Singers | Iken Scholars

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BIOGRAPHIES

Matthew, Director Matthew Dunn, director, formed the Iken Scholars (then Sacred Voices) in 2012 to perform programmes of hidden corners of the canon of Renaissance polyphony. Born in Manchester, Matthew read music at Cambridge for his BA and MPhil researching 13th-century polyphony. He is Organist and Director of Music at All Saints’ Blackheath, having been Organist and Director of Music at St Botolph without Aldgate for the previous seven years.	Emily Field, Soprano Soprano Emily Field began her choral career as a chorister at St John's Cathedral, Norwich. Since then she has gone on to complete a Bachelors and Masters in Music from the University of Manchester. During this time she sang the solo roles for Handel's Messiah, Bach St John Passion, Faure Requiem, Schubert Mass in G and performed the world premiere of Macmillan's Credo at the BBC proms. She has regularly sung for BBC Radio 3, 4 and World service and is a founding member of Melodico Ensemble who	Jenny Forsyth, Soprano Soprano, Jenny Forsyth has always had a keen interest in music and from an early age singing became a real love. A member of the award winning Farnham Youth Choir gave an invaluable grounding and education in music-making, which then continued through school and university culminating in an undergraduate degree in music from the University of East Anglia, and a master’s degree in choral studies from the University of Chichester. Jenny sings with various ensembles around London and Oxford.
Danielle Cahill - Soprano Danielle is a soprano living in Bow, London with her husband and two adorable kittens. Her musical experience is extensive, as a choral singer and as a soloist, beginning with a musical education at St Paul's Girl's School, and the Junior department of Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She then sang in the choirs of Clare and Magdalene Colleges, Cambridge. She was soprano choral scholar at St. Gabriel's Church, Pimlico for three years.	Kat Dunn- Soprano Soprano Katharina Dunn came to England aged sixteen, after obtaining a scholarship to Malvern College to complete the International Baccalaureate. It is there that she discovered her love of singing and became an active member of both the chapel and chamber choir. Two years later she was awarded a place to read Classics at Peterhouse, Cambridge, where she became a chorister under the direction of Oliver Lomberg and Matthew Dunn. After four years at Peterhouse she went to London to study the Law.	Nerissa Taysom, Soprano Soprano Nerissa Taysom started singing as a chorister at Great St. Mary's in Cambridge. Following a History of Art degree at Bristol University, she went on to study medieval architecture at the Courtauld Institute. She is a now a researcher for the artist and writer Edmund de Waal and has spent the last three years working on his newly published book, The White Road.
Sophie Cleobury, Soprano Sophie grew up in Canterbury and has been involved in music and choral singing for much of her life. She spent four years at Birmingham studying for a BMus (Hons) and an MPhil in Music. During this time, she sang with a number of choirs, most notably the Birmingham University Singers, the Ex Cathedra student academy, and at the Birmingham Oratory. Sophie is Head of Music at The Royal Ballet School and sings with the Holst Singers and St Matthew's, Kensington Olympia.	Jess Ballentine, Alto Jessica read music at King’s College, Cambridge, where she held a choral award with the college’s mixed voice choir. She also held a Cambridge University Instrumental Award for chamber music (flute) and was a passionate chamber and orchestral musician. Since graduating she has completed an MA (University of York) and PhD (University of Leeds) in English Literature, focussing on contemporary non-fiction writing about the environment in Australia and Canada.	Jess Daggers, Alto Jess Daggers has a degree in politics, philosophy and economics and works as a freelance consultant for charities and social enterprises. She was born in Manchester where she first started singing in a local church choir. She now sings with several other groups in London including the English Chamber Choir, Orlando Chamber Choir, New Renaissance Voices and Spezzati.
Marion Sharrock-Harris, Alto Originally from the Midlands, alto Marion Harris graduated from the University of Birmingham with a First in Music in 2011. During her studies Marion had singing lessons with Faye Newton through the Centre for Early Music Performance and Research, and also sang with the choir of St. Chad's R.C. Cathedral, Birmingham. After graduating Marion trained as a Librarian. Marion joined the Iken Scholars in July 2015, and also sings with the BBC Symphony Chorus.	John Robb, Tenor John began singing as a choirboy at Winchester College, where he went on to be a music and academic scholar. He was a choral scholar at King's College, Cambridge from 2004-2007, reading Classics and Law. He now works as a barrister at Essex Court Chambers, and sings with the Iken Scholars, the Epiphoni Consort and as an occasional dep with the Choir of the Chapels Royal, HM Tower of London. He also loves playing the piano and violin, especially accompanying. John is married to Jessica Ballantine	Joachim Sabbat, Bass Joachim started singing at the age of six with the Raleigh Boychoir of North Carolina, and was also briefly a member of the London Oratory Schola. Following secondary education at St Paul’s School, where he sang in both the Chamber Choir and close harmony ensemble, he was a gap year choral scholar at Truro Cathedral. Whilst at Durham University, where he read Economics and Politics, followed by an MSc in Management Finance
Tom Brockington, Bass Tom read Classics (with French) at the University of Durham. At Durham, Tom was an organ scholar at St John’s College and passed ARCO, as well as singing in various choirs, including the Durham Cathedral Consort. Since leaving university, he has sung with the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields and been assistant director of music at All Saints’, Marlow. He continues to play the organ at various churches around London and works as a commercial litigator at an international law firm.	Maxime Rischard, Bass Maxime, a Luxembourgish bass, started singing soprano in a boy's choir at age 7, and then percolated down the stave until reaching his current state. He discovered the wonders of Renaissance polyphony while an astrophysics student in Berkeley, California, where he directed a group of student madrigalists. He then moved to London, and joined too many choirs. He recently completed his PhD in statistics at Harvard University, where he directed the Tactus Ensemble.

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