BACH: ST JOHN PASSION. Saturday 24th March 7.30pm. St Augustine’s Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9JN

On 24th March Birmingham Festival Choral Society will be singing with some very talented and highly regarded instrumentalists and vocal soloists who specialise in early music. We hope that you will be able to share this special occasion with us.

The Musical and Amicable Society Baroque Orchestra

The original Musical and Amicable Society was founded in 1762 by James Kempson, who directed the choir at St Bartholomew’s Chapel, Birmingham. Together with fellow musicians from St Philip’s Church (now Birmingham Cathedral), Kempson and his singers gathered on a regular basis at Cooke’s tavern in the Cherry Orchard “for practice and recreation”. In 2003, Kate Fawcett and Martin Perkins decided to revive this historic society as a collective of professional period-instrument specialists. Their presiding ethos is one of chamber music – however large or small the formation – where each and every performer has a significant role to play. Individually, their members maintain successful freelance careers with some of Europe’s most prestigious period-instrument ensembles.

Andrew King – Evangelist

Andrew King is known mostly as a singer specialising in Renaissance and Baroque music. In his early career he sang with The Tallis Scholars, BBC Singers and as a founder member of The Sixteen. Apart from his solo appearances in oratorio and baroque operas he has always enjoyed small ensemble work. As Evangelist in the Bach St. John and St. Matthew Passions he has performed in many concerts at home and abroad.

Andrew teaches at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and also at the University of Birmingham

Andrew Tipple – Christus

Andrew has appeared in many operatic performances. He also regularly appears in concert, singing a large variety of repertoire including Bach’s St John Passion at Arundel Cathedral.

Emilia Morton Soprano

As a member of The Sixteen Emilia has made a number of recordings and performed concerts around the world. She is also a member of Tenebrae, with whom she has made many recordings and performed solos in Bach’s Mass in B minor.

Matthew Venner Alto

Matthew is a member of the internationally renowned Orlando Consort, an ensemble specialising in medieval and early renaissance music. He has performed with many of today’s leading vocal ensembles including The Cardinall’s Musick, The King’s Consort, The Monteverdi Choir, The Sixteen and The Tallis Scholars.

Matthew has become increasingly in demand as a soloist, and has sung on many recordings.

Robert Jenkins – Tenor

Robert completed his Bachelor in Music (Honours) degree at Birmingham Conservatoire in 2012, studying under Professor Julian Pike. During his time in Birmingham, Robert was Tenor Lay Clark at Birmingham Cathedral. Robert now follows a freelance career and sings with many professional ensembles, including the BBC Singers, Ex-Cathedra, Polyphony, Philharmonia Voices and Siglo de Oro.

Richard Paterson – Bass

Richard Paterson studied with Julian Pike and Gordon Sandison at the Birmingham Conservatoire, where he sang as part of the Conservatoire Chamber Choir, under the direction of Paul Spicer. Richard sang for the Reinterment of King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral in 2015 before taking up a position later that year as Bass Lay Vicar at Chichester Cathedral, where he sings for regular services and concerts.