Richard Bryan
Singer, Actor & Director
Born in West London, Richard spent his early years in St Albans, before winning, at the age of eight, a choral scholarship to St Michael's College, Tenbury, where he eventually became Head Chorister.
He then enjoyed five happy years at the ILEA boarding school Woolverstone Hall, Ipswich (home also to such luminaries as Ian McEwan, Neil Pearson, Phill Jupitus and Martin Offiah), along the way becoming the ESU Schoolboy Public Speaking Champion, before going up to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.
During his time at University he was able to indulge his varied passions of choral singing, comedy and athletics, managing to juggle two chapel choirs with the 110m hurdles as well as writing and performing in the Footlights, with the likes of Nick Hytner, Clive Anderson, Jan Ravens and Griff Rhys Jones. Of his occasional studies, the best that could be said is that he read Engl-ish.
For more than 30 years, Richard has performed all over the world in venues including Buckingham Palace and Carnegie Hall.
Much of his work has been as a counter-tenor with a variety of ensembles including: the Tallis Scholars; the Gabrieli Consort; Pro Cantione Antiqua; the Amsterdam Baroque Choir; the Choir of St Bride's, Fleet Street; Collegium Vocale; The Sixteen.
He has also sung with or for such as Sting, Herbert von Karajan, Cliff Richard, Dave Brubeck and Jethro Tull.
With Cantabile - The London Quartet, he gave over 3,000 concert worldwide, more than 200 TV appearances, and released 17 albums.
Awards include the Wavendon Allmusic prize, and the Eurovision 'Star Festival' - best Cabaret.
I wished for a lot more of Richard Bryan's Deller-like counter-tenorStephen Pettitt, The Times
Deliciously done, dispatched with accuracy and elanof Bach Cantata 196 (Erato)
..solisti eccelenti fra cui spicca il controtenore Richard Bryan, vera vox angelicaof The Angel in Rutland Boughton's Bethlehem
It would have been a fortunate monastery indeed that had falsettists of this qualityof the Victoria Requiem (Archiv)