KIM BEGLEY

Kim Begley is best known for his long and distinguished career as one of the UK’s leading dramatic Tenors. Since his debut in 1982 with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden , Kim went on to sing over forty principal roles; He sang regularly with the Metropolitan Opera New York, Lyric Opera Chicago, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Japan, Bayreuth, Vienna Staatsoper, Berlin, Salzburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Geneva, La Scala, Florence, Bastille and Chatelet , Aix en Provence Festival and Paris Opera. In the UK Kim was a regular guest artist with ENO, Glyndebourne and WNO. Kim also enjoyed a busy and demanding International concert career appearing regularly with major orchestras at The Proms, Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood etc

 

Kim made many recordings and in 2003 was the recipient of a Grammy Award for his interpretation of  ‘Mefistofeles’ in Busoni’s Doctor Faustus with conductor Kent Nagano. He was also nominated for an Olivier Award for his performance as Parsifal with English National Opera. His discography includes “Das Rheingold” and “Salome” (Dohnanyi) “Falstaff” (Solti) “Leonora” (Elliot Gardner), “Flying Dutchman” (Parry Chandos). His Live performance Opera Streamings  include Herod “ Salome”, Pierre “ War and Peace” from The Metropolitan Opera New York and  King Roger from Covent Garden.

 

Alongside his busy schedule Kim has whenever possible nurtured his passion for directing and design. Drawing on his varied theatrical career Kim has created numerous innovative and original productions involving young people across the UK.

 

In 1990 Kim founded the Broomhill International Opera Course with the late Jonathan Miller and conductor Nicholas Cleobury to provide a platform for young Opera singers from all over the world. Kim also works with the Wagner Society coaching potential young Heldon Tenors in the Wagner repertoire.

 

After thirty five years, Kim retired from singing in 2018 following the highly acclaimed premier of Brett Deans Opera “Hamlet” at the Glyndebourne Festival .

 

In 2021 Kim was involved in the development of a unique and exciting project at the Grange in Hampshire, a collaboration between Kim and director Keith Warner. Known as the Lear Project, it was a unique experiment involving some of our finest British singers performing Shakespeare’s “ King Lear” , the spoken word as opposed to the vocal line . It received great acclaim, Sir John Tomlinson as Lear, Kim as the Fool, Sir Thomas Allan as Gloucester and Susan Bullock as Regan amongst others.

​

Since retiring to Shropshire  Kim is in demand judging competitions and giving Masterclasses which he enjoys immensely.

 

​

DAVID GAUKROGER

David Gaukroger has enjoyed a long and varied music career, dividing his time and his talents between Composition, Performance and Teaching. He has engaged in Solo recitals in Asia and South America as well as festivals throughout the UK. David is in demand as an accompanist most notably for Radio three, at the Albert Hall and Usher Hall Edinburgh. He has made regular appearances as both Pianist and Harpsichordist with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Welsh, Scottish Baroque Ensemble and the English Symphony Orchestra.

​

His works for the theatre include “A Gentleman of Rome “  ( Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Malvern Theatre )and “Blue Remembered Hills”( Malvern Theatre and Assembly Rooms Ludlow).

​

Most notable amongst David’s many compositions is a full scale orchestral piece for children’s voices and narrator entitled “Romany Wood” which received its premier at Theatre Severn in 2009. There have since been many collaborations of this piece most notably in Birmingham Symphony Hall, as part of Classic F.Ms evening Concert series as well as  in Cathedrals  and festivals throughout the UK with narrators such as Sir Timothy West and John Nettles . There is also a ballet performance of Romany Wood which was performed for Queen Camilla by Birmingham City Ballet . During his theatre career David has collaborated with actors such as Robert Powell, Sylvia Sims, Jasper Carrot and Richard Stilgoe amongst others.

​

As well as performing, David has enjoyed an interesting and varied teaching life. He wrote and introduced the First National Diploma in Rock, Jazz and Recording Studies, appointing Robert Plant ( lead vocalist with Led Zeppelin) as Musician in Residence. Alongside this David was senior Examiner and examiner trainer at Trinity College London 1992/2020.

David was Chairman of both the Honk Kong and the Bangkok National Piano Competitions 1994/9996 and 2010 respectively.

​

In his spare time David is a very active local Councillor though he is still very much in demand as both an accompanist and as an organist.

​

Kim and David met when they retired to live in Shropshire where they collaborated on many projects and where they reignited a passion for Flanders and Swann.