Sally Carr
Soprano
Sally Carr studied voice with Susan Hamilton as part of her education at St Mary’s Music School and the University of Edinburgh. She currently studies with Linda Hirst as a postgraduate student at Trinity Laban Conservatoire where she is the Kathleen Roberts vocal scholar. She has been the recipient of both the Tovey Memorial (recital) Prize and the Janet Buckley Memorial Prize (for early music studies) promoted annually by the Reid School of Music. She is an alumna of the Genesis Sixteen young artist scheme and is a member of echo, an ensemble that comprises graduate Genesis members. She is part of a duo with clarinettist Calum Robertson, with whom she has performed various contemporary works and commissions throughout Scotland. She has performed operatic roles with Edinburgh Studio Opera and Ensemble OrQuesta in works by Purcell, Caccini, Carissimi and Dove. She has benefitted greatly from choral scholarships by Old Saint Paul’s, the Robin Chapel, the SCO chorus and the Old Royal Naval College Chapel Greenwich.
Photo taken by Eliza Brown.
Hannah Leggatt
Mezzo-soprano
Hannah is a recent graduate of the University of Edinburgh where she studied Music. During her time at university Hannah sang with the Edinburgh University Renaissance Singers, Edinburgh University Chamber Choir, and The Reid Consort. She was also a bursary singer at the Parish of Marchmont St Giles. While a member of NYCoS she had the privilege of working with conductors such as Christopher Bell, John Eliot Gardiner and Ed Gardner for various choral projects. Hannah’s university opera roles include Second Woman in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Mama Lucia in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana (both Edinburgh Studio Opera). In 2019 Hannah was the runner up in the University of Edinburgh’s Tovey Memorial Prize. More recently, she performed the role of Sorceress (Dido and Aeneas) as part of Coro19 at the Edinburgh Festival, and was the alto soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Edinburgh Bach Choir. Hannah is currently studying with Irene Drummond.
Sam Leggett
Tenor
Sam Leggett began singing in 2002 with the boys’ choir Libera, and later read Music at the University of Bristol, studying singing with Angela Hickey. In 2015, Sam was awarded a scholarship to conduct Bristol University Chamber Choir, directing concerts including Schubert’s Mass No. 1 at St George’s Bristol as well as on tour in Prague. He has served as a vocal coach for productions of The Marriage of Figaro, Sweeney Todd, and the pantomime Snow White. Sam’s operatic roles include Lord Tolloller in Iolanthe, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, Le Remendado in Carmen, Ferrando in Cosi Fan Tutte and Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville. He has appeared as a soloist with Shoreham Oratorio Choir, Saint Richard Singers, Stroud Choral Society, Bath Abbey Choir, UWE Chamber Choir, and Bristol University Singers. As a choral singer, Sam was a member of Genesis Sixteen under Harry Christophers CBE, and a Fellow with St Martin’s Voices. He sang as a Lay Vicar at Chichester Cathedral for three years, with highlights including the 2018 album Lest we Forget, and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop. Sam sings regularly with various London-based vocal ensembles and is currently studying for a Masters in Vocal Performance with Scott Johnson at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Timothy Edmundson
Baritone
Timothy Edmundson is currently in his final year at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Opera School, before which he graduated from the RCS undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. He is grateful to the Dewar Arts Awards for supporting his studies. Recent operatic highlights include Macheath in Die Dreigroschenoper and Betto di Signa in Gianni Schicchi, both for RCS Opera. He has also performed Papageno in Die Zauberflöte for Berlin Opernfest, the title role in The Marriage of Figaro and Schaunard in La Bohème. On the concert platform, Timothy has performed as a soloist in works including Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s The Creation, Mozart’s Requiem and Beethoven’s Symphony No.9, which he performed at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Chorus work has led to him to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival and the BBC Proms singing Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, Wagner’s Götterdämmerung and Prokofiev’s The Fiery Angel. He is a founding member of RCS Voices and a lay clerk with Glasgow Cathedral Choir. Future engagements include Curio in Giulio Cesare, Minskman in Flight, Le Chat in L’enfant et les sortilèges with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the role of Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro.
David Walsh
Tenor
Born in Prince Rupert, BC, Canada and brought up in Ireland, tenor David Walsh has trained as a singer since the age of 13 and is currently studying as a fourth year under the tutelage of renowned operatic soprano, Judith Howarth, in the University of Aberdeen as part of a Bachelor’s Degree in Music.
