Michael Hickman is a freelance Baritone who works as both a soloist and ensemble singer, and is based in London. Michael is a member of the Choir of St James's Church, Spanish Place, and sings regularly for ensembles including BBC Singers, EXAUDI, Westminster Cathedral Choir and Temple Church Choir. As a soloist he frequently appears for choral societies, in recital, and in operas.

 

Michael began his musical education as a chorister in the Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, and at the Junior Royal Academy of Music, London, where he was awarded the Ann Lampard Singing Prize. Michael read for a BA in Music at Durham University, where he held a choral scholarship in the Choir of Durham Cathedral, and additionally in his final year, the role of Assistant Director of Music at St Mary’s College. After leaving university, Michael held the post of Lay Clerk in the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford for four years, under the direction of Dr Stephen Darlington. 

 

As an ensemble singer, Michael has performed for groups including BBC Singers, EXAUDI, Stile Antico, Dunedin Consort, Opus Anglicanum, Choir of the English Concert, and the Academy of Ancient Music. He also sings frequently for the choirs of Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and Temple Church. Michael is a heavily featured soloist in the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral Oxford’s series of five recordings of music from the Eton Choirbook, and two of these were nominated for Gramophone Awards.

 

Michael also works extensively as a concert soloist. Recent highlights include Handel Messiah at Southwell Minster, Bach St Matthew Passion (Armonico Consort) at St John’s Smith Square, Fauré Requiem (David Hill and the Southern Sinfonia, Bath Choral Society, Armonico Consort) Mozart Coronation Mass (St Mary's Singers, Sydney, Australian Chamber Orchestra) in St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, Duruflé Requiem and Messe cum Jubilo (Collegium Musicum of London) at Temple Church, Pärt Passio (Cappella Lascensis) in Cologne, Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem (Collegium Musicum of London), Bach Christmas Oratorio (Instruments of Time and Truth), Orff Carmina Burana, Elgar The Dream of Gerontius, Mendelssohn Elijah, Bach St John Passion (Pilate), and Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle. 

 

Michael increasingly has been working more in the field of contemporary music. Singing with EXAUDI, Michael has recorded albums of music by composers including Christopher Fox, Fumio Yasuda, Ansgar Beste and Kevin Rafferty. He has also recorded Catherine Lamb’s color residua with Explore Ensemble, and given the world premiere performance as part of the Spitalfields Festival. Michael has also recently performed Michael Finnissy’s Cipriano at the Britten Theatre, Snape Maltings, as part of the Aldeburgh Festival. 

 

In opera, Michael has performed the role of Valentin in Gounod Faust (Brent Opera), Morales and Dancairo in Bizet Carmen (Windsor and Eton Opera), Silvano in Verdi Un Ballo in Maschera (Windsor and Eton Opera), Maximillian in Bernstein Candide (King’s Opera) and Jupiter in Offenbach Orpheus in the Underworld (Opera Integra). In addition, Michael has sung in the Chorus of Opera Holland Park and participated in workshops with British Youth Opera.

 

In recital, Michael has performed Butterworth Songs from a Shropshire Lad (Swiss Church, Covent Garden, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford), Vaughan Williams Songs of Travel (New College Chapel, Oxford, St. Bride’s, Fleet Street), John Ireland Songs of a Wayfarer (St. Bride’s, Fleet Street), Brahms Lieder op.105 (St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney) and Arnold Bax 2 Fantasias on Polish Carols (St John’s, Smith Square).

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Michael continues to study singing with David Barrell.