Jonathan Ansell

Infobox musical artist
Name = Jonathan Ansell

---

Img_capt = English tenor Jonathan Ansell at Broadlands in Hampshire, England, in 2007.
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Jonathan Mark Ansell
Born = Birth date and age|1982|03|10|df=yes
Death =
Origin = Bognor Regis, Sussex, England
Genre = Classical
Easy listening
Operatic pop
Vocal
Occupation = Singer Tenor
Years_active = 2004–present
Label = UCJ
URL = [http://www.jonathanansell.com/website.php www.jonathanansell.com]

Jonathan Mark Ansell (born 10 March 1982) is an English singer, formerly the high tenor of the vocal group G4.

Jonathan Ansell was born in Bognor Regis in 1982, where both his parents were primary school teachers. Influenced by his mother’s tapes of Pavarotti and the Three Tenors, Jonathan joined the West Sussex Boys Choir conducted by Arthur Robson, at the age of eight. He toured extensively with the choir to Florida, Germany, and France, performed in the Royal Festival Hall and sang many times in Arundel Cathedral, to great acclaim. Jonathan stayed with the choir until his voice broke at the age of 16cite news
title = An education in the life of Jonathan Ansell, former lead singer of G4
publisher = The Independent
date =11 September 2008
url =http://www.independent.co.uk/student/career-planning/getting-job/passedfailed-an-education-in-the-life-of-jonathan-ansell-former-lead-singer-of-g4-925170.html
accessdate =2008-09-27] when he lost the ability to sing treble but after puberty found he had developed a high tenor voice instead.

He attended the Anglican Bishop Luffa School in Chichester. Achieved his Grade 8 as a treble at 13, he received his Grade 8 as a tenor at 17. He published a solo album in 2001 with his savings.

After a show-stopping performance of "Love Changes Everything" at a choral society concert in Littlehampton, his local MP, who was in the audience, arranged for him to have a preliminary audition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He won a place two years later, and felt he had come home. [citeweb|url=http://www.jonathanansell.com/website.php|title=Jonathan Ansell Official Site|publisher=Official Website|date=15 January 2008|accessdate=2008-01-20]

Whilst there Jonathan's singing teacher was Adrian Thompson who has a similar voice to Jonathan and he described their lessons as working together. At that time Jonathan tried his hardest at the academic studies but fell below the standard – he was diagnosed as dyslexic – and the Guildhall weren't sure that he should stay, but he managed to convince them and was incredibly grateful.cite news
title = An education in the life of Jonathan Ansell, former lead singer of G4
publisher = The Independent
date =11 September 2008
url =http://www.independent.co.uk/student/career-planning/getting-job/passedfailed-an-education-in-the-life-of-jonathan-ansell-former-lead-singer-of-g4-925170.html
accessdate =2008-09-27]

G4

Whilst he was at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama he formed the pop-opera boyband G4 with Mike Christie, Tom Lowe, and Ben Thapa, three other Guildhall students. Later, due to artistic differences, Tom Lowe resigned as bass, and Matthew Stiff took his place. Their name, G4, comes from the fact that they were all students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and stands for Guildhall 4.

G4 were discovered after finishing second on ITV talent show The X Factor in 2004. G4's self-titled debut album produced by the legendary Trevor Horn and Brian Rawling, reached Number One for Mother's Day weekend 2005 and sold over 245,000 copies in the first week. In total they released 3 albums, sold in excess of 1.5 million albums in the UK, completed 5 sell-out UK tours, sold in excess of 40,000 "Live at the Royal Albert Hall" DVDs (one of the concerts on their first tour) and also released a best selling autobiography "Our Way".

Jonathan turned down the role of Prince Tamino in Kenneth Branagh's film of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" to stay with the band and continue recording.

On 5 April 2007, G4 announced on GMTV that they were calling it a day at the end of July 2007.

Solo career

Jonathan signed with new management Jonathan Shalit in 2007 and secured a £1 million, 5 album deal with Universal Classics and Jazz (UCJ) which is part of the Universal Music Group. Indeed, it's a testament to Jonathan's brilliance as a singer that he was offered an album deal by the three major labels, EMI, Sony and Universal." [citeweb|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=505997&in_page_id=1773|title='I was such a pretty boy even my mother thought I was gay' says G4's Jonathan Ansell|publisher=Daily Mail|date=4 January 2008|accessdate=2008-01-20] His first solo album with UCJ, "Tenor at the Movies", was released on 18 February 2008.

