APPOINTMENT OF TIMOTHY BURKE AS RNS CHORUS DIRECTOR
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music has announced the appointment of Conductor Timothy Burke as the new Chorus Director, Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia. Timothy Burke takes over from Hugh Brunt and has already started working with the Chorus, preparing rehearsal videos to keep the Chorus singing during the lockdown months, until a time that they can be united in the flesh.
Born in Kingston-Upon-Thames, British conductor Timothy Burke is an exciting talent amongst the younger generation of conductors, gaining a reputation for expressive and vivid interpretations across a wide range of repertoire.
He learned violin and piano from an early age, sang as a Choral Scholar at HM Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, and read Music at Exeter College, Oxford, before training as a repetiteur at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and winning the Sir Henry Richardson Scholarship to study at the National Opera Studio. He went on to join the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House before working as Chorus Master at Opera North. A passionate believer in the importance of new writing, he has, since 2013, been the Music Director at Tête à Tête, producer of the world’s largest festival of new opera, where he has premièred eleven new commissions, including Kerry Andrew’s Dart’s Love, winner of the Stage Works category of the British Composer Awards 2014.
Timothy is no stranger to Royal Northern Sinfonia: previous engagements have included conducting Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Summer Prom in 2017, a concert as part of the popular RNS Minimal @ Wylam series and most recently conducting Walton’s Façade as part of ‘Small is Beautiful’ at The Glasshouse. Timothy has previously worked with the Chorus as a guest, preparing them for performances of Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’, and Haydn’s ‘The Creation’. Timothy Burke said: “I’m delighted to be appointed as Chorus Director. Having worked with them as a guest on a number of occasions in recent years, I have enjoyed our musical collaborations immensely. I can’t wait to build on this and create some great music together, hopefully in person before too long.”
Thorben Dittes, Director, Royal Northern Sinfonia & Classical Programme added: “We are very pleased to have found such an experienced and inspiring choral conductor for the position of RNS Chorus Director, who is based in the region. During this uncertain period The Glasshouse remains committed more than ever to stay connected with both music lovers and amateur musicians, and we’re looking forward to working with Timothy and the Chorus in future months, both remotely through digital means and on stage when we are able to reopen.”
The Chorus performs a broad range of music as part of the Royal Northern Sinfonia family. It is made up of amateur musicians who work to professional standards, and members are drawn from all walks of life from across the North of England.