Grace Davidson (Soprano)

Born: England

The English soprano, Grace Davidson, made her singing debut at three years. She had to be stifled by her mother when she tried to sing along all the way through “Cats” at the New London Theatre. At first she learned the piano and violin but it was singing with the Finchley Children’s Music Group which took her to the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Albert Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral; just about every large hall in London. “Except Wembley” she said, glumly. Which perhaps sowed the seeds of ambition. She studied at The Royal Academy of Music where she gained her BMus and postgraduate degrees. Like most music students, she was working professionally before she graduated; her bread and butter coming from singing in the choir at the Guards' Chapel.

Now Grace Davidson is a member of The Sixteen, Tenebrae, The English Concert, The Gabrieli Consort, Ensemble Plus Ultra and Ex Cathedra and she tours regularly with them both as soloist and consort member. She was also a member of the Monteverdi Choir and has sung regularly with Polyphony. Like all singers, she has occasionally found herself singing strange things, sometimes in strange places. In her case, these have included the soundtrack of Pirates of the Caribbean, Jeffery Archer's Christmas party and the national anthems in the middle of the Madjeski Stadium for the England “B” versus Byelorussia match.

Solo engagements have recently included singing for David Hill at the Royal Albert Hall, Purcell Come Ye Sons Of Art with The Monteverdi Choir and John Eliot Gardiner and George Frideric Handel Cantatas at The Handel In Oxford Festival with The Sixteen. More recent performances have included G.F. Handel’s Gloria for the 'Proms at St Jude’s’ Festival in Hampstead, J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion (BWV 245) with Highgate Choral Society, J.S. Bach's St Matthew Passion (BWV 244), G.F. Handel’s Dixit Dominus with The English Concert/Tenebrae for the Bath Festival, Carmina Burana with Ex Cathedra and the role of Belinda in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas at the 2006 Halle Festival with Trevor Pinnock.

Grace Davidson has recorded Allegri’s Miserere for The Sixteen and for Tenebrae on the Signum Records label. The Miserere was performed by The Sixteen when they won their Classic Brits award at the Albert Hall in 2006. She performs regularly with Christian Forshaw (saxophone) and features on his newly released album Renouncement. Her debut solo disc "A Portrait" with Fiori Musicali was was released in October 2007.

Her future engagements include J.S. Bach’s Cantata BWV 198 Trauer-Ode and G.F. Handel’s The Ways Of Zion Do Mourn at the Rheingau Festival, then Bachwoche Ansbach with The English Concert conducted by Andrew Manze, and the part of the Angel in G.F. Handel’s Jeptha.

Source: Grace Davidson Website; Cloucestr Choral Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2008)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Penelope Rapson

Soprano

Aria from BWV 249 [w/ Fiori Musicali]

Jeffrey Skidmore

Soprano

BWV 244 [sung in English]

Links to other Sites

Grace Davidson - Soprano (Official Website)

Grace Davidson - Soprano (Gloucester Choral)