Andrew Carwood
Andrew Carwood is one of the most versatile musicians of his generation, dividing his time between solo and consort singing and directing his own group at an international level. He was a choral scholar at St John’s College, Cambridge, a lay clerk at Christ Church, Oxford and Westminster Cathedral, London before holding the post of Director of Music at the Brompton Oratory in London for five years.
As a singer he is particularly known for his performances of the English repertoire, from consort songs by William Byrd to the role of the Male Chorus in Britten’s ‘Rape of Lucretia’ and for music of the Baroque. He has performed with many of the major British ensembles both on disc and on the concert platform throughout the world, including The Tallis Scholars, The Orlando Consort, Oxford Camerata and Pro Cantione Antiqua and has undertaken solo roles for Sir Roger Norrington, Joshua Rifkin, Harry Christophers, Richard Hickox, Paul McCreesh, Phillipe Herreweghe, Robert King and Christopher Hogwood. His discography includes works by Hassler, Vivaldi, Haydn, Warlock, Howells, Poulenc, Janácek and Christopher Headington.
As a conductor he works principally with The Cardinall’s Musick and together they have performed throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. He has become a widely acknowledged expert on music of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and is also known for the scholarly and entertaining way in which he introduces and narrates concerts, breaking down barriers between audience and performers and allowing the music to speak in an even more eloquent way. Andrew has also worked as guest conductor with The Sixteen, The King’s Consort, Musica Reservata de Barcelona and the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra. He was the Music Advisor for the National Theatre’s 2001 production of Luther by John Osborne and is also happy to escape to the Edington Music Festival each year to conduct the Schola Cantorum.
Andrew has just been appointed Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral in London. He takes up his new post in September and the 2007 festival will be his last as conductor of the Schola.