Robert Houssart studied at Cambridge and at the Royal Northern College of Music. He is now considered one of the most versatile musicians of his generation. This season’s highlights include a critically acclaimed debut‚ conducting Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre at the opening of the Adelaide Festival; and Rufus Wainwright’s Prima Donna at Sadlers Wells and at Luminato Festival‚ Toronto He also worked on Le Grand Macabre at Theâtre de la Monnaie‚ Brussels and English National Opera‚ on Wagner’s Götterdämmerung at the Hallé for Sir Mark Elder‚ and Jonathan Dove’s Swanhunter at Opera North.
Born in Holland‚ Robert held organ and academic scholarships at St John’s College‚ Cambridge‚ graduating with a double first-class degree. Between 2000 and 2008 he worked at Westminster and Gloucester Cathedrals before embarking on a freelance career‚ combined with further study in the opera department at the Royal Northern College of Music. For the Yorke Trust he conducted Handel’s Theodora and Rameau’s Castor et Pollux‚ and concerts of Bach‚ Handel and John Adams. Robert has appeared regularly at the Three Choirs Festival‚ most recently performing Haydn‚ Elgar and Strauss’ Metamorphosen. He is also the conductor of Manchester University Chorus‚ where this season he is performing Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony‚ Janacek’s Glagolitic Mass‚ Verdi’s Te Deum and Poulenc’s Gloria.
Robert has worked with Sir Charles Mackerras‚ Sir Mark Elder‚ Martyn Brabbins and the late Richard Hickox‚ and with the CBSO and Hallé choruses. He has appeared frequently on Radio 3 and 4 and on Classic FM‚ and recorded for Naxos‚ Hyperion‚ Regent and Avie. As a keyboard player he won critical acclaim‚ particularly as an interpreter of contemporary music and as an improviser. He appeared in recital all over the UK and in France‚ Germany‚ Italy‚ the Netherlands‚ Sweden‚ the USA and China. In 2003 he won the St Alban’s International Improvisation Competition‚ as well as prizes in Birmingham‚ Saarbrücken and Paris. He appeared as an organ soloist with the Philharmonia‚ with the BBC Philharmonic and the Orchestra of the Paris Conservatoire.
Future plans include conducting performances of Prima Donna in Toronto‚ Jonathan Dove’s Pinocchio for Opera North and Ludd and Isis (ROH Community Opera).
Download as Word 2007 Document
|