Nonsuch Singers & Tom Bullard
Biography Nonsuch Singers & Tom Bullard
Nonsuch Singers
High-quality singing, innovative programmes and communicative performances are the hallmarks of Nonsuch Singers. The choir has gained a reputation for stylistic versatility in a cappella and accompanied works ranging from the Renaissance to the present day. Concerts have featured a great many works by living British composers.
Founded in 1977, Nonsuch Singers owes its name to the location of its first—informal— rehearsal, held on the site of Nonsuch Palace. The choir of some 40 members typically gives six or seven concerts a year, regularly performing with some of the UK’s leading instrumental ensembles and nest young vocal soloists.
The choir has had four Music Directors over the course of its history: Garrett O’Brien (1977- 1981), Michael Hodges (1981-1996), Graham Caldbeck (1996-2012) and Tom Bullard, appointed in January 2013.
Highlights have included Monteverdi’s Vesperswith His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts at St Martin-in-the-Fields (recommended as ‘Critic’s Choice’ in the Times); a critically acclaimed concert of French Baroque works, edited by Lionel Sawkins, with an orchestra led by Catherine Mackintosh and soloists including Andrew Kennedy and Emma Kirkby; and the first complete modern performance of Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrace Royer’s opera, Zaïde, Reine de Grenade, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the composer’s birth. In 2017, the choir celebrated its 40th anniversary with a performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion in Southwark Cathedral.
Nonsuch Singers has given a number of world premieres, including John Tavener’s Exhortation and Kohima in the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall (televised) and Wild Ways, Roxanna Panufnik’s setting of Zen poems for double choir and shakuhachi (a Japanese flute). In October 2014, the choir was privileged to give the first UK performance of To the Field of Stars by Gabriel Jackson, and in 2016 released its first commercial recording, with Convivium Records, featuring To the Field of Stars alongside other pieces on the theme of stars and the heavens.
Tom Bullard
trained at King’s College, Cambridge, and enjoys a varied career as solo baritone, teacher, choral director and vocal coach, having studied singing with Russell Smythe. In January 2013, he was appointed Musical Director of Nonsuch Singers.
Recent solo performances have included Mozart Requiem, Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs, Haydn The Creation, Reich The Cave and Einhorn Voices of Light (with the LSO). Stage roles include Marcello in La Bohème, Jack Rance in La Fanciulla del West, Figaro in The Barber of Seville, and Dandini in La Cenerentola, as well as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls and Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd. Other highlights have included Berio’s Sinfonia with Antonio Pappano and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia at the BBC Proms, as well as with Zubin Mehta and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and the world premiere of Azio Corghi’s opera, ¿Pia?, at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome.
From 2001, Tom spent eight years with The Swingle Singers, the last four as Musical Director. Under his direction, the group toured Europe, the USA, Asia and South America, and performed with some of the world’s nest orchestras and conductors. Tom’s own arrangements have been recorded on a number of The Swingle Singers albums and have proved popular with choirs and ensembles worldwide.
In addition to his post with Nonsuch Singers, Tom is Head of Singing at Eltham College, and also teaches singing at Westminster Under School, as well as working as a vocal coach for National Youth Music theatre. Recordings include several albums with the Choir of King’s College for EMI, and The Swingle Singers. He has also recorded MacMillan’s Since it was the Day of Preparation for Delphian, and was musical director for Nonsuch Singers’ debut album, To the Field of Stars, for Convivium.