For 5 Sunday afternoons from 17th February 2008 Jonathan Ansell presented "The Great Movie Composers" on ClassicFM coinciding with the release of his solo album.

On 24th February 2008 Jonathan's album "Tenor at the Movies" went straight to number 1 in the Classical Chart and stayed there for 3 weeks and reached Number 9 in mainstream charts making him the youngest tenor ever to top the Classical Charts.

Jonathan participated in a celebrity edition of Channel 4 show Come Dine With Me, 10th April 2008, along with fellow celebrities MC Harvey, Tamara Beckwith and Lynsey de Paul. Jonathan came in joint first place with MC Harvey, both of whom scored 21 points.

On 8th May 2008 Jonathan's participation in BBC programme Ready Steady Cook against Hayley Westenra was broadcast.

In the evening of 8th May 2008 Jonathan performed "Un Giorno Per Noi" with Hayley Westenra at the Classical Brits, Royal Albert Hall.

During June 2008 Jonathan and England and Arsenal striker Kelly Smith won the British Lung Foundation’s male and female ‘Lungs of the Year 2008’ award in recognition of the fantastic use they have made of their lungs over the past year.cite news
title = Celebrities with big breaths win Lungs of the Year award
publisher = British Lung Foundation
date =2008
url =http://www.lunguk.org/media-and-campaigning/media-centre/latestpressreleases/CelebritieswithbigbreathswinLungsoftheYearaward.htm
accessdate =2008-06-16]

In a Q&A session with the BBC's Last Choir Standing website Jonathan gave his views on the benefits of being part of a choir "People see choirs on stage and predominantly it looks quite square... but off stage that's where all the fun happens - in rehearsals, messing about, lunch breaks, interacting with new people. That, for me, is what choirs are all about – having that fun both on and off stage." cite news
title = The Great Choir Debate
publisher = BBC
date =2008
url =http://www.bbc.co.uk/lastchoirstanding/questions/
accessdate =2008-08-03] Jonathan made a guest appearance on Last Choir Standing (Results Show) on 3rd August 2008 performing "Barcelona". cite news
title = Last Choir Standing
publisher = BBC
date =2008
url =http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=92&programmeId=82330336&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details_fullpage.jsp
accessdate =2008-08-03]

On Sunday, 17th August 2008 Jonathan participated in the tribute concert "Lyrics by Don Black" which was held at the London Palladium featuring performances of Black's songs by a selection of guest artists. He performed the duet "Amigos Para Siempre" with Hayley Westenra, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The evening, hosted by Michael Parkinson was recorded by BBC Radio 2 Friday Night is Music Night and broadcast on Friday, 22nd August 2008.cite news
title = Friday Night is Music Night
publisher = BBC
date =22 August 2008
url =http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/fridaynight/ontheshow.shtml
accessdate =2008-08-22]

One of the tracks on his second album "Forever" is "Hearts of England", the 2008 Rugby League World Cup song composed by Patrick Hawes and his brother Andrew. He performed it live at the Rugby League Carnegie Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 30th August 2008.cite news
title = Music News
publisher = Virgin Media
date =14 August 2008
url =http://musicnews.virginmedia.com/news/?news_id=82074
accessdate =2008-08-19] .

For the second weekend running Jonathan performed a track from his album "Forever" live at Wembley, this time to sing the footballing anthem "Nessun Dorma" at Soccer Aid on Sunday, 7th September whilst the teams were presented to Sir Geoff Hurst.

Before his G4 days Jonathan worked in Jersey with a Gilbert and Sullivan operatic society and during September 2008 returned to his roots by taking on the role of Nanki-Poo in the Carl Rosa Opera Company's production of "The Mikado" at both the Richmond Theatre and Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham cite news
title = A warm welcome to the court of the Mikado
publisher = getSURREY
date =27 August 2008
url =http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/entertainment/s/2034423_a_warm_welcome_to_the_court_of_the_mikado
accessdate =2008-08-27]

Jonathan performed alongside Hayley Westenra at "Music on Fire"! at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 18th, 19th and 20th September 2008 - a stunning musical and firework spectacular organised by the Army Benevolent Fund to raise funds for veterans of current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. cite news
title = The UK's most stunning outdoor spectacular
publisher = Army Benevolent Fund
date =August 2008
url =http://www.musiconfire.com/
accessdate =2008-09-18]

