Dieci - A Cappella Vocal Octet

The Boys

The Tenors

Christopher Hann (Musical Director)
Christopher began his musical career at an early age when he became a chorister at his local church on the Isle of Wight. After completing a degree in Music Systems Engineering at the University of the West of England, he spent a year as a choral scholar at Portsmouth Cathedral before coming up to Scotland and the RSAMD. He currently studies with Stephen Robertson. Away from the RSAMD, Chris sings with various choirs including Cappella Nova, Ludus Baroque, Glasgow University Chapel Choir, Edinburgh Camerata and Laudibus. Chris was also Tenor 1 section leader in The National Youth Choir of Great Britain (NYC). Whilst with NYC he was involved in four major CD recordings, performing works by composers such as Giles Swayne and Heinrich Schütz, performed two concerts with The Sixteen, taken part on there World and European tours and worked with such conductors as Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter, Harry Christophers, Ralph Allwood and Eric Whitacre.

During the last year Chris has appeared as a soloist with a number of choirs including The RSAMD Chamber Choir, Ulverstone Bach Choir, Glasgow Cathedral Choral Society and Ayr Choral Union performing works such as Bach’s St John Passion, Christmas Oratorio and Magnificat, Handel’s Messiah, Weilhnachts-Historie by Schütz and Mozart’s Requiem. His Opera work in the past year has included singing in the chorus for the RSAMD’s joint production with Scottish Opera of Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky and Dialogue of the Carmelites by Poulenc in which he was also understudying the role of L’armonie. Away from the RSAMD he has sung in the chorus for Dorset Opera’s production of The Pearl Fishers by Bizet and sung in the chorus for a performance of The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagony by Kurt Weill at the Edinburgh International Festival. His future plans include singing in the chorus for the RSAMD’s production of Love for Three Oranges by Prokofiev a performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with Ludus Baroque, a number concerts with Cappella Nova, a CD of music by Scottish composers with Laudibus and various solo engagements including Mendelssohn’s Elijah, two Bach Cantata’s BWV 61 & 140 and Te Deum’s by Charpentier and Haydn.

In addition to Dieci Chris is also the musical director of The Kilbarchan Singers. When he is not singing or conducting Chris enjoys playing Tennis and watching most sport, particularly football. Chris is a mad Portsmouth FC fan and his mood is often dependent on how well Pompey are doing!
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Ross Sharkey
Scottish Tenor Ross Sharkey graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) in 2009 with a BMus (Hons) in Vocal Studies under the tutelage of Iain Paton and with an endorsement in Community Music under the direction of Mary Troup. During his undergraduate studies, Ross was highly commended in the Jean Highgate Singing Scholarship Competition and commended in the Governors’ Recital Prize for Singing.

Ross began his musical training upon entering the RSAMD’s Junior Academy of Music, where he studied piano and singing. During his school years as a pupil of St Margaret’s High School, he was a recipient of both music and drama prizes, a winner of the Monkland’s Rotary Club Young Musician of the Year and the Glasgow Music Festival and represented North Lanarkshire in ‘Our Town Story’ at the Millennium Dome.

As a solo recitalist, Ross has performed in the Paisley Abbey Choral Festival and for many Burns’ Suppers. He has toured Scotland and Germany with the RSAMD Chamber Choir and sung in joint opera productions with the RSAMD and Scottish Opera.

As well as performing throughout the UK with Dieci, he is co-director for their Education and Outreach Programme that aims to make singing and classical music an accessible and live experience.

An active teacher, Ross has a particular interest in community and educational music and has taught for a number of youth and educational programmes funded by the Scottish Arts Council and the National Lottery. In 2007 Ross joined the vocal staff of UK Theatre School (Glasgow). In addition to this, he is Organist and Choir Master at Newton Mearns Parish Church.

Ross will continue his studies for a Masters in Musical Theatre Performance at the RSAMD, made possible by an Ian Fleming Musical Theatre Award administered by the Musicians Benevolent Fund and an RSAMD Trust Scholarship. For more info see http://www.ross-sharkey.com
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The Basses

James Smyth
James Smyth born in Teesside, England, started his vocal training at the age of 15 when he was accepted into a local stage school. During this time James joined many choirs including Tees Valley Youth Choir, National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and Northern Spirit Singer. In the summer of 2003 James went on the National Youth Choirs World tour, singing in countries including Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and Singapore. In 2003/2004 Northern Spirit Singers became the official backing choir of Lesley Garrett, and the choir took part in two of her U.K tours. Before moving to Glasgow, James taught for two years in Egglescliffe Secondary School, teaching composition and individual vocal coaching sessions and regularly conducted the brass band. At the end of these two years James accompanied the brass band on a two week tour of Italy. James is currently studying with George Gordon in his fourth year at The RSAMD. His Opera experiences include the role of Guillot in Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky and Javelina in Dialogues des Carmelites by Poulenc.
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Bartholomew Lawrence
Bartholomew began his musical career at an early age when he became a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral at the age of 9. While studying for his A Levels he also sang as a Ley Clerk in the Cathedral.

While on his gap year he was a member of Chantage, a London-based choir who won BBC Choir of the Year last year, before coming to Scotland to start his BMus Vocal Studies course at the RSAMD, where he first studied with Ian Thompson and now George Gordon.

Away from the RSAMD Bart sings with various choirs including Laudibus, Glasgow University Chapel Choir and The National Youth Choir of Great Britain, of which he has been a member since 2002 and has recently been appointed Bass 2 Section Leader. During his time in NYC he has also been involved in 3 major CD recordings (including music of Giles Swayne and Heinrich Schütz), and has also collaborated with The Sixteen and taken part in a World tour and more recently a European tour. He is also a founder member of vocal octet Dieci who are currently in the Grand Final of the BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year.

As a soloist Bartholomew has sung with the Scottish Baroque Players in Bach’s B Minor Mass at Glasgow City Halls and also with Glasgow Cathedral Choral Society in a New Year performance of Handel's Messiah. He has also given solo recitals in the 'Voices in Paisley' festival for the last two years.

Now in his 4th year at the RSAMD Bartholomew has been a finalist in the Frank Spedding Lieder Prize, runner up in the Jean Highgate Competition and highly commended in the Margaret Dick award. Last year he understudied the role of Prince Gremin in the Academy production of Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky and is currently singing in a semi-chorus for Prokofiev’s The Love for three Oranges, a joint production with the RSAMD and Scottish Opera.
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