He is a multi-instrumentalist, tenor and teacher born in England who began singing at St. Paul,s Cathedral and went on to appear in the popular BBC Radio 4’s Lord of the Rings series in 1980. This followed with a scholarship award at Cranleigh School where he studied piano, flute, saxophone and singing and then a year out in Australia.
On his return he read music at Christ Church, Oxford, where he became a member of the Cathedral Choir and read music. In 1990 he became a Lay Clerk at Westminster Cathedral and joined several early music ensembles and concert choirs.
He has toured extensively and appeared as a soloist and group member with ensembles that include His Majesty’s Sagbutt and Cornets, The Clerk’s Group. The King’s Consort, Martin Best Consort, The Huelgas Ensemble of Belgium, the Viana Consort of Barcelona, Ex Cathedra, Oxford Camerata, The Sixteen, Liedertafel and his own Vinum Bonum.
His solo performances have included two appearances at the BBC Proms where he sang Monteverdi’s Vespers and The Messenger in Samson by Handel and his work with popular personalities has seen him with artists that range from Al Pacino and Russell Harty to Roy Castle and Val Doonican.
Appearing on over 100 recordings he can be heard on albums such as Christmas Through the Ages, Festal Sacred Music of Bavaria c1600, Gregorian – Masters of Chant IV, Forgotten Provence by the Matthew Best Consort, Adestes Fidelis with the Westminster Abbey Choir, Make We Joy with the Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Robert Fayrfax: Missa O Quam Glorifica with Cardinall’s Musick, Victoria: Masses and Tallis: Masses for Four Voices with Oxford Camerata, Esther with the Symphony of Harmony & Invention, Samson with The Sixteen and the Gramophone Award winner Ockeghem: Requiem with The Clerk’s Group.
In his work in musical education he has been a singing teacher at St. Edward’s School, Oxford and he has also travelled to Hong Kong an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
Martin Best Consort recordings
Alle Psallite
Nimbus NI5445 (CD: Forgotten Provence)
He performs here…
Sources:
- http://www.matthewvine.eu/MQV%20-%20singing.htm
- http://www.liedertafel.org/biogs/MatthewVine.html
- http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Matthew%20Vine:1927291052
- http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&search-alias=classical&keywords=Vine%2C+Matthew&page=1
- http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1123154/a/Forgotten+Provence+1150-1550+%2F+The+Martin+Best+Consort.htm
- http://www.audiolunchbox.com/album?a=82579
- http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=2143