Patrick Craig began singing as a chorister in Lichfield Cathedral. He went on to become Organ Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He studied as a countertenor for two years at the Royal College of Music with Ashley Stafford, where he took lead roles in two Handel operas. For the last ten years Patrick has sung with the Tallis Scholars, the Cardinall's Musick and St Paul's Cathedral Choir. Patrick has also maintained a solo career, and has recently sung Messiah in St Paul's Cathedral, Bach's Christmas Oratorio in Hereford Cathedral, and Handel's Saul in Chelmsford Cathedral. As a conductor, Patrick runs his own choir of 18 professional female singers called Aurora Nova, who regularly sing the Sunday services in St Paul's Cathedral. He has also guest-conducted Jan Coxwell's Cecilia Consort in works by Britten, Poulenc and Carissimi, and the Cardinall's Musick in Aldeburgh and at the Brighton Early Music Festival. Patrick gets to combine these activities, as well as his work as a singing teacher, at the annual Tallis Scholar Summer Schools in Oakham, Seattle and Sydney. Patrick also works as a harpist and has accompanied various sets of choristers, including his own choir, in performances of Britten's A Ceremony of Carols.
2007 was a busy year including tours to Australia, USA and Japan with the Tallis Scholars. He completed his 500th gig with the group in Sydney and in the same month celebrated 10 years of conducting Aurora Nova in St Paul's Cathedral. Other highlights included the Cardinall's Musick winning a third Gramophone award for their ongoing recording of the complete Latin sacred music of William Byrd, and the appointment of Andrew Carwood as the new Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral. 2008 sees Patrick fulfilling his ambition to both sing and play the role of David in Handel's Saul. He also joins St Paul's Choir on its first tour under the leadership of Andrew Carwood to Minneapolis, USA, as well as performing at the Proms in London with the Tallis Scholars. Recording projects this year include the music of Hieronymus Praetorius with the Cardinall's Musick and Victoria's Lamentations with the Tallis Scholars.
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