Pinner Festival Choir, Orchestra & Soloists

PINNER MUSIC FESTIVAL CHOIR, ORCHESTRA & SOLOISTS 

FIONA CANFIELD (Soprano)

DIANA MOORE (Mezzo-Soprano)

ANTON RICH (Tenor)

JONATHAN STAINSBY (Bass)

Conducted by DAVID GOULD

Michael Haydn

Requiem

Mozart was 15 and already a busy composer and performer, when he attended three performances of the Requiem by Michael Haydn, younger brother of the famous Joseph.

Haydn wrote his work in 1771, formally to mark the death of his employer but – more significantly – much affected by the death earlier that year of his only child. It is a lovely work and very good to hear afresh.

WA Mozart

Requiem

When Mozart came to write his great Requiem some twenty years later, at the end of his life, it was modelled closely on the structure of that by Haydn, who had become a collaborator and friend. Every section is deeply moving. It is said that Mozart was in tears as he sang the Lacrimosa on his death-bed to Süssmayer, who completed the work. We shall have a rare chance to hear the two works together, and to appreciate the connections and resonances, which also were an influence on the way in which the Mozart was completed.

David Gould was a choral scholar at St John’s College, Cambridge and a member of Westminster Cathedral choir from 1993 until 1998. He is an experienced consort and choral singer appearing regularly with many leading choirs and ensembles, including the Cardinall's Musick, the Tallis Scholars, the King´s Consort and the Sixteen. Over the last fifteen years, David has conducted various choirs in the London area including Stanmore Choral Society, the Sine Nomine Singers, Ashtead Choral Society and most recently the Amici Chamber Choir. David is an enthusiastic cyclist and tennis player and lives in Pinner with his wife, Hilary, and their two daughters, Celia and Anna.

Fiona Canfield read music at Goldsmiths’ College and subsequently studied singing at the Royal Academy of Music and the Britten-Pears School. In 1986 Fiona joined English National Opera where she has sung numerous roles, in particular Clair de Lune On The Town and Peep Bo The Mikado, which she also sang at La Fenice, Venice. In addition to her professional singing career Fiona has a particular love of photography, and is Pinner Parish Church Choir’s ‘unofficial photographer’!

Anton Rich was born in Devon and studied at the Royal Academy of Music. A member of ENO since 1986, he has sung and understudied many roles for the company, and has also sung leading roles with Kentish Opera. Anton has an extensive oratorio repertoire and has appeared at all the principal London concert venues. He has also recorded for Chandos under the late Sir Charles Mackerras. Anton, Fiona and their son, James, are all members of the congregation at St John’s Church, Pinner.

British mezzo-soprano Diana Moore has established herself as a firm favourite with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, acclaimed for her unique voice which 'combines the range of a mezzo with the tone quality of a contralto' (Gramophone), described by San Fransisco Classical Voice as 'warm, plush, full and eminently smooth'. Diana's approach – 'a mixture of intelligence with musicianship [and] emotional depth' (The Guardian) – has led to repeat engagements with many of the world's leading music ensembles, and frequent collaborations with eminent conductors. A recognised Handelian, Diana has performed roles for many noted opera companies and festivals including the eponymous hero of Rinaldo, Sesto in Giulio Cesare, and Medoro in Orlando. She has also appeared at many European Baroque Festivals with performances of Handel’s oratorio and choral works, and has performed his Messiah extensively across North America at numerous prestigious venues. Diana returned to Göttingen International Handel Festival in 2018 to sing the title role in The Choice of Hercules.

Jon Stainsby completed a doctorate in English Literature at the University of Oxford before studying as a postgraduate at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Opera School. He undertook further vocal training as a Britten Pears Young Artist at Aldeburgh, including a series of masterclasses with Mark Padmore which culminated in two performances of Bach’s St John Passion at Snape Maltings. He has performed as a soloist with a number of today’s leading baroque ensembles, including Dunedin Consort, the Academy of Ancient Music, and Vox Luminis. Other recent highlights include the title role in performances of Le nozze di Figaro at the Kopanous Festival, Corfu, for Garsington Opera; Demetrius/Bottom in a new performing version of Purcell’s Fairy Queen for Iford Arts; the baritone role in Claude Vivier’s Kopernikus for De Nationale Opera, Amsterdam; and an appearance with Southbank Sinfonia in the final of the Peter Hulsen Orchestra Song competition, for which he was awarded the David Gosman Award. He lives in South London with his wife and their young daughter.