Biography
Twenty-four year old soprano, Jay Britton, graduated with honours in 2007 from the Royal Academy of Music where she was awarded a first for her final recital. She studied with Julie Kennard and Audry Hyland, and took part in masterclasses with singers including Dianne Forlano and Sir Robert Tear.
Jay’s solo oratorio engagements include Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (Dido), Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Little Organ Mass and St. Nicholas Mass, Mozart’s Requiem, Mass in C Minor, Solemn Vespers and Coronation Mass, Faure’s Requiem, Fanshawe’s African Sanctus, Janacek’s Otcenas, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, Poulenc’s Gloria, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, and L’allegro, il pensieroso ed il moderato, Samson (Delilah) Bach’s Coffee Cantata, Matthew Passion and Jauchzet Gott in Allen Landen for soprano soloist, with the orchestra of St John’s Smith Square and the trumpeter Paul Archibald.
Aside from opera and oratorio, Jay is in great demand as a recitalist, and has appeared at the House of Commons, the St George’s Arts Festival, the Royal Academy of Music, Harrods, Croydon Parish Church and at Bromley Parish Church with the prize winning organist Henry Fairs.
Whilst at the Royal Academy, Jay performed in scenes from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (Countess), Strauss’ Die Fledermaus (Rosalinde), Britten’s The turn of the screw (Mrs. Grose), Cimarosa’s Il Matrimonio Segreto (Elisetta) and Rameau’s Dardanus (Chorus).
Recent engagements have included singing the role of Pamina in Mozart’s Magic Flute for Guildford Opera. Jay has also recently appeared in performances of Bach’s Magnificat and Charpentier’s Te Deum with the Eye Bach Choir, Brahms’ Requiem and Handel’s Messiah with the English Arts Chorale, and J. S. Bach’s Mass in B Minor with the Royal Academy of Music and Trevor Pinnock at the Spitalfields Festival.
Future plans include performances of Haydn’s Nelson Mass in Westminster Abby, Bach’s Matthew Passion with the English Art’s Chorale, Handel's L’allegro, il pensieroso ed il moderato for the Hayes Philharmonic Choir, and the role of Micaela in Bizet’s opera Carmen for Brent Opera.