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"Best of the soloists was the bass Stuart O’Hara in the Benedictus, a vaguely operatic setting
with an element of vocal bravura that he managed with great aplomb"
Stephen Walsh, theartsdesk.com
ABOUT
"In the recitatives, Stuart O’Hara nicely caught Pilate’s exasperation"
Robert Gammon, York Press
"The solo bass offered [a] tastefully decorated motet by Schütz... an angry and sorrowful lament by David for Absalom, attended by four mournful sackbuts"
Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutch Press
Stuart is a London-based freelance singer. A graduate of Durham University (BA(Hons), 2010) and the University of York (MA in Solo Voice Ensemble Singing, 2018), he is a student of Alexander Ashworth (RAM), and a former tutee of Robert Hollingworth (Director, I Fagiolini).
Stuart maintains a busy schedule of solo, consort, and choral singing across the U.K. Renowned for a wide vocal range and sensitivity to text, with a warm tone and power when necessary, he is equally happy as a recitalist, on the operatic stage, or singing polyphony in small ensembles. His specialisms include Russian and English song, and music of the Baroque era, particularly that of JS Bach.
He has worked with directors and conductors including, Harry Christophers (The Sixteen), Eamonn Dougan (De Profundis, Britten Sinfonia Voices, The Sixteen), Justin Doyle (RIAS Kammerchor), Philip Duffy (Liverpool Bach Collective), JanJoost van Elburg (Westerkerkkoor, Amsterdam), David Hill (with Ikon), Robert Hollingworth (I Fagiolini), Peter Holman (The Parley of Instruments), James MacMillan (with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra), Paul McCreesh (with the Royal Northern Sinfonia), Christopher Monks (Armonico Consort), Peter Seymour (Yorkshire Baroque Soloists), Greg Skidmore (Augustus Consort), Andrew Parrott (Taverner Consort), and Michael Waldron (London Choral Sinfonia).
Born and bred in Liverpool, Stuart spent seven years as a Lay Clerk at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King (RC), and two as a Songman at York Minster. He is now a Lay Vicar in the Choir of Westminster Abbey where he can be heard singing evensong Monday-Saturday at 17:00 (except Wednesday and every other Monday) and on Sundays at choral matins (10:00), eucharist (11:15), and evensong (15:00) during term time.
(N.B. Service times and details may change. For up-to-date info, please consult https://www.westminster-abbey.org/
"Of equal clarity and power was bass Stuart O'Hara in the role of Christus. Such richness and control, perfectly tailored to the ensemble and the acoustic."
Matthew Salisbury, Leamington Observer