Jessica Gillingwater

London born mezzo soprano Jessica Gillingwater studies with David Pollard and is a member of the BBC Singers. Recent concert highlights include Bernstein’s Jeremiah symphony with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at Saffron Hall, Duruflé’s Requiem with Stephen Cleobury and the BBC Concert Orchestra at King’s College Cambridge and Mrs Noye in Britten’s Noye’s Fludde with Martyn Brabbins at Southwark Cathedral. Jessica also has a keen interest in contemporary music and has recently performed Boulez’s Le Marteau Sans Maître and Ligeti’s Aventures and Nouvelles Aventures with the Psappha Ensemble at Hallé St Peter’s.  Jessica’s oratorio repertoire includes Handel’s Messiah, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius; Bach’s Passions and B Minor Mass; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Verdi’s Requiem. Jessica also performs regularly with ensembles including Exaudi, Solomon’s Knot,  The Marian Consort, Alamire and The Choir of the Enlightenment.

Jessica completed ENO’s Opera Works Programme in 2015 having previously studied with Louise Winter at the Royal Northern College of Music where she was supported by the D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust. Whilst at the RNCM she was a finalist in the Elizabeth Harwood and Frederic Cox competitions and was awarded the Dame Eva Turner Prize. She was the vocal faculty winner of the concerto competition and performed the Wesendonck Lieder in the RNCM Concerto Competition Final. Jessica has participated in masterclasses with Christine Brewer, Mark Shanahan and Catherine Wyn-Rogers. Jessica has performed the roles of Mrs Herring, Albert Herring (Hampstead Garden Opera/ Britten); Giunone, Il Ritorno D’Ulisse in Patria (RNCM/Monteverdi); Miranda, The Dancing Master (Malcolm Arnold Festival / Arnold); Mother and Witch, Hansel and Gretel (Didsbury Arts Festival/ Humperdinck).