and orchestra) PURCELL The Tempest (choir and orchestra) LANGLAIS Messe Sollenelle (choir) MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466 (orchestra) MOZART Symphony No. 34 in C Major, K. 338 (orchestra)
Carlisle Cathedral Youth Choir: Assistant Conductor 2005-2006 During my final year as a member of Carlisle Cathedral Youth Choir, I assisted the Assisted Organist by directing rehearsals and services on an occasional basis.
Conducting Training Conducting Teachers Neil Ferris (Choral); Robin Newton (Opera) Masterclasses and Consultations Fra’ Richard Divall (Opera and Baton Technique) Alice Farnham John Trail (Stravinsky) Ralph Allwood (Renaissance Choral Music) Peter Hanke (Choral Direction) Courses Attended Sing for Pleasure Summer School: 2007, 2008 Voces Academy: 2015