Michael Ferris
Michael grew up in Harrow and started singing choral music with his school in a series of Christmas concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. He also had the fortune to perform in the gallery chorus for Parsifal at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden under Sir Georg Solti. He was head chorister of his junior church choir and also performed in several Christian musical stage productions. Later in his school singing ‘career’ he sang barbershop alongside our own Vice President Roderick Williams.
After moving to Worcester he took up amateur operatics, taking his first leading tenor roles with Worcester Gilbert & Sullivan Society. In Bristol he performed principal roles with several local societies as well as close harmony ensemble NotaBene and a rock band! Locally, he has spent many years performing with the Cotswold Savoyards as well as the choir of St Peter’s Winchcombe. Alongside Philomusica, which he joined in 2019, he is also currently a soloist with Astwood Bank Operatic Society and also has a barbershop quintet called Five in a Bar. His first solo with Philomusica came at very short notice when illness made the tenor role in Mozart’s Requiem available.
Phil Joseph
Phil started singing with the church choir in his home town of Penarth, where he was head chorister until the age of fourteen. Three school G & S productions followed and since that time he has been a passionate opera fan. Back in the last century he was fortunate enough to be a ‘spear carrier’ for several years with Welsh National Opera, where a highlight was tipping Sir Geraint Evans out of the laundry basket the last time he sang the role of Falstaff, happy days.
Phil also sings with Hanley Voices in Worcestershire and has taken part in several staged productions with Belcanto Opera. He now sings with Opera Worcester, recently in Marriage of Figaro and the role of Silvioin I Pagliacci.
Solos with Philomusica include Goodall Eternal Light, Schubert Mass in G,Haydn Nelson Mass and the highly demanding role of the “Roasted Swan” in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. He has also taken a master class with renowned British tenor John Mitchinson and now studies with Linda Parsons.
John Quinn
John Quinn was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Initially his chief musical interest lay in playing the bassoon in a number of orchestras and playing in ‘the pit' for a number of shows. So, his orchestral activities ranged from contemporary music by Harrison Birtwhistle - which he regarded as an “interesting experience” - to The Desert Song! He took up singing seriously when he joined Philomusica on moving to Gloucestershire in 1987. He studies with Linda Parsons and has also benefited from a master class and tuition by the distinguished tenor, John Mitchinson. Recent solo engagements have included Bach’s Magnificat; Bob Chilcott’s Requiem; Elgar’s Light of Life; Howard Goodall’s Eternal Light. A Requiem; Gounod’s ‘St. Cecilia' Mass; Haydn’s Creation; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Mozart’s Requiem; Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Petite Messe solennelle. Since 2001 John has been a regular contributor of reviews of classical CDs and concerts to the website MusicWeb International.com.
