The Choir > Profiles
Edward Higginbottom, Director
Edward Higginbottom is one of the UK’s top
choral directors. His work with New College Choir has covered a particularly
wide range of music. He is an expert in the performance of Renaissance, Baroque
and Classical choral repertory, where his discography is particularly strong. But
he has also engaged in the 20th century and contemporary fields, and
a number of highly successful recordings bear witness to his skills in these
areas. As a musicologist, he has made it his business to research and perform
unusual repertory. He has brought to light works by Desmarest, du Caurroy,
Mondonville, François Couperin, Le Jeune, Boyce, Croft, Gibbons, and many
others, being responsible not only for the performance but also the editions
used. At the same time, he has made highly acclaimed recordings of many of the
choral ‘standards’, such as Haydn’s Creation,
Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St John Passion, Monteverdi’s Vespers and Mozart’s Requiem. He has worked with many leading
instrumental ensembles, including The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment,
The Academy of Ancient Music and the European Union Baroque Orchestra.
For a time he was involved in the re-establishment of choir schools (maîtrises) in France, and received the decoration Commandeur de l’ordre des arts et des lettres from the French government for this work and his advocacy of French music, particularly of the baroque period. His work often takes him abroad, either directing New College Choir, or as a guest conductor. His approach to choral timbre and style has produced what many call the ‘New College sound’.
For a time he was involved in the re-establishment of choir schools (maîtrises) in France, and received the decoration Commandeur de l’ordre des arts et des lettres from the French government for this work and his advocacy of French music, particularly of the baroque period. His work often takes him abroad, either directing New College Choir, or as a guest conductor. His approach to choral timbre and style has produced what many call the ‘New College sound’.
Steven Grahl, Assistant Organist
Steven Grahl has been Assistant Organist at New College since 2007. He plays for the chapel services, is a member of the University Faculty of Music, and is responsible for the Choir’s outreach programme, including work in three Oxford primary schools. Steven is also Organist and Director of Music at St Marylebone Parish Church, London, where he conducts the professional choir and is custodian of the 1987 Rieger organ. Steven has established the St Marylebone Youth Choir, Organ Scholarship and evening concert series. He is also Principal Conductor of the Guildford Chamber Choir.
In recent years, Steven has given performances in America, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and at numerous prestigious UK venues. He appears on several CD recordings, and his playing can be heard on the weekly webcast from New College Chapel, and has been broadcast on the BBC and French Radio.
A prize-winning graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford and the Royal Academy of Music, Steven gained the Limpus (highest mark) and Dixon (improvisation) prizes in his FRCO examination, and is also a holder of the Worshipful Company of Musicians’ Silver Medallion. He is an accompanist and examiner for the RSCM’s national singing awards and in 2010 was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM), an award offered to past students of the Academy who have distinguished themselves in the music profession and made a significant contribution to it in their particular field. For more information, please visit www.stevengrahl.com.
In recent years, Steven has given performances in America, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and at numerous prestigious UK venues. He appears on several CD recordings, and his playing can be heard on the weekly webcast from New College Chapel, and has been broadcast on the BBC and French Radio.
A prize-winning graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford and the Royal Academy of Music, Steven gained the Limpus (highest mark) and Dixon (improvisation) prizes in his FRCO examination, and is also a holder of the Worshipful Company of Musicians’ Silver Medallion. He is an accompanist and examiner for the RSCM’s national singing awards and in 2010 was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM), an award offered to past students of the Academy who have distinguished themselves in the music profession and made a significant contribution to it in their particular field. For more information, please visit www.stevengrahl.com.
Ben Bloor, Organ Scholar
Ben Bloor was born in Derby in 1991. He started his musical education with the piano in 1998 closely followed by the organ in 2002, studying with Peter Gould. As a boy Ben sang in the Derby Cathedral Choir and in his final year was Head chorister. This led to his being chosen as the organ scholar there when his voice broke, playing for many services. As part of this role Ben also accompanied the choir on several tours to places including Italy, Germany and France as well as to St Albans and York Minster. During his time at Derby Ben also played for live national radio for the BBC Radio Three Choral Evensong, indeed he was one of the youngest organists ever to do so. In 2010 Ben achieved his ATCL Piano Diploma which was in addition to the ARCO Organ Diploma he was awarded in 2009, for which he won the Sawyer and Durrant Prize for his performance.
Last year Ben was awarded the organ scholarship at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, where he resided and worked for a year, training the probationer choristers as well as playing regularly for services, many of which were attended by royalty. He is currently reading music as an undergraduate at New College and studies the organ with Stephen Farr.
Recently, Ben was a finalist in both the American Guild of Organists Quimby Competition for Young Organists, held in New Jersey, as well as the inaugural Northern Ireland International Organ Competition in Armagh, and is much in demand as a recitalist up and down the country.
Last year Ben was awarded the organ scholarship at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, where he resided and worked for a year, training the probationer choristers as well as playing regularly for services, many of which were attended by royalty. He is currently reading music as an undergraduate at New College and studies the organ with Stephen Farr.
Recently, Ben was a finalist in both the American Guild of Organists Quimby Competition for Young Organists, held in New Jersey, as well as the inaugural Northern Ireland International Organ Competition in Armagh, and is much in demand as a recitalist up and down the country.
Bronwen Mills, Singing Teacher
Bronwen Mills studied at the Guildhall of Music after obtaining a Bachelor of Music degree from King’s College, London.
She began her singing career with John Eliot Gardiner’s Monteverdi Choir, singing also for the Schutz Choir with Roger Norrington, The Richard Hickox Singers and the BBC Singers ad hoc.
She made her operatic debut with Kent Opera singing Miss Jessel in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. She then sang Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte and Violetta in La Traviata for Opera 80 (now English Touring Opera), to great critical acclaim. She has sung principal roles for Welsh National Opera, Opera North, Dublin Opera, New Israeli Opera, and in Parma, Ferrara, and Reggio Emilia in Italy.
She has wide concert and oratorio repertoire and has sung with the English Chamber Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Halle Orchestra as well as making regular appearances on the South Bank in London. She has been the soprano soloist with most of the major choral societies in the UK. She sang Handel’s Messiah in Lithuania and at the Kremlin in Moscow conducted by Yehudi Menuhin.
She has made recordings including Donizetti’s Emilia di Liverpool, Boyce’sSolomon, Dibdin’s Ephesian Matron and Polly in the Beggar’s Opera. She is regularly to be heard on Radio 3 and Classic FM.
Bronwen is the singing teacher of the choristers at Tewkesbury Abbey. She is also singing teacher at Lincoln College, Oxford and teaches the Choral Scholars at many other Oxford Colleges.
She began her singing career with John Eliot Gardiner’s Monteverdi Choir, singing also for the Schutz Choir with Roger Norrington, The Richard Hickox Singers and the BBC Singers ad hoc.
She made her operatic debut with Kent Opera singing Miss Jessel in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. She then sang Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte and Violetta in La Traviata for Opera 80 (now English Touring Opera), to great critical acclaim. She has sung principal roles for Welsh National Opera, Opera North, Dublin Opera, New Israeli Opera, and in Parma, Ferrara, and Reggio Emilia in Italy.
She has wide concert and oratorio repertoire and has sung with the English Chamber Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Halle Orchestra as well as making regular appearances on the South Bank in London. She has been the soprano soloist with most of the major choral societies in the UK. She sang Handel’s Messiah in Lithuania and at the Kremlin in Moscow conducted by Yehudi Menuhin.
She has made recordings including Donizetti’s Emilia di Liverpool, Boyce’sSolomon, Dibdin’s Ephesian Matron and Polly in the Beggar’s Opera. She is regularly to be heard on Radio 3 and Classic FM.
Bronwen is the singing teacher of the choristers at Tewkesbury Abbey. She is also singing teacher at Lincoln College, Oxford and teaches the Choral Scholars at many other Oxford Colleges.
