Benjamin Schilperoort & Leo Nicholson

Leeds Lieder Young Artists 2018

Benjamin Schilperoort is a postgraduate bass-baritone at the Royal Academy of Music. He previously read History at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He has studied with Nuccia Focile and Russell Smythe, performed in public masterclasses led by Chen Reiss and Sarah Fox, and worked with renowned conductors including Sir Jeffrey Tate, Ton Koopman and Philippe Herreweghe. Having commenced his stage training with the National Youth Theatre, Benjamin’s recent operatic roles include Il Commendatore Don Giovanni (for Royal Academy Opera), cover of Masetto Don Giovanni (for British Youth Opera), Seneca L’incoronazione di Poppea (for Hampstead Garden Opera), and Mitiukh/Police Officer Boris Godunov (for UEA Symphony Orchestra), and he has performed scenes as Don Alfonso Così fan tutte, Figaro Le nozze di Figaro, Méphistophélès Faust and Re di Scozia Ariodante. His upcoming roles in 2018 include Colline La Bohème and Fiorello Il barbiere di Siviglia, both for the touring company Opera Brava. Benjamin is also dedicated to the performance of song repertoire, and was invited to perform Schwanengesang for the inaugural recital of the 2016 Schubert Festival in Norwich. On the concert platform, he has given recitals across Europe, and performed as a soloist in the prestigious Kohn Foundation Bach Cantata Series. In addition to his performing career, He is in high demand as a vocal teacher, and has given masterclasses for young singers at leading schools in the UK. He is grateful for the generous sponsorship of the Kathleen Trust, the Parnell Trust, and the Aspinwall Educational Foundation.

Leo Nicholson studied at the Purcell School, the Junior Royal Northern College of Music, and with Douglas Finch and the late Yonty Solomon at Trinity Laban, and is currently studying accompaniment at the Royal Academy of Music. At Trinity, he won the Beethoven, Chopin, Academic and Keyboard Faculty prizes along with a Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Leo has performed at many of the country’s major venues (including Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, Kings Place and the Bridgewater Hall) and over thirty music societies as a soloist and with others. He also works in theatre, opera and with six-piano group Piano Circus.