Trainees 2008/09

Soprano
Verity Parker
Sarah Power
Valda Wilson
Ida Falk Winland

Mezzo
Susan Boyd

Tenor
Ben Johnson
Carthaigh Quill
Jonathan Stoughton

Baritone
Nicholas Lester
Benedict Nelson

Bass-baritone
Wade Kernot

Repetiteur
Sam Hogarth
Alison Luz
Geoffrey Paterson

Alexandra Cassidy mezzo

Originally from Nottingham Alexandra Cassidy initially studied with Pamela Cook MBE before training at the RSAMD and the Alexander Gibson Opera School under the tutelage of Stephen Robertson. Alexandra has performed as a soloist with a wide range of ensembles notably BBC SSO, the Hebrides ensemble, Viva, The St Ceclia Orchestra, Scottish Opera Orchestra, RSAMD Chamber Orchestra and The Paragon Ensemble.

Most recently she performed Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle and the Vivaldi Gloria at the Aberdeen concert hall with Haddo House choral society conducted by David Jones, the Verdi requiem at Edinburgh university McEwen hall conducted by Russell Cowieson. She gave a recital of Mahler Lieder in a prelude concert to the BBC SSO at the Glasgow City Halls. She received a scholarship to attend the Georg Solti academia di bel canto to perform in Italy and to participate in masterclasses with Leo Nucci. She sang Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder with the Hebrides Ensemble conducted by William Conway which was reviewed in the herald “Thereafter, the heart stopped in a beautiful, tender and rapt performance of Mahler's Kindertotenlieder, to which academy mezzo Alexandra Cassidy brought a lustrous tone with real contralto quality… this was a concert where the lines of demarcation between students and professionals were truly blurred.”

Operatic performances whilst at the RSAMD include the Minskwoman in Jonathan Dove’s opera Flight, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi at the Theatre Royal and Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Mum in Albert Herring, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte and she is currently singing in the chorus this summer at Glyndebourne. This year Alexandra begins her studies at the National Opera Studio and is generously supported by the Sybil Tutton Award administered by the Musicians Benevolent Fund.