Creative Team

Matthew Green

Matthew attended Colchester Institute School of Music to study A Levels and later a BA Hons Degree, on the way winning competitions for solo and ensemble playing. Matthew obtained a place to study at Birmingham Conservatoire, where he gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance with Distinction. During his education, Matthew was a member of the Britten-Pears Orchestra for six seasons where he held the principal timpani chair for five of them.

He is working extensively in the UK and Europe and has played with such orchestras/ensembles as City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, English Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Opera, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Northern Sinfonia, Nash Ensemble, Endymion Ensemble and worked in theatre on productions with The Rep Theatre Birmingham and Music Theatre Wales. He is also a regular musician with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Coventry based theatre group, Talking Birds. Matthew has worked on shows including Jesus Christ Superstar, ABBA The Show and Thriller Live.

Matthew has a passion for world music which has lead him to work with such artists as Ravi Shanker, including a new project collaborating between Eastern and Western musicians, and is working presently with the UK’s leading nasheed group SHAAM. He is also in demand as a band trainer and workshop leader within the samba community, which has lead him to become Musical Director and trainer for many Birmingham based samba bands. He also coaches every summer on the European Youth Summer Music course. 

www.mattgreen.org.uk

Ben Occhipinti

Benhas directed The Elixir of Love, Le Nozze di Figaro and Semele for Winterbourne Opera; the Wizard of Oz, Oliver! and The Boy Friend at Salisbury Playhouse; The Elephant Man at Salisbury ArtsCentre, Marry me a little for theSpringboard Foundation and Better thanLife at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  Ben was Assistant Director on Puccini’s La Rondine and Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring with British Youth Opera at Sadlers Wells and The Song Of Rhiannon for W11 Opera atthe Riverside studios.

Asa music director and composer Ben has worked at the Theatre Royal Bath,Nuffield Theatre Southampton, Salisbury Playhouse, Theatre Royal Winchester,The Point Arts Centre and Forest Forge. Has also worked as a choreographer andmovement director he has worked on productions of The Elephant man, The Boy Friend, My Fair Lady, Honk, Little Me,Illyria and The Rose and the Ring.Ben has also worked for the IblaMusic Foundation in New York.

Ellen Stewart

Ellengraduated with a BA in Theatre design at Royal Welsh College of Music and Dramain 2008 where she received the Principal’s award.  She assisted on many of the productions including Billy Liar, Hobson’s choice and The LuckySpot.

 Ellen has designed set andcostume for Splendour, Habeas Corpus, Alice Through the Looking Glass as well as working on a film calledBoudicca Bites Back directed by KenRussell.  Since graduating she hasdesigned set and costume for Hay Fever,and the UK premier of High SchoolMusical: 2 on stage at the HSM2 Arena, Cardiff.  She has worked in London theatres including SouthwarkPlayhouse, The Gate, The Arcola and Theatre 503 and assisted designers such asBunny Christie, Sean Crowley and Tom Rogers.

 

Graham Trew

Graham Trew studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, winning the Gold Medal of the School in his final year, and at London University. His extensive international career has included operatic roles all over the world, from the USA to the antipodes. He has given recitals in the Purcell Room and the Queen Elizabeth, Barbican and Wigmore Halls and the Royal National Theatre, in addition to Radios 2, 3 and 4, the World Service, Classic FM and Channel 4. He is, however, best known for his many recordings of English Song and, in the lighter field, has appeared as a soloist on many radio programmes, such as ' Friday Night is Music Night' and 'Songs from the Shows'. His starring roles in musicals has included ‘Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’, ‘Good News’ and ‘The Selfish Giant’, where he walked on stilts! Graham often sings in cabaret and has recently appeared with Susan Hampshire, Charles Dance, Lesley Joseph and Melanie Marshall in various charity events.

As a Gentleman of Her Majesty's Chapel Royal Choir at St.James's Palace, Grahm was involved him in many State occasions and was honoured to receive both the Silver and Golden Jubilee Medals from The Queen. In 2002 Her Majesty appointed him a Member of the Royal Victorian Order in the Golden Jubilee Birthday Honours.

A vastly experienced teacher in classical technique, musicals and ‘pop’ music, Graham is a Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, an Associate Professor at Trinity College of Music and has taught and given recently given masterclasses at conservatoires and schools across the UK An expert on the treble and the ‘changing’ voice, his students have included Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian), Mark Wilde, Tom Chaplin (Keane), Dan Stevens, Lloyd Owen and Robert Irons.

A Diploma examiner for the ABRSM and an Adjudicator for the British & International Federation of Festivals, Graham runs the solo vocal and choral sections of European Youth Summer Music, conducts an adult choir on the annual New London Music Society Summer School and holds residential masterclasses at Benslow and ‘Jackdaws’ as well as conducting the Llanfair Singers, near his home. He is Chairman of the Association of English Singers and Speakers, which promotes the ‘communication of the English language in poetry, prose and song’ amongst young performers.