Countertenor Eric Crockett began his vocal studies with Christiane
Issartel at the Conservatoire
Jean-Philippe Rameau in Paris where he was encouraged to audition for
the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
While studying with Andrew Watts at the Guildhall, he sang in numerous
concerts of French
mélodies, English songs and German lieder, as well as appearing
in masterclasses with Emma Kirkby and Derek Lee Ragin. He also
performed operatic excerpts from Baroque operas such as Handel’s Xerxes at venues that included Beaulieu Abbey, Selbourne
Church, The Draper’s Hall, LSO St Luke’s, and St Andrew’s Church
Holborn. He successfully graduated from the Guildhall with a Bachelor
of Music, First Class Honours.
Currently in his final year of the MMus programme at the Royal Academy
of Music where he studies with Elizabeth Ritchie, his appearances have
included Holst’s Hymns from
the Rig Veda with the Academy Chamber Choir at the Duke’s Hall, a
lieder recital entitled Schumann and the poetry of Heinrich Heine,
Handel’s L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato with
the RAM Baroque Choir at Christ Church, Spitalfields, and the UK
première of Jake Heggie’s song cycle Encountertenor
at the church of St Anne & St Agnes.
His participation in the Academy’s opera scenes led him to sing the
title roles of Rossini’s Sigismondo and Tancredi
and Handel’s Tamerlano, as well as the part of Refugee in Jonathan Dove's Flight. An invitation from the
London Handel Festival led him to take part in a masterclass with Emma
Kirkby at St George’s Church, Hanover Square.
Eric Crockett recently collaborated with Sir Richard Rodney Bennett on
his song cycle Time’s Whiter Series for guitar and
countertenor.
