Andrew Carwood

Andrew Carwood is one of the most versatile musicians of his generation, dividing his time between solo and consort singing and directing his own group at an international level. He was educated at The John Lyon School, Harrow and was a choral scholar in the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, a lay clerk at Christ Church, Oxford and Westminster Cathedral, London before holding the post of Director of Music at the London Oratory Church in London for five years.

As a singer he is particularly known for his performances of the English repertoire, from consort songs by William Byrd to the role of the Male Chorus in Benjamin Britten’s "The Rape of Lucretia" and for music of the Baroque. He has performed with many of the leading British ensembles both on disc and on the concert platform throughout the world, including the Tallis Scholars, the Orlando Consort, the Oxford Camerata and Pro Cantione Antiqua, and has undertaken solo roles for Sir Roger Norrington, Joshua Rifkin, Harry Christophers, Richard Hickox, Paul McCreesh, Philippe Herreweghe, Robert King and Christopher Hogwood. His discography includes works by Hassler, Vivaldi, Haydn, Warlock, Howells, Poulenc, Janáček and Christopher Headington. He is represented by Singers Direct.

As a conductor he works principally with The Cardinall’s Musick and together they have performed throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. With them he has made over twenty recordings of renaissance music and now records for Hyperion Records. He has become a widely acknowledged expert on music of the 16th and 17th centuries and is also known for the scholarly and entertaining way in which he introduces and narrates concerts, breaking down barriers between audience and performers and allowing the music to speak in an even more eloquent way. Carwood has also worked as guest conductor with The Sixteen, The King’s Consort and the BBC Singers.

He was the Music Advisor for the National Theatre’s 2001 production of "Luther" by John Osborne, and in 1995 and 2006 he won the Gramophone Early Music Award. He is Director of the Schola Cantorum at the annual Edington Festival and was made an Associate of the Royal School of Church Music in 2005. In 2007 he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Singers.

He was appointed to succeed Malcolm Archer as Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral, London, taking up the post in September 2007, [cite news|url=http://www.stpauls.co.uk/page.aspx?theLang=001lngdef&pointerid=68476HMqL9fUVY6EdZIZLLde5Yov3X30|title=Appointment of new Director of Music|work=St Paul's Cathedral website, news section|publisher=Dean and Chapter of St Paul's|accessdate=2007-05-23|date=2007-05-21] the first non-organist to hold the post since the 12th century.

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