Claire Ward & Guy Murgatroyd

“Claire Ward (soprano) and Guy Murgatroyd (pianist) met whilst studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Both avid linguists they share a passion for art song. Together they have performed recitals of Russian, Germanand French songand in October 2018 they met their debut at the Oxford Lieder Festival. Both Claire and Guy are committed to musical educationand as well as teaching, have workedin outreach with organizationssuch as Rogue Opera, Opera on the Move, Glyndebourne/Raise Your Voice, The Bach Choir, Opera Prelude and Brent Music Service. Claire Ward is a soprano based in London.Upon graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, Claire covered the role of Susanna at The Grange Festival and became a Britten Pears Young Artist performing Bach Cantatas in the Snape Malting Proms. In 2020 Claire will take on the role of Despina ina UK Tour with Opera on the Move, give a French song recital in St Paul’s Cathedral and join, the Opera Holland Park Chorus. Further opera roles include Venus in John Blow’s Venus and Adonis with the Royal Academy of Music, Yum-Yum (Gilbert & Sullivan), Mica?la (Bizet) and Mary Crawford (Dove). An avid recitalist, in April 2019she performed in the final of the Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform with Guy Murgatroyd.They returned to perform in the main festival in October 2019. Concert highlights include include Brahms Requiem,Smyth Mass in D, Macdowall Magnificat, Haydn Nelson Mass, Mozart Exultate Jubilate and Mass in C Minor. Whilst a student, Claire regularly performed in the Kohn Foundation/RAM Bach Cantata series with solo highlights of Bach’s Wedding Cantata BVW 202 in June 2017 and Mass in F major in October 2018. As an ensemble singer, Claire performs with groups including Britten Sinfonia Voice and Collegium Vocale Gent. Guy Murgatroyd enjoys an international reputation as one of a leading generation of pianists adaptable to many musical specialties including work as soloist, song pianist, répétiteur and musical director. Guy is the director of music for independent London company Opera Rogue who have recently celebrated five star reviews for their 2019 production of Don Giovanni. He has also been a regular house pianist on both the Dartington International Summer School and the Abingdon Summer School for Solo Singers for a number of years. Guy initially studied at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and was awarded every major award for piano accompaniment, and honours for the highest BMus degree marks in his class. Further studies followed at the Royal Academy of Music, and now with soprano, pianist and pedagogue Nina Rautio.”