Ralph Vaughan Williams – Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Benjamin Britten – Ceremony of Carols
Jonathan Dove – I am the Day
Gerald Finzi – In terra pax
Amy Carson – Soprano
James Geidt – Baritone
Hugh Webb – Harp
Musica Tamesis Orchestra
Amy Carson - Soprano
Born in Bristol, Amy was the youngest of the first girl choristers at Salisbury Cathedral. Since graduating from Trinity College Cambridge, she studied at the Royal Academy. She has appeared as a soloist in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Versailles, Concertgebow (Monteverdi Choir) Champs Elysees, Wigmore Hall (Early Opera Company), the Barbican (Bach’s Matthew Passion), St John’s Smith Square (La Nuova Musica and Gabrieli Consort). She features on recordings with Solomon’s Knot (Sony) and London Mozart Players (Convivium).
Amy enjoys performing throughout the UK and Europe, and has recently established an ensemble, The Echoing Air, in her hometown Bruton, Somerset. She sang Second Woman in Somerset Opera’s Dido and Aeneas, as Soloist in Matthew Coleridge’s Requiem and in Handel’s Messiah in Worchester Cathedral.
Recent solo performances include Bach John Passion in Denmark with Ensemble Passio, Delius The High Hills with The Bach Choir in the Royal Festival Hall, Purcell Hail Bright Cecelia with The English Concert in the Wigmore Hall.
Amy is a featured soloist with Convivium records, having released premiere recordings of songs by Hugh Benham and Anthony Cæsar. She is also a member of Musica Secreta and features on their most recent recording Recordanze.
Howard Ionascu - Conductor
After a degree in music at Manchester University, Howard’s diverse career began as a professional singer in Wells Cathedral Choir, performing on many recordings, broadcasts and international tours.
Choral conducting began in 1997 when he founded The Laudate Choir, which continues to perform regularly in venues across the south east of England. Howard is also Musical Director of the Exeter Philharmonic Choir.
Past conducting roles have included Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir, Finchley Children’s Music Group Trebles Choir and The Esterhazy Singers of London. Howard is also in regular demand as a guest rehearsal conductor, and in recent years has worked with Choir of the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, Orlando Chamber Choir, City of London Choir, Rodolfus Choir, Guildford Choral Society, Winchester Philharmonic Choir and on Eton Choral Courses.
Howard has conducted a number of the leading UK orchestras and ensembles, including Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, London Mozart Players, English Chamber Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, New London Orchestra and Onyx Brass.
Howard has a long association with music education, having led departments at some of the UK’s finest educational establishments and directed the choirs at Winchester College, King’s Canterbury and Junior Royal Academy of Music.