David has enjoyed regularly singing with many ensembles and performance companies in Ireland, including the Irish Youth Choir, Northern Irish Opera, North West Opera, Letterkenny Musical Society and Sestina Early Music Ensemble. And in Scotland, with Aberdeen Vocal Ensemble, the University Opera Society, Reid Consort, St Andrew’s Cathedral Choir, National Youth Choir of Scotland and University of Aberdeen’s Chapel and Chamber Choirs. Performances have included Carnegie Hall and University of Michigan under the direction of Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Buckingham Palace, Philharmonie de Paris, the Usher Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, Cipriani’s on Wall Street and many more.
David is also a recipient of the University’s Ogston Music Prize 2019.
Ross Cumming
Baritone
Ross Cumming has recently completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Aberdeen, receiving a First Class Honours degree in Music. He has just begun his Postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, studying under Matthew Best.
Ross developed a love for consort singing and early music whilst studying in Aberdeen and this has led to performances with leading early music experts such as Sir John Eliot Gardiner and Richard Egarr.
Jonathan Forbes Kennedy
Baritone
Scottish baritone Jonathan Forbes Kennedy studied on the BMus and MMus performance programmes at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, under the tutelage of Alan Watt. Since graduating in, Jonathan has enjoyed working with festivals such as Grange Park Opera and Waterperry Opera Festival.
Jessica Conway
Mezzo-soprano
Jessica is in her final year of a Masters at the Royal Northern College of Music, studying with Hilary Summers. She has appeared regularly as soloist with groups such as Manchester Baroque, Edinburgh Royal Choral Union, Eboracum Baroque and the BBC Daily Service choir.
Opera roles include Dido in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas (Eboracum Baroque), Despina in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte (Opera dei Lumi), and Countess & Marcellina in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (Edinburgh Studio Opera & Opera dei Lumi).
Colum Donovan-Paterson
Baritone
Colum is a third year student at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, studying on the BMus Vocal Studies course with Julian Tovey. He enjoys an active solo and ensemble career alongside his studies and is a member of RCS Voices, a specialist choral ensemble dedicated to performing a broad range of repertoire. Colum has sung with Caledonian Voices and regularly performs with the Cumnock Festival Chorus, working under directors such as Eamonn Dougan (The Sixteen) and Sir James MacMillan. He is a current member of Genesis Sixteen. Opera credits include singing in the chorus for Karen MacIver’s The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (Scottish Opera Connect), Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’Amore (New Generation Festival, Florence) and Jonathan Dove’s The Day After (RCS/ENO joint production). He also played the principal role of The Boy in Kurt Weill’s Der Jasager. Recent highlights include performing in the world premiere of James MacMillan’s All the Hills and Vales Along and in the Netflix Originals feature Outlaw King. He was recently highly commended at the Leonie Kayser Prize for Singing 2018.
Colum is one of four young singers joining Dunedin Consort as part of the Bridging the Gap initiative during the 2018-19 season.
Matthew McKinney
Tenor
Scottish tenor Matthew McKinney is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and winner of the 2024 Kathleen Ferrier Awards. He recently recorded Gastone La traviata (OperaGlass Works) and Rodolfo La bohème on Robin Norton-Hale’s forthcoming feature produced by Finite Films. In 2022 he sang Damon Acis & Galatea for Ryedale Festival and covered Henrik A Little Night Music for Opera North, having sung the role for Buxton International Festival in 2021. In 2023 he sang Luigino Il viaggio a Reims and Rustighello Lucrezia Borgia in new productions for ETO and will sing with the Glyndebourne Festival in 2024.
As a soloist Matthew has sung Haydn’s Creation, Harmoniemesse and Nelson Mass with the RCS Symphony Orchestra and Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C Minor, Vaughan Williams’ Mass in G minor, Howell’s Requiem, Tippett’s 5 Negro Spirituals, Bernstein’s Chinchester Psalms and Goodhall’s Eternal Light Requiem. In 2019 Matthew premiered a new English arrangement of Erwin Schulhoff’s The Communist Manifesto and appeared as a soloist in the Usher Hall as part of Edinburgh International Festival’s concert series celebrating Young performers.