The third series of The Alan Titchmarsh Show featured the start of a competition to find a soprano to sing alongside Jonathan in the "A Night At The Opera" tour [cite news
title = A Spectacular Celebration of the World's Favourite Opera Classic
publisher = Flying Music
date = 1 June, 2008
url = http://www.flyingmusic.com/A-Night-at-the-Opera-Autumn-2008/
accessdate = 2008-09-02] on Monday, 1st September 2008. From the thousands of hopefuls who applied 8 ladies were selected to sing in front of a judging panel of David Grant, Ruthie Henshall and Jonathan Shalit. The 4 successful ladies Rosie Bell [cite news
title = Rosie’s a Border diva
publisher = News and Star
date = 2 September, 2008
url = http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/1.232105
accessdate = 2008-09-02] , Rosie Havel [cite news
title = Singer Rosie, 22, on brink of fame
publisher = Wales Online
date = 1 September, 2008
url = http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/09/01/singer-rosie-22-on-brink-of-fame-91466-21643147/
accessdate = 2008-09-02] , Olivia Safe and Esther Dee [cite news
title = Duo go for op stardom
publisher = Birmingham Mail
date = 12 September, 2008
url =http://www.birminghammail.net/what-is-on-in-birmingham/classical-folk-jazz/2008/09/12/duo-go-for-op-stardom-97319-21805342/
accessdate = 2008-09-13] faced a public vote on 15th September 2008 and Olivia Safe and Rosie Bell won through. They sang with Jonathan "Libiamo ne' lieti calici", the most famous duet from Verdi's "La Traviata" on 29th September 2008 and Olivia Safe won the public vote to appear in the tour of "A Night At the Opera" during October and November 2008.

Jonathan's second album "Forever" is due for release on 10th November 2008. [citeweb|url=http://www.jonathanansell.com/website.php|title=Jonathan Ansell Official Site|publisher=Official Website|date=31 July 2008|accessdate=2008-07-31]

Personal life

In an interview Jonathan spoke about how he looks after his greatest asset his lyric tenor voicecite news
title = No arias and graces for ex-G4 singer Jonathan
publisher = Dail Mail
date =5 September 2008
url =http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1052575/BAZ-BAMIGBOYE-Michael-Caine-Willa-Holland-more.html
accessdate =2008-09-27] .

"I'm not one of those fussy singers who won't be in a car with air conditioning, eat dairy products or go out drinking. I treat my voice with respect, but I also give it a level of abuse, so that it's actually resilient as well. If I'm slightly under the weather I can still perform well. Whereas, if I'd been wrapped in cotton wool and something happened I'd get paranoid. I've trained my voice to deal with the bugs and the smoke and everything else."

Jonathan wears a ring on his right hand. Its history is that a friend made it in a silver-smithing class at school and gave it to him. He then bought the one he now wears as a present to himself when G4 signed their first record deal.cite news
title = Digital Spy Webchat
publisher = Digital Spy
date =19 February 2008
url =http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a89708/jonathan-ansell.html
accessdate =2008-08-03]

After meeting her in a London club, Jonathan is dating former "Quizmania" host Debbie King. [ citeweb|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=447187&in_page_id=1773|title=Mutiny on the high Cs as G4 reveal why they split|publisher=Daily Mail|date=6 April 2007|accessdate=2008-07-01]

Discography

Albums

* "Tenor at the Movies" (UCJ) #9 UK, #1 UK ClassicalReleased February 18, 2008

* "Forever" (UCJ)Due for release on November 10, 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.jonathanansell.com/website.php Official Jonathan Ansell Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/jonathanansellofficial Official Jonathan Ansell MySpace]
* [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jonathan-Ansell-Official/72863640243 Official Jonathan Ansell Facebook FanPage]
* [http://www.classicalx.com/Jonathan_Ansell.html Jonathan Ansell at ClassicalX] Jonathan Ansell section at [http://www.classicalx.com ClassicalX]
* [http://www.jonscentral.co.uk Jon's Central] Fansite & History
* [http://www.g4-online.co.uk G4-Online] Fansite
* [http://www.g4central.co.uk G4 Central] Fansite & History
* [http://www.g4site.com G4 Official website]