Edinburgh Royal Choral Union - Messiah

Emily Mitchell soprano
A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Scottish soprano Emily is a regular performer with Scottish Opera Chorus and has made frequent appearances across Europe. She has appeared with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra on several occasions, notably in Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise and Poulenc’s Les Carmélites. She made her debut at the BBC Proms with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and returned with Dunedin Consort. She has sung with most of the leading orchestras in Britain including the London Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and has broadcast on BBC Radio. Her commercial recordings include Handel’s Esther, Mozart’s Requiem, and Mozart’s Mass in C with Dunedin Consort. The Mozart Requiem won a Gramophone award and was nominated for a Grammy award.

Rebecca Afonwy-Jones mezzo-soprano
Born in mid-Wales, mezzo-soprano Rebecca began her career as an Emerging Artist at Scottish Opera, in the title role of Carmen. She made her company debut with Welsh National Opera as Countess Geschwitz/Lulu, later returning as an Associate Artist. She made her BBC Proms debut singing Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and has worked with many other leading orchestras. Recordings include Messiah with the BBC Singers and the Norwegian Wind Ensemble conducted by David Hill. Highlights this season include her debut for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden and Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall on Good Friday.

Samuel Jenkins tenor
Winner of Berlin Opera Academy’s Luxton award and a graduate of the Royal College of Music, Samuel is a British tenor of “operatic richness and delectability” (Haddo Arts). In demand as an oratorio soloist, he recently performed Messiah at St Paul’s Cathedral. His discography includes Stravinsky’s Mass and Leighton’s Crucifixus, both on the Delphian label, with the latter commended by Gramophone. He has sung in recent opera productions at Glyndebourne, spanning works by Rossini, Puccini, Wagner, Poulenc and Ethel Smyth. As a recitalist, he has programmed French mélodies with acclaimed pianist Roger Vignoles, and given performances of Lieder and English song at Edinburgh International Festival and in London. He is a Vicar Choral with the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral and performs across the UK and Europe with renowned ensembles including the Monteverdi Choir and the Sixteen.

Jerome Knox baritone 
Born in London, Jerome is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He won first prize at the prestigious London Handel Festival Competition in 2020 and is now much in demand for both concert and opera performances. Recent appearances include his Swiss debut as Clodomiro in Handel’s Lotario and multiple roles in Scottish Opera’s Opera Highlights tour. He has also sung with Glyndebourne and Garsington Opera. In concert, he recently appeared with the Flemish Radio Choir as a soloist in Messiah, at the Wigmore Hall as a soloist singing both Bach Cantatas and Bach Magnificat with the London Handel Players, and at the London Handel Festival singing both Christus and arias in the St John Passion. He has given recitals at the Händel-Festspiele in Halle, and joined baritone Roderick Williams for a concert at Music at Paxton.

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