Simon Baker (Counter-tenor)

Born: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

The Scottish counter0tenor, Simon Baker, is a former member of The Choir of The London Oratory. He graduated from the Royal College of Music with distinction in July 2000, having studied with Ashley Stafford.

Simon Baker's performances in the operas and oratorios of George Frideric Handel have received particular critical acclaim and The Times has featured him in its ‘Great British Hopes’ series, exploring rising British talents. He was a member of the Monteverdi Choir (Director: John Eliot Gardiner) during their Bach Cantata Pilgrimage in 2000. As a soloist he appears regularly in the UK and abroad, and as part of the 23rd London Handel Festival in 2003 he performed the title role in Tom Hawke’s production of Ottone besides appearing in the first English performance of Silla. Recently (as of 2004) he has also sung Micah in G.F. Handel's Samson at the Dartington International Summer School, and San Giovanni in Stradella's San Giovanni Battista in Jerusalem. He performed in British Youth Opera’s production of G.F. Handel's Serse at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, with Opera Ireland in G.F. Handel's Giulio Cesare and in a unique staging of Benjamin Britten's five Canticles at Westminster Abbey. He currently lives in London, England.

Simon Baker has recorded as a soloist G.F. Handel's opera Silla with London Handel Orchestra conducted by Denys Darlow (Somm, 2000); Leonard Bernstein's Missa brevis with BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin (Chandos, 2003).

Source: Programme notes to J S. Bach St Matthew Passion sung in English at St James’ Church, Piccadilly, London (March 9, 2002); Liner notes to the album "Leonard Bernstein: Kaddish • Chichester Psalms • Missa Brevis", conducter by Leonard Slatkin (Chandos, 2004); Bits & pieces from other sources
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (October 2015)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

John Eliot Gardiner

Alto

Member of Monteverdi Choir:
BCP Vol. 11: CD-1: BWV 162, BWV 180
BCP Vol. 13: CD-1: BWV 61, BWV 62, BWV 36