Matthew Baldwin, Bass
Matthew is a classically trained bass from the North West of England, currently employed as the Bass Choral Scholar at Blackburn Cathedral, Lancashire.
First introduced to music whilst at Rossall School, Matthew has sung across the UK and Europe including York Minster, Westminster Abbey and St Mark’s Basilica. He went on to become Head of Choir and won the coveted Sir Thomas Beecham award in his final year at school.
Matthew’s classical vocal training began in 2014 with Michael Hall, who introduced him to the world of opera. Through the opera company Musica Lyrica, Matthew gave his first public performance as an operatic soloist singing arias from The Magic Flute, Don Pasquale, and Showboat. At the age of 18, Matthew performed in his first opera, Tosca, where he played the role of Sciarrone, following which, he spent 6 months in Italy studying with internationally acclaimed tenor, Angelo Marenzi.
Matthew graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in July 2020 with a Batchelor of Music (BMus hons). He is excited to begin studying for his Master of Arts (MA) at the Royal Welsh Conservatoire of Music and Drama (RWCMD) in September 2021 specialising in Advanced Operatic Performance.
In summer 2018, Matthew was delighted to perform his first principal role as Sarastro in Mozart's The Magic Flute, a role he reprised in early 2019 with Flat Pack Music. In July 2019, Matthew debuted in London, performing the role of Colline in Puccini’s, La Boheme, a role he will reprise in early September 2021 with the North Wales Opera Studio.
Matthew is frequently called upon as bass soloist for ecclesiastical choral works as well as other works including Faure’s Requiem and Mozart’s Requiem. He is also the bass soloist for the internationally acclaimed Welsh male voice choir, Johns ’Bois, who currently hold the title of Choir of the World 2019/20.