Matthew has performed as a chorus member in Berlioz’ La Damnation du Faust, Jonathan Dove’s The Day After, Prokofiev’s The Fiery Angel, Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury, Wagner’s Tannhäuser, Kurt Weill’s Street Scene and as a Ghost Soldier in Benjamin Britten’s Owen Wingrave. In 2020 he sang as a chorister with the New Generation Festival in their production of La Cenerentola at the Palazzo Corsini in Florence.
Matthew has twice appeared with the Monteverdi Choir at the BBC Proms and in France for a performance of Berlioz’ La Damnation de Faust. He joined the prestigious Genesis 16 choral apprenticeship programme and was one of four young singers joining Dunedin Consort as part of the Bridging the Gap initiative (2018-19). In 2016 he featured as a soloist in the National Youth Choir of Scotland’s US tour with concerts including the annual 4th of July Independence Day celebration in Grant Park, Chicago.
At the RCS Matthew won the Norma Grieg French Song competition, Molly Robb competition for voice (adjudicated by Karen Cargill) and RCS Governors’ recital prize. Matthew is grateful to the Robertson Trust, John Mather Rising Star scholarship, Help Musicians (Ian Fleming) Award, Sir James Caird Travelling Scholarship, WFT Anderson Scholarship, The Underwood Trust Scholarship and The Dale Scholarship for supporting him through his studies with then voice tutor Professor Stephen Robertson. Matthew now studies with Robert Dean and has regular coachings with Jane Robinson and Nicky Spence.
Kirsty Hobkirk
Soprano
Kirsty Hobkirk began her choral training as a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral. From there, she went on to Wells Cathedral School where, as a specialist musician, she was a part of Choralia, with whom she competed in the final of the Let the People’s Sing Competition. Kirsty was a member of the National youth Choir of Great Britain and since moving to Scotland in 2015, has been a member of the National Youth Choir of Scotland. With NYCoS she has sung at the BBC Proms alongside The Monteverdi singers under Sir John Elliot Gardiner. More recently, she sang with the group in the Usher Hall, making her solo debut. She was fortunate to be part of the NYCoS USA tour last month, singing in the Carnegie Hall, again, under Sir John Elliot Gardiner.
In 2015, Kirsty was one of the inaugural VOCES8 scholars which gave her the opportunity to sing with the group, most memorably in a concert of Handel’s Dixit Dominus with Paul McCreesh and the Gabrielli Players. Kirsty is currently in her final year of a BMus at the RCS, studying with Wilma MacDougall. Throughout her degree she has been a member of RCS Voices, with whom she sang in the St Magnus International Festival in 2017. Over the last four years, Kirsty has been lucky enough to continue her love of liturgical music as a regular singer with the Glasgow Cathedral choir.
Kirsty is one of four young singers joining Dunedin Consort as part of the Bridging the Gap initiative during the 2018-19 season.
Rebecca Anderson
Mezzo-soprano
Rebecca is a mezzo-soprano and conductor based in Edinburgh. She has been part of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Chorus’ Young Singers’ Programme since 2016 and has had masterclasses with internationally renowned singers Neal Davies and Andrew Staples. Recent credits have included Noémie Cendrillon (Fife Opera); Constance The Sorcerer (Cat-like Tread); Mrs Grose The Turn of the Screw (Byre Opera); and Mad Margaret Ruddigore (University of St Andrews’ Gilbert and Sullivan Society). In 2014 Rebecca gave the European premier of Jorge Martin’s song cycle A Cuban in Vermont, and in 2016 she won the University of St Andrews’ Concerto Competition and performed Mozart’s concert aria ‘Ch’io mi scordi di te?’ with the St Andrews’ Chamber Orchestra.
As a conductor, Rebecca has trained with leading conductors Siân Edwards, Jonathan Berman and Christopher Gayford. She was part of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Women Conductor’s Initiative in 2017 and has recently taken up a fellowship with the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union. She has conducted a number of fully-staged operettas in St Andrews and at the International Fringe Festival as well as holding position of Artistic Director of the University of St Andrews’ Music Society’s Concert Wind Band and Chorus 2013-16.
Rebecca is one of four young singers joining Dunedin Consort as part of its Bridging the Gap initiative for the 2018-19 season.
