Olive Murray
About
Join us for a free lunchtime recital by soprano, Olive Murray, of the Black British Classical Foundation, who will be performing a stunning repertoire in the unique setting of the Gallery.
The Black British Classical Foundation is a charity that exists for the purpose of nurturing an interest and participation in the classical arts, in particular opera, amongst communities of colour in the UK and beyond.
Olive Murray
Olive Murray read history at Cambridge. She has sung a variety of operatic roles including First Lady and Queen of the Night (Magic Flute); Zerlina and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni); Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos); Margarita (Faust); Belinda (Dido); Adele (Die Fledermaus); Violetta (La Traviata). Giorgetta (Il Tabarro). She sang the role of 'Prayer Singer' in a production of Porgy & Bess and recently sang the role of Catherine of Aragon in Saint-Saëns opera 'Henry VIII'.
She has gained considerable experience as a recital and oratorio soloist in Britain and abroad singing with many choral societies. Her oratorio and concert performances include 'C' Minor Mass, Coronation Mass and Requiem (Mozart); Nelson Mass (Haydn); Messiah (Handel); Solemn Vespers (Mozart); Paukenmesse (Haydn) and Vivaldi's Gloria. She made her debut at the Queen Elizabeth Hall singing the Handel 'Dixit Dominus' and the Bernstein Mass.
Christopher Foreman
Christopher Foreman studied piano, piano accompaniment and organ at the Royal Academy of Music, winning five prizes including the Tobias Matthay Award. He has performed solo and duo recitals across the UK, including 11 at St. James Piccadilly and in Germany. He has over 30 years of experience as an organist and choirmaster. Whilst serving as Director of Music at Shernhall Methodist Church, he organized 12 choral concerts featuring young operatic soloists from across the country. Since 2012, he has been the Director of Music at St. Paul’s, Winchmore Hill, with a repertoire exceeding 3,000 organ pieces. Christopher has a keen interest in lesser-known British music, authoring articles for the British Music Society and is the leading authority on the life and music of Benjamin Dale. He collaborates regularly with soprano Olive Murray, performing all over England, giving 15 recitals in 2023, including several cathedrals, and concerts in Canada. They support the Black British Classical Foundation through multiple recitals. Additionally he played the orchestral part for Olive’s production of La Traviata in 2022 and 2023, aiming to engage new audiences in East London.
Lunchtime listen: Black British Classical Foundation
Olive Murray
Free, drop-in session
Places are available on a first come, first served basis. This is an informal standing concert. A limited number of stools are available for those with access requirements.
Due to our revised security measures, you will need to allow more time for entry. Please view our General Admissions page for more information.