RPS Young Artist Biography
Matthew Sprange - baritone
2008 Susan Chilcott Scholar
Matthew gained Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Royal Holloway, University of London where he began his vocal studies with Wynford Evans. In September 2008 he started the opera course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, having taken MMus and MMP degrees at the school, studying with John Evans.
Recent oratorio engagements include Handel’s Judas Maccabeus and Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Solemn Vespers and Puccini’s Messa di Gloria in venues including St. James’ Church, Piccadilly and the Farnham Maltings. He recently made his solo Barbican debut in a performance of Tippett’s Five Negro Spirituals in a concert conducted by Bob Chilcott and featuring the BBC Singers.
Matthew has taken part in masterclasses with artists including Graham Johnson, Helmut Deutsch, Susan Bullock, Rudolf Piernay and Yvonne Kenny. 2007 saw his Wigmore Hall debut and he also took part in a staged song programme devised by Iain Burnside. Opera Magazine’s review commented on his ‘thoughtful persona and lyrical timbre’ and ‘clarity of diction (which) would put a major name or two to shame.’
On the operatic stage, Matthew covered the role of Mr. Gedge (Albert Herring) and Minskman in Jonathan Dove’s Flight for British Youth Opera in the summers of 2007 and 2008 . GSMD productions he has taken part in are Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (Chorus), Richard Strauss’ Capriccio (Diener), Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (Chorus) and Offenbach’s La vie Parisienne (Gontran). He recently gave a lunchtime concert at Christchurch Spitalfields as part of its Music@Lunch series and a Coffee Concert at the Ryedale Festival.
Future plans include playing the role of Le Chef de caravane in Gluck’s La Rencontre imprévue, a programme of opera scenes (both at GSMD) and oratorio performances in Cirencester, Norwich and Worcester Cathedral. Matthew is supported in his studies by the Tillett Trust, the Colin Keer Foundation and the Worshipful Company of Girdlers and has recently been awarded a Susan Chilcott Scholarship.
October 2008
.
